It'd be almost impossible to determine just from what you posted. Is the tool balanced? Is the holder? Or do you have it in a sidelock? What's the runout on your machine? DOC?

"Damascus Steel" is used extensively for knifemaking  and things of that nature. Never have seen it called out on a print as it could be any combination of metals. Normally the purpose for it on knives is for decorative advantages rather than any egde-holding advantage unless it is a "San Mia" (Soft outer layers with a very high RC core)  What is the part for?

Wouldn't you want hard outer layers and a soft core? Unless you just want to bludgeon someone to death.

I use viewsheets all the time, especially for 4 axis work when I have to drill/tap/ream two sides of a part. Pick a point on one side, toolpath, switch view sheet, repeat. No worrying about making sure I have the correct WCS/T/C or anything else. Just click and work. I also use it all the time on 3ax work when the part has to get flipped to finish machining (as in 99% of the time.)

If you use Mill/Turn, you're kind of stuck with Code Expert.

Same thing here. Post it up on the other forum so they can be aware of it.

I don't believe he was worried about the M19 wearing the spindle. Rather, the spindle stopping for the M01, then restarting and immediately stopping again for the tool change.

All you need is the M05, before the M01.

The M01 is basically just "pausing" the machine, and as soon as you hit cycle start it goes back to what it was doing. If the spindle was running before hand, it will start up after. If it's stopped, it stays stopped.

An M19 should already be buried in the tool change macro so you won't have to worry about that (if it's not, your MTB was drunk on the job and you'd better start demanding some free tech support.)

I would put the M05 on the same line as the G28 to save cycle time; if you don't you'll lose a few seconds every tool change.

Depends on your control. I'm assuming you have a Fanuc. The tool change macro is a 9000 series program, so you'll have to change the parameters that let you access those programs. Set parameter 3202.4 to 1 to unlock them, and 3202.6 to 1 to see the programs (when 3202.6 is set to 0, the program runs discreetly, which is why you never see it on the screen.) Once you do that, you can find the program number in your directory and change it to what you need.

And if you screw anything up, that's all on you and I take no responsibility, so tread carefully.

Just modify the tool change macro to work how you want. The very first code we have in there is M05, so whenever an M6 is called, the spindle stops.

I modified my post to automatically output sync codes in the correct spot whenever it saw a change in axis combination. It worked OK, but we finally broke down and bought Mill/Turn and haven't looked back.

Ended up getting a post from Postability. Machine showed up yesterday, but now I'm on vacation for the next week so hopefully when I get back it will be all dialed in and ready to rock!

We have a couple LBs, including an LB4000EXII with the wedge Y and programmable tailstock but not sub. It's an excellent machine, powerful and stable. The two biggest drawbacks I see with it is the number of tools it holds and the live toolholders (I guess I wish it were another Multus). Also, the stickout of your live tooling is limited by the sheetmetal. But we've done some pretty crazy parts on the machine and it always works out. 

I've had experience with Mitsu controls on our Swiss machines. My opinion echoes Chris ^^

I get the best results in any material by feeding in slowly like everyone else suggested, then with about .0005 to go I pull back ten thou, drop the RPM to 50, then finish the last half thou and dwell for one second. Of course you have to make sure your infeed method works with your material because if you cause chatter or or working with a gummy material that galls, you'll destroy the finish before you even have a chance.

It's different for every machine builder; for our Doosans it is M84

I would make a pocket and "surface finish contour"

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I had a part that had that exact same shape that I've been dealing with, only it was at the bottom of a 4" hole (square all the way up, tapered like that at the bottom, .19 corner rad) and had to have 32m finish. Roughed, then finished with waterline for the walls, and raster on the taper angles. 

We have a Starrett 673z bench mike (pic below.) Does anyone have a user manual, or any first hand knowledge of how to use it? The Starrett website say's it's useful for comparison readings within .00005", but I can't get it to repeat like that. It's got all kinds of doodads and woozles, but really just seems like an oversize micrometer. I'm sure I'm missing something. Any pointers? I know the knob on the left adjusts the anvil pressure from .5 to 3 lbs, or at least that's what it is suppose to do.

I've got my reseller on it. In days gone by I would have modified a post on my own until I got the output I was confident with, but I no longer have the time for that, and we're already scheduling jobs for the machine and it is still a few weeks from delivery!

I tried programming it once as a macro on an Okuma and I couldn't get the spindle positioning to keep up. Of course it was an older machine so maybe a newer one is more capable. 

Anybody have a source for a proven and reliable post processor for the Makino Professional P controls? I've reached out to In House. Anyone using one from them or another supplier? 

We use those a lot. In fact, we have a job here that requires a very tight tolerance bore, very deep into thin wall part, with flatness on the bottom, so we had custom tools made up with coolant through. They work like a champ, even if they are $$$ for being custom. Wouldn't be able to do the job at a profit without them.

Stay tuned for the next couple weeks. I might have some machine pr0n to post. 

I´ve filled some enhancements requests with CIMCO based on this little and smart piece of software.

 

One of the biggest mistakes we do in this trade is to underestimate solutions coming from unknown / small players.

 

InPlot kicks CIMCO´s xxxx in a few things.

I particularly enjoy the fact that they still offer a version for DOS 5.0

Loose retention knob?

High speed steel cutoff blade. Grind it sharp, no coating, good coolant. "Old school" style, but still works the best IMHO

Doubt it has anything to to with tram. The marks are actually very uniform and consistent. If the spindle was out of tram it would be favoring one side of the cutter.