MEW 186, Best ever issue

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Its just dropped through the postbox and I have had a quick scan, I’m very impressed, a really full magazine with articles to suit everyone.

 

My compliments to the editor (and the various authors/contributors)

 

Ian

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Thank you Ian.

However, I do need more articles or I will have to run lots of CNC ones.

regards David

 

 

[Steve GarnettParticipant @stevegarnett62550]

Not quite sure whether that’s a threat or a promise!

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Maybe CNC is going to become a big part of the hobby, the bits are definitely getting cheaper and easier to acquire.

 

Digital bits have transformed my old Drummond.

Backlash eliminated, 100th of a millimetre accuracy, inches or metric

Constant power threading now possible

 

Guys like Sparey and Westbury would probably have embraced the new cheap technologies

 

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

More to the point if David already has CNC articles as he’s hinted here and on the editor page then it proves interested people are writing for CNC wheras if he has no manual projects then they are not.

 

Perhaps this is pointing the way things are going ?

 

EDIT 

Did the results of the last survey ever get published ?

 

John S.

Edited By John Stevenson on 18/01/2012 15:27:41

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Ah John

 

For ever optimistic!

 

Norman

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

About 50 % of people were happy with CNC being included although a small percentage said they would never do CNC but it had its place in MEW.

The majority wanted 2, 3 or 4 pages of CNC. That leaves a lot to fill up with non CNC articles and they are going down fast.

regards David

 

 

 

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Norman,

No I don’t want to see a purely CNC edition of MEW, I already buy Digital Machinist from Village Press just for that.

 

I’d like to see a balanced approach to MEW but in the past when CNC gets published the flat earth society get all revved up and start rattling walking sticks. Long short is David can only publish what he has.

 

All I’m saying is that if he only has predominantly CNC articles then is this the way the workshop side of the hobby is going ?

 

One thing to bear in mind is that CNC is relatively new in the home shop whereas on the manual side, toolposts, bed stops rotary tables and knurling tools have been flogged to death since the start of the mag back in 19 ought plonk.

 

Answers in G-Code please no longer than 999 lines long so the older CNC’s can understand it.

 

John S.

[Ray LyonsParticipant @raylyons29267]

Too old to learn G- code now. I have a large file on CNC programming but after about the first couple of pages, my eyes glaze over and I am lost.

 

It is ok for those of us lucky enough to have learned in the course of a profession. I think that my need is for practical demonstration or one – to – one tuition.

 

What little metalworking skills I have, were learned at evening classes before the ” Iron Lady ” came along and placed a commercial value on everything. Now such classes are rare and if available cost the earth.

 

I remember some time ago, Tony Jeffree wrote in these pages that there is no need to learn G-Code. He said that using a CAD programme the drawing can be transferred to the computer for cutting.

 

I believe he was preparing an article on this for MEW which would be great for many of us trying to understand the system and could be a better way of introducing CNC

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Posted by Ray Lyons on 18/01/2012 18:41:52:

Too old to learn G- code now. I have a large file on CNC programming but after about the first couple of pages, my eyes glaze over and I am lost.

 

 

 

You don’t need to learn G-code anymore Ray

I prepared a step-by-step article on the use of CAD and CAM for the absolute beginner and sent it off to MEW, but so far it hasn’t been published.

 

It’s a pity really, because it was written specifically to try and bring the home workshop community up to date with the opportunities that CNC brings, as well as show that it is quite an interesting subject if it’s given a chance – and no G-codes either.

 

 

Martin..

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

The ‘Best yet’ ?

Not sure I agree with that, the articles are interesting and varied but why oh why did an article on tee nuts need 3 pages!

I thought Tony Jeffree’s article on electronic lathe control was excellent and as alway with his articles, well written and presented. A great halfway house between manual and CNC.

Maybe a beginners guide to CNC could be included every other issue, that may appease the flat earthers and leave room for the knob twiddlers to have their bit as well.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Martin

Article not forgotten.

Finishing off Tom Senior first.

Might well be in MEW 188.

Will pencil it in.

regards David

 

 

[Michael HornerParticipant @michaelhorner54327]

Hi Ray

 

Too old to learn G-code! There’s a guy built a model deltec diesel engine with the help of CNC from what I can remember he didn’t take up CNC until after he retired. In his biograpghy he mused that he was to old but had a play, found out he could do it and the rest is history.

I’ve taught my self G-code, I’m not an expert but get it to do what I want JS did a posting with some G-code this was added to my knowledge and now has added some flexibility to my code.

 

My method of learning is to create desire, I am building the Whittle V8. For me to produce 8 of everything would drive me nuts, so for me CNC is the answer.

 

If you can produce a drawing in cad save it into a dxf format you can then open it in cut2d

save this to mach3 it’s then ready to mill. JS has mentioned this in a recent post where he was doing a demonstration at arceuro.

 

Hope this helps

Cheers Mike.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

For me to produce 8 of everything would drive me nuts, so for me CNC is the answer.

 

Guys like Gerald Smith only ever made one masterpiece

18 cylinders…holy smoke

 

http://www.onthewire.co.uk/smith.htm

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

G Code consists of a text file full of numbers, fortunately there are only 10 of them 0 to 9, the average careful person has 10 digits on their hands so it’s not that hard, Anyone not that careful need to take their shoes and socks off

Seriously though no matter how big the code is it can be split into three part, beginning, middle and end.

All is written by the computer and if the Post Processor file is setup correctly for your machine then it should be automatic.

The first part basically sets the machine up, normally the first line has a multitude of code that basically puts the machine into neutral, no offsets, no spindle etc, usually called the safety line.

After this it sets the tool being used, spindle speed [ if applicable ] feed rate and starts the program.

It’s really only this part you need to be able to read as this is where it starts off from at what rate and revs and how deep.

The middle bit is just way points that tells it the next point to move to.

The last bit is basically the park up bit, stop spindle, coolant rewind the program and make the tool go to a safe place, again written by the computer and once it’s done this routine once and you are happy with it then basically forget it.

So to recap it’s only the first 10 lines or so that matter and you soon come to be able to spot an error by osmosis.

I have lost count how many people I have trained and believe me most get it within half a day, no-one has taken more than a day. Not saying they will never make a mistake but at least they will know what to do when they spot the mistake.

John S.

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

‘s easy. Put all the CNC articles in the mag for about three issues consecutively and see what happens. If sales don’t fall then no problem. If they do then maybe the flat earthers have their place.

 

For me learning the G code would not be a problem as I did C coding at night school and other languages at home. It’s replacing the manual lathe and milling machine I bought and all the tooling I have bought to go with them.

 

So for the time being I am a flat earther I guess who cannot afford to be anything else

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

If I put all the CNC articles into the next three issues, the new editor will know not to do that if he wants to keep his job.

regards David

 

 

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

That gave me a chuckle Dave!

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

Not sure about MEW 186 being best ever TBH. Concern for me is the letter in ‘scribe a line’ from the contributor who wrote the articles about wiring a inverter. He states that a ten turn potentiometer allows ten different speeds whereas a single turn pot allow variable speed. If a contributor writing electrical based articles has such a fundamental misunderstanding of his subject matter then its a bit worrying TBH. Also fact that editorial staff havent picked up the error.

A ten turn potentiometer acts exactly the same as a single turn one it just allows a finer adjustment of the speed. Maybe the authr was thinking of some arrangement with a ten position switch with different resistors being selected by the switch positions?

Matt

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by matt on 18/01/2012 21:17:49:

Not sure about MEW 186 being best ever TBH.

Snip

Matt

 

 

When I made the initial post I had only flicked through the magazine, my comment/compliments were mainly in regard to the variety and breadth of he articles which I stand by.

I agree that like many other issues (and many other magazines) there are lots of errors and discrepancies to be found. I would consider myself to be very pedantic and some of the errors really annoy me but I dont think it is my place to criticise because I am not qualified to do so. If I ever get to writing articles I am sure I will make mistakes!

 

Ian

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

for my tuppence…I drive cnc at work..
I manual at home for the pleasure of the feel on the handles..(tiny light lathe.EMCO SL)
And the challenge of “so how can I do that”

Even going to try the clockmakers method..freehand with graver…
Depends what you after I guess.

[EtheAv8rParticipant @etheav8r]

Posted by blowlamp on 18/01/2012 19:18:47:

 

You don’t need to learn G-code anymore Ray

I prepared a step-by-step article on the use of CAD and CAM for the absolute beginner and sent it off to MEW, but so far it hasn’t been published.

 

It’s a pity really, because it was written specifically to try and bring the home workshop community up to date with the opportunities that CNC brings, as well as show that it is quite an interesting subject if it’s given a chance – and no G-codes either.

 

 

Martin..

This I would like to see published. I am a beginner at everything. I have a manual lathe and am getting to grips with it OK. I was also planning on getting a manual mill, but was persuaded by what I read and learned here on this wonderful forum to get a CNC mill. I got it before I really needed it (or rather was ready for it) but once I make up my mind about a new toy….. I have to have it ASAP!

 

So I have a Sieg KX3 – it is installed and pretty much set-up ready to go. Spindle speed needs to be sorted as it is a bit out at the present, I have a table of selected speed v actual throughout the range in 100 RPM steps but not sure how best to configure this correctly yet.

 

There is a huge learning curve, even assuming the system is perfectly set up, doing a CAD drawing of a simple part to make is not easy as the CAD is not exactly intuative. Having got there, then there is the “simple” aspect of positioning the cutter and the job in the corrrect place so when you run the code it cuts the part correctly. Not got anywhere close yet – but I did successfully run a program and cut an air part this weekend for the first time.

 

So a good balance of practical and basic CAD and CNC would be welcomed by me. And there will be more like me as time goes by I believe.

Edited By EtheAv8r on 18/01/2012 22:01:27

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Posted by EtheAv8r on 18/01/2012 21:59:03:

I was also planning on getting a manual mill, but was persuaded by what I read and learned here on this wonderful forum to get a CNC mill. I got it before I really needed it (or rather was ready for it) but once I make up my mind about a new toy….. I have to have it ASAP!

So I have a Sieg KX3

Bloody hell mate! For me £3691 for the KX3 + the Mach 3 software + a new PC to that spec does not count as a toy. That’s more than I’ve spent on all my machines and tools to date

 

I’m obviously a pauper in this game

[BERTOParticipant @berto]

Maybe there could be a full time or part time section in MEW for all things CNC ?

There is a lot to cover right from its early days to now and then there is the model engineering connection and how it is being grafted across from industry to our back sheds at an ever increasing rate .

I think the history lesson could be complimented with some practical projects that would help the reader eventually construct a full CNC system for thier own use and up on the machine of thier choice .

There is or seems to be a few CAD/CAM and CNC programmes available but how does a newbie work out what is best for them and thier budget ?

What PC is best ,what basic requirements are needed and what O/S is recommended ?

I’m sure there are many answers to thes simple questions and many more questions than that for readers to ask.

 

I do not own any CNC controlled machines at present but i still enjoy reading about what others are doing or have done to improve thier machinery and knowledge in this field .

 

Ian

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