Видео

I really like CamBam, but I grow frustrated with the list of bugs. It really is one of the easiest work flows for the type of work that I do.

Do you have an actual second spindle, or do you have a fourth axis? If you have a fourth axis there is a limited 4th axis plug-in available from one of the other users on the cambam forums. If you have a second spindle you may be able to change the work plane, but I've never done that in cambam and I'm not sure how to go about doing that.

This sounds like one of those situations that may benefit from the collective wisdom of all of the other users on the cambam forums.

I'll go back and look when I get a chance. Pretty swamped right now.

If it's a CamBam project and I understand correctly you can simply enter a roughing clearance. Then it leaves that much material between the last cut and the geometry.

@@boblalonde8661 I don't think I asked properly. The perimeter of the geometry is all at the 0 z-axis so there is no cutting needed. The problem is that the system wants to cut a boundary so I get a "moat" around the entire geometry.

@@Bigelowbrook set the depth to zero or above zero. It cuts as deep as you tell it to.

@@boblalonde8661 I don't see a depth setting in the Boundary area, but I did find that if you set the Boundary Margin to -1 removes it!

Yep. You should run right out and buy one of those stuck WENs.

It's only wasted if you pay a few dollars more and buy the WEN anyway.

There are always risks, but if you look at HF model numbers you'll find often that identical appearing machines from different manufacturers have different model numbers. I'm sure you must have noticed occasionally you look up a product and it lists three or four different model numbers for the same product. I didn't mention it in the video, but from a subjective of feel standpoint the Wen has less power even though it claims to have the same size motor. However, the big deal is that the motor sticks. WEN LOSES. You might have noticed that I disassembled the Harbor Freight unit and save the parts. That was specifically so that I could build a shop project with those that are still good. The original video entrance section that I forgot to record forgot to hit the record button show me comparing the machines as I disassembled the Harbor Freight unit.

I 100% agree. The screw isn't just close to the seam, its in the seam.

It turned out it was one of the things my wife asked for from her folks household. I thought it was just a kiche craft item she bought at an art fair or something.

Take a look at the plug-in page link on the forums. Not the plugins on the main cam bam website, but the user generated plugins that David has collected together on a separate page. There's some pretty amazing tools in there.

There is a DRO that is not part of the default screen set. This is the OEM DRO 91. If it is not present in your screenset, you can add it with MachScreen.

@@boblalonde8661 I will investigate on how to do that. Thanks!

you can do config - ports and pins- mill options- G73 pullback

​@@peterbeullens6218 really? I will check it tomorrow at my workshop.

@@giuliobuccini208 you have to uncheck 'compensation', so 'apply' will appear. Works fine for me.

So far no issues other than a loose pull stud. I tightened them all up a little more firmly with a wrench and I haven't had an issue since. I do just use these for a quick manual tool change so I have not used all of the sensors.

What do you mean? G73 is a progressive peck drill code. G73 is in the title. I use G73 in LinuxCNC, PathPilot (LinuxCNC variant), and Mach 3. Just plug in your parameters like any other drilling operation.

I should add that I have been told that it actually doesn't work quite right in Mach 3. There is a supposedly a manual file to set the retract value that is not part of the default screensets. Maybe, but it works well enough I never bothered to use MachScreen to add that data entry field. Whatever that value is by default on my machines seems to be good enough. Here is where I first shared it if you want to read more. cambamcnc.com/forum/index.php?topic=8341.0

@@boblalonde8661 dont seem to get it working on my mach 3 T G0 X0 Z0 G73 X0.0 Y0.0 Z-55 R1 F50 M30

@@davecox900 Looks like you don't have a peck distance. Just a retract height. Read the thread I linked to. and if Z0 is your stock surface you will drag tools. You need to set your initial clearance height ABOVE your stock surface. Looks like you work in metric, so maybe 5 or 10mm until you get a lot of confidence in your machine. Then you can use less clearance to save time if you need to.

@@boblalonde8661 on a lathe mate

I always forget and have to look up how to set the work plane. Typically I work off the default work plane which is (XY) Z=0, but you can change that. If you have snaps set to "on face" you can draw a circle on any face of a solid or surface. There are lots of ways to get somewhere in ViaCAD. FYI: I'm not the ViaCAD guy. I'm just another user. I did this particular video to help out a user on the CamBam forums who has helped me many times. Look for videos by Tim Olsen. He is the original ViaCAD Author.

@@boblalonde8661 Many thanks, Bob. I appreciate you weighing in! The "on face" rings a bell and I think I used to have it set that way years ago. I'm just getting back into this as of today with V12 Pro so this well be helpful. Thanks again.

Yep. A buddy was having trouble with a new batch of foam board, so I shot that video clip for him. I forgot it was even out there.

Inches per minute is a pretty widely accept rate in the industry for those working with Imperial units. While you personally may not find it all that intuitive, I've gotten used to it and used to talking to other machinists using that standard for comparing and sharing data.

@@boblalonde8661 yes, I got or am getting used to it also but it is so easy to imagine how far I can push a hand held router in a second but not in a minute.

I have two of these spindles in service. Both with ISO 20 taper spindle nose. There appears to be a spring that pulls back the drawbar back, but its a good idea to keep the return side of the air cylinder pressurized so there is no chance of it riding on the end of the internal draw bar when the tool is spinning. Heat build up from friction would be pretty terrible at 8000-24000 rpm. It does not consume air to keep pressure on the return side. The air seal does consume air as does the deduster (tool cleaning blast). Extending and retracting the claw uses air only at the time it activates and deactivates but once bled/pressurized air usage is negligible.

Oops, Was on one of my other channels. LOL. Anyway... like I said before. I have two of these spindles in service. Both with ISO 20 taper spindle nose. There appears to be a spring that pulls back the drawbar back, but its a good idea to keep the return side of the air cylinder pressurized so there is no chance of it riding on the end of the internal draw bar when the tool is spinning. Heat build up from friction would be pretty terrible at 8000-24000 rpm. It does not consume air to keep pressure on the return side. The air seal does consume air as does the deduster (tool cleaning blast). Extending and retracting the claw uses air only at the time it activates and deactivates but once bled/pressurized air usage is negligible.

You need to identify the ports on your spindle. I posted a diagram of how my spindle hooked up in one of my videos on this subject. You can use a manual valve or an electric solenoid valve, but you must have a valve with those passages and switching if installing a quick change spindle like the one I installed. I can not identify the ports on your spindle for you, but they should be labeled. Its not helpful if they are labeled in a language you do not read, but many spindle sellers have some information like that in their original sales listings. An inexpensive spindle will likely just have 2 ports for coolant. Some may have a third for an air seal which sprays air around the rotating part of the spindle nose to prevent oil, cutting coolant, and chips from getting into the spindle. An ATC spindle like the one I installed has 2 coolant ports. An air seal. An air blast port (deduster) to clean chips off the tool while its being inserted. A release tool port, and a retract tool port. Each of the air ports have a different recommended air pressure and you need to regulate pressure to each in the appropriate range. This means you will need multiple regulators. The pressures should be listed either in the original sales listing or in the documentation that came with your spindle. They may be listed in a unit of measure you are unfamilar with, but they can be easily converted to other units.

<Ctrl T> Generate tool paths

I did not use them. I am not using an actual ATC setup. I just wanted the fast change and repeatable tool height so I could use the tool tables instead of having to touch off after every tool change. I did mention this in one of the videos. Sorry I could not be more help. One thing though is that I don't understand where you are getting 24/21v volts. On another machine that has similar sensors for homing and limits the voltage comes from my BOB at 5V and the output is connected to an open collector input on the board. I wouldn't even know where to start unless I knew where that 24/21V was coming from. When it comes to PNP or NPN I always have to hunt up a connection diagram, and again I did not use them on these spindles for my application. If the tool falls back out in my hand I know it didn't lock in.

24V is my source voltage. Because I use a PLC to control the Valves. First time I had both sensors connected to the inputs of my PLC and both inputs have been set in every position of the chuck. So I took both sensors to test them. I have put a 10k ohm pull down resistor to the black wire for measuring the output. On one sensor the output signal don't change and on the other one I had 24V or 21V on the pull down resistor. So I think the sensors are broken.

Or maybe they are NPN and the manual is wrong? I also wrote to Rattm Motor but I get no answer.

@@roberthoffmann4703 I'm used to using 5V for stuff like that, although I am aware there are sensors that can use other voltages.

This might be better served by posting your CB file on the CamBam forum, but I'll give it a shot here. Converting text to polyline leaves a bit of a mess. Then you need to "remove overlaps" I think if you create a new layer before you remove overlaps the new cleaner polylines will be created in the new active layer. Then you can just hide the layer where your original text to polylines exist. The next problem is I think regions can only work like you would want with outer and inner boundaries. For example a letter "O" cleanup up inside of a circle. I don't think a latter A would work as it has an outside close polyline and an inner closed loop polyline. For your region you would need to use use the circle and the outer polyline of the A only. Then if you wanted to cut out inside the inner polyline of the A you would need to do that as a separate operation.

Another thing that can cause a region to fail to be created (or just to fail to work) is that it must be composed of "closed" shapes. Sometimes you can just tell CamBam that a shape is closed, and other times you have to zoom in and find an actual break in the geometry.

Bob, thanks so much for your prompt replies and insight. Two factors have now been made apparent to me. Firstly, as it turns out, my 3D shape was generated as a surface for which I get the error message, "...Can not be joined with a surface". Secondly, I've recently been challenged with adding engraving work onto this surface, (the surface being an inverse shallow bowl resembling the earth). I'm looking, but I don't see that CAMBAM can handle this functionality. Has that been your experience?

@@milehidude to my knowledge you cannot make a surface part of and it was never intended to make a surface part of a region period and no part of my video did I make a surface part of a region period I used regions to control the cutting area on the surface. I didn't do anything other than that or imply anything other than that.

@@milehidude a limited ability to engrave on a surface is to use the function of projecting lines to a surface. Then you engrave the lines to whatever depth you would like. The reason I say it is limited is because the tip of the tool exactly follows the line or exactly follows the line plus whatever depth you have set.

Thank you.

It is the resolution and clarity of the image you are starting with. CB doesn't fit curves and splines to it. It just creates a bunch of short line segments.

Thank you. I am glad it helped.

The easy answer first. SC520 from Master Chemical around 6% with distilled water. The guy who suggested it to me uses softened water, but his water may not have the dissolved solids I have in my well. I have a smaller distiller that can produce up to 11 gallons per day automatically. I do not get "rust", but I do eventually get staining under fixture plates and vises that are mounted to the table for a log time. Aluminum and steel come off the machine clean and bright. If you have an account with MSC you will probably get the best price from them. If you do not then Zoro is an option. For me 5 gallons at a time is the best economy. Affordable, but lasts me a while. If you want to try a small amount I think you can order smaller containers, but the price goes up, or if you happen through Yuma I'll look around for a small container to pump some into. CamBam has 4 drill options built in, Canned, Spiral CW, Spiral CCW, and Custom. If you select Custom in the Drilling Method parameter you can selected a different G-Code and pass parameters to it on the Custom Script parameter two lines above. I first learned to use it for pseudo rigid tapping using a tension compression tapper and RPM only (no encoder). DO NOT rapid peck past your flutes. In gummy material leave at least 3 drill diameters of flutes exposed at the deepest. This is the line I put into my fast peck cycle. G73 Z$z X$x Y$y Q$q F$f R$r I have tested it with PathPilot (LinuxCNC derivative). In fact I now use it all the time for routine drilling like alignment pins and clamping screws in mold plates. I have not run it under Mach 3, but I have tested it in the Mach 3 I have installed on my designed computer for job time estimating, and code visualizing. It seems to work the same, but I'll air test it or test it on something from my scrap cart before incorporating it into Mach jobs. There are a number of other G-codes for drilling. You can plug in any of them using the method above. You just need to know or learn if your controller and your machine support them. For example I do not use the tapping routine on any of my Mach machines currently due to an excessive spin up and spin down time. I probably could if I did tests and timed the pause at the bottom just right. Others (decreasing incremental pecking) are not supported by Mach or as near as I can tell by LinuxCNC, but if you have a control that supports it you could do it. I do not know all the parameters you can pass to the custom script this way, but there are more than in that line above. Now the big deal. Once you have it working, you can copy the MOP to a style in your style library so you don't have to remember it every time you want to use it. Then you can just select that style when you want to use fast pecking. I already have styles for D, F, 7. 21 drills for mold pins and clamping screws so I just changed the drilling to custom and inserted the line above for each of them. Eventually I'll make another video showing some of this in more detail, but I figured I'd put this reply out there for you and others that don't need hand holding to do something new.

I have tested G73 rapid pecking with Mach 3 and it does work, but the retract parameter does not appear to be used. It seems to use a DRO that can be manually set in Mach 3. The DRO does not appear to be part of the default screen sets, but it can be added to your screens using Klaus' MachScreen screen editor.

Thanks. No I have not used it. I picked it up for a future projects. One of those on the long non-essential list. For your application I think another alternative might be make a cutter out of drill rod. It won't last long, but if yours is a single use application it might last long enough. Heat treat for drill rod isn't to horribly difficult. O1, W2, etc. I've made custom shaped reamers out of the stuff for single use applications. I wanted this dovetail cutter because I have a bunch of dovetail tools, tool holders, and misc applications on the back burner. When I need one I'll have it. Usually I learn to make a tool (the details) when I need the tool.

@@boblalonde8661 Funny, I am making this cutter for a future project as well! I will have to machine 60 inches of pre-hardened 4140, so really want the carbide cutting edges. For some reason the cost of TPMT431 inserts (with 11° side relief) I was planning on was running about $80 for a pack of 10. I ended up buying TT431 inserts (7° side relief) for $33 shipped. I built a prototype out of HRS with 10° negative radial and 5° positive axial relief; the other angle ended up being at 30.29° by trial and error. Prototype cuts OK, but nothing to compare it too. Thinking of making a TNMG322 dovetail cutter for roughing my project. To have 5° negative radial and axial reliefs. Will use the other side of my single insert prototype to see if that will work out. Then I would have the best of both worlds!

Not going to go full ATC at this time.

Thank you. Watch for the last part coming in the next few weeks.

Hi, Just so you know I plan to make one more video in this series actually showing me installing it. That being said I already installed it, and I didn't shoot any video. I can say this because I like it well enough that I ordered another one of these spindles for my other similar machine. Its here so I should be installing it pretty soon. Watch for the last video in the series soon. So far I like it quite a lot.

@@boblalonde8661 awesome...so this is essentially the jlg-80 correct?

@@minskmade I don't know the model off the top of my head. Its the 1.8KW 80mm ATC spindle from rattm motors on Ebay. RTM80-20 I think.

I have a 60 gallon (227 liters) compressor with a 3.7 HP motor. The pressure switch is at 125/155PSI on/off. I regulate to 125 for shop distribution. Then it goes to my air filtration. I am running three machines with air seals. I think my compressor cycles on 3-4 times per hour when all three running if I am not using air for anything else. I don't really pay it much attention. Its in a different part of my shop. It runs for atleast a few minutes each time it cycles on. Your air volume might be a little low, but your issue is not really going to be air consumption. The big deal is to provide "DRY" air. I run out of my tank to a filter separator, refrigeration type dryer, then another filter separator. Then there is another filter separator at each machine. You could use a desiccant stack, but you need to regularly pull the desiccant and dry it or it just quits doing anything. McMaster Carr sells a dual desiccant stack that dries air with one while heating the other to drive moisture out, then switches stacks. Sorry, being a damned Yankee I still use Imperial units.

Thank you. Please bare in mind that most of my CamBam related videos where made on the fly in a single take to answer a particular problem for another user. I am not a CamBam master. Expert maybe, as I use it every day in my day job, but not a master. Often the very best place to get an answer to your particular problem is the CamBam forums. The answer isn't always the what you want, but there is usually an answer. Of every forum on the internet I have participated in there is no better group of users who are more inclined to help another user find a solution to a problem. I mean that sincerely, and I am a member of dozens of forums in atleast a half dozen different fields.

@@Bobbyl007 That was a really nice reply. watched a few of your vid's. Your super technical. It will take me awhile before I am even close to your level. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

@@toddspeck9415 Oops. Sorry about that. I've got a few different channels and I sometimes forget to check which one I am currently using. Five Minutes on the Water, CNC Molds N Stuff, and Bob La Londe. I pretty much always post CamBam videos on the Bob La Londe channel.

Thank you. Most of my CamBam videos were done kind of "off the cuff" to meet a particular need I felt was easier to show in video when somebody has posted a problem or question on the CamBam forums. I didn't go out of my way to create CamBam content so much as trying to answer a fellow users question. As always if you have a particular problem the CamBam user forum is always the first best place to ask.

Just whish you were my next door neighbor, I would be hitting you up for Cambam tips weekly. Luck for you, you are not next door.:)

@@EverhardVideos If you have a particular issue ask, but I always suggest that you will get more expert help from more people by asking on Andy's forum. There has to be the best most helpful group on that forum of any forum I have ever visited on the Internet. www.cambam.co.uk/forum/

@@EverhardVideos P.S. If you were my neighbor I'd probably put you to work mucking out machines in exchange for personal tutelage. LOL

Most likely your not responding issue has to do with images size and resolution. CamBam is a 32 bit application and has a memory limitation. This was originally done in an older version of CamBam and I have not tested it in 1.0 Alpha which is what I am currently using for everything else. Using this method you do not "import" an image into CamBam. You convert image to surface, but the image itself is not displayed in CamBam. When you silhouette it you may need to make sure your surface is tall enough to slice nicely with silhouette, and your silhouette parameter is appropriate.

Thank you.

I just got a JGL spindle, and it came with a user's manual. In it, it didn't say anything about what the "air return" is used for. However, before I purchased the unit, I request a digital copy of the user's manual, to review. When comparing the two, I noticed a number of differences. So I asked them which one I should be referencing. And was told the digital copy is the most recent, and to trash the one that came with the spindle. In the digital copy, it says the "Air Return" is for ensuring that the Spindle's internal air cylinder is returned to the proper position after a tool change is performed. And to apply air pressure to it for a few seconds before starting the spindle up. Also, if indicated to use "2-postion 3-way values" for each of the air connections. And a few other details.

Rex, what vfd are you using with the spindle? I’m just setting up my machine with the 3.2kw. Jgl 220v 24k atc spindle. Is yours the same?

@@terrymueller2161 yes it's same, I am using huang yang vfd