That's the point of that toolpath, to start on the outside and work in. Try Opti-Area?

I keep messing with it and can't make any sense of it. I'm glad it's not just me.

Actually, I want to be able to put imported stuff on different levels. I tried creating a new level and making it active before importing, but it still puts everything on whatever level it is on in the original file.

There has to be a way to change attributes when merging files but I just can't figure it out. Sometimes I need to bring a second model into my file but it always puts whatever is on a given level on the same number level in the file I am working with, and I have to spend time seperating it out. What am I missing?

Some serious stuff there!

No offense Marshal, but your $25 + your wife's $13 = pretty much what YoDoug said...Here in Oregon,$25- $30 is really good pay at least for a machinist/programmer. My job is probably 85% machining 15% programming. Everything from manual lathe/mill to 5 axis CNC. We have a very hard time finding people who can do it all and are not specialized. We need old school journymen that also program, set up, and operate CNC.

I think Kennametal offers the most in turning.

I have the same problem here. I have a pretty decent computer dual quad core, dual quadro 4000's ect, but some of my complex parts take 45 min to 90 min. to re-gen with hst paths. Task manager also shows 12 -13%. I found that if I open another window of X6 and crunch another toolpath at the same time, it will use 25%. Seems odd that it only uses 12 to 13% per instance when I have 8 processer cores available.

Some coolants are affected by green metals. We use Hangsterfer's SC-500 and have to use an additive when cutting anything with copper. Some of their other formulas are compatible with green metals, but we can only run what has been approved by the plant. That said, the Hangsterfer's coolant does a very nice job of dissolving gunk so a wash down with coolant is all our machines need.

G65 is Macro sub routine call on Haas but it is an option that has to be purchased. Not sure if it will do what you are asking.

Great videos! That Makino is impressive. The Haas machines do well for the type of work we do now, but we are starting to get into some steel cavity work. I'm using our EC-1600 for that work, and I can see that a heavier machine would do better with the full engagement dynamic stuff.

I really like Kennametal KSEM

Any idea why I can't see these videos? I just have a big empty space under the dialog of the post and nothing to click on. We are about 90% Haas here, so I would like to see what I'm missing.

I welcome the change to grease. All of our Haas machines use oil and it all ends up in the coolant.

I just gun drilled 2MM holes 3.5" deep in Titanium on our horizontal. 23 pieces with one tool! I used Guhring series 6400 drill to pilot the hole and series 5026 gun drill. I also have 1000 PSI through spindle coolant which is critical with a drill as small as 2MM. The Guhring catalog has a bunch of info on how best to enter the hole and such. From memory,it was something like drill pilot 2X diameter deep, enter hole with gun drill at 300 RPM and 20 IPM feed to 1.5X diameter deep. Start through spindle coolant. Start spindle at desired RPM. Drill to depth. Rapid retract to start depth (1.5X dia.) Slow spindle to 300 RPM and feed out of hole at 20 IPM.

Looks like a "lead in / lead out" problem to me.

Now that's funny!...I thought we were the only ones that had these kind of problems with specs and QA.

Guhring is good. I have also had good luck with the kennametal 3 margin drill.

Hmmm, I'll give that a try.

Same on my end. Also, the STL compare stays active and I have to turn it off for every new part I verify.

I usually just write these type by hand. Use your canned drill cycle with incremental move called 35 times, then move to the next row and call it again. some controls you have to get creative with sub-programs to make it work, but most will let you do a repetition of some sort.

Maybe I'm missing something? Just draw the two circles, then create-arc-arc tangent, click the two entities button (icon looks like fillet), then click each circle at the top.

Oh, that makes perfect sense

I can't even figure out how to find the multi-threading manager...

I made stops for both ends of our Haas lathes. They have Kitigawa chucks so I was able to make an aluminum chip cover about 4" deep with a threaded hole for a stop bolt. For longer parts, I built a cover for the end of the spindle that bolts on where the cover plate goes that is deep enough to provide clearance for the throw of the draw tube. The cover is threaded for a piece of 1" all thread and I can couple sections to adjust length. The stop at the end of the all thread is an aluminum disc about 1" thick that screws on the end of the all thread and has about .010" clearance in the draw tube. I have never had a problem with it getting stuck. Our spindles are 4" bore, so you may have to scale your parts to fit your machine.