Recent conversions of Warco WM18 to CNC?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

What do you want to make that the wizards would not do, out of interest? I'm not saying that they will do everything but many common "manual" milling jobs can be done. Also each wizard generates G code that you can copy and use to piece together more complex programs. To go beyond the wizards there are some simple and in some cases free CAM tools which generate gcode for more complex jobs. Once you start with wizards and simple CAM and start to see G code in action you might want to start writing your own but I suspect that many CNC machinists never work at the G code level.

[Jack MParticipant @jackm14742]

Posted by John Haine on 03/04/2020 15:52:31:

What do you want to make that the wizards would not do, out of interest? I'm not saying that they will do everything but many common "manual" milling jobs can be done. Also each wizard generates G code that you can copy and use to piece together more complex programs. To go beyond the wizards there are some simple and in some cases free CAM tools which generate gcode for more complex jobs. Once you start with wizards and simple CAM and start to see G code in action you might want to start writing your own but I suspect that many CNC machinists never work at the G code level.

Sounds like you know alot more about mach3 cnc than me looking at it more to do one of the jobs i said wizards wouldnt do i would need a 4th axis anyway for it to run and do it all so the wizards will probaly do most things like you said im doing manual now

Can you set up on wizards too do do straight line drilling multiple spaces apart? I would say you could but I'll ask

Thanks

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I've taken a few screen photos of Mach3 to show the wizards. First 3 is the full list.

Then 3 of the config forms for the bolt patterns.

BUT – if you are just planning a mill conversion I suggest that you DON'T use Mach 3!! This is because its development stopped years ago, NFS no longer support it and bugs only get fixed by courtesy of users. The availability of surplus PCs that can drive the parallel port is drying up, and even if you use a separate motion controller that probably isn't supported in M3 if it (the controller) gets updated, and there's a stream of issues with Windows releases that create new incompatibilities.

If you stick with Mach, go to Mach 4, you will then really need a separate motion controller. I'm not familiar with M4 but I'm sure it has a similar range of wizards. Or there are a number of other systems out there.

[Jack MParticipant @jackm14742]

Posted by John Haine on 04/04/2020 10:14:50:

I've taken a few screen photos of Mach3 to show the wizards. First 3 is the full list.

Then 3 of the config forms for the bolt patterns.

BUT – if you are just planning a mill conversion I suggest that you DON'T use Mach 3!! This is because its development stopped years ago, NFS no longer support it and bugs only get fixed by courtesy of users. The availability of surplus PCs that can drive the parallel port is drying up, and even if you use a separate motion controller that probably isn't supported in M3 if it (the controller) gets updated, and there's a stream of issues with Windows releases that create new incompatibilities.

If you stick with Mach, go to Mach 4, you will then really need a separate motion controller. I'm not familiar with M4 but I'm sure it has a similar range of wizards. Or there are a number of other systems out there.

Thanks for all that great info I do already have a pc with mach3 on it but never used or run it had it sat there for a year i got it all when getting all my conversion parts looks like i may have to change or upgrade it now

Thanks

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I suggest that you fire up M3 in simulation mode at least and play with the screens and wizards as a way to build up familiarity. You may as well use what you have. I've used M3 for ~10 years and have a lot of learning invested as some custom macros and things, so I'm not going to change until the PC driving it gives out because there would be a lot of re-work to do, but if I didn't have that old PC I would start differently now.

[Jack MParticipant @jackm14742]

Posted by John Haine on 06/04/2020 22:13:02:

I suggest that you fire up M3 in simulation mode at least and play with the screens and wizards as a way to build up familiarity. You may as well use what you have. I've used M3 for ~10 years and have a lot of learning invested as some custom macros and things, so I'm not going to change until the PC driving it gives out because there would be a lot of re-work to do, but if I didn't have that old PC I would start differently now.

Hi John Yes that sounds a good idea been sat there a while too not turned on need to see if it's still working running i will have a play around with it see what its all about

[Derek GreenhalghParticipant @derekgreenhalgh23299]

There is a guy on youtube that has both the grizzly g704 and a the newer copy of it the pm25mv, both machines are basically the same, one old one newer model of the same castings, when he converted the first one he had to remove a few mm in a square spot under the table, he did it with an angle grinder, when he then did the pm25mv he was happy that he had a mill working so as to be able to mill the underside rather than grind it. In the end he did not need to do anything to the newer model as 1605 ballscrews and nut carrier fit no problem. The pm25mv is similar to the wm16 and the hbm bf25, and many more, my hbm bf28 is also similar but has bigger motor and a few other bits and bobs, the next size up is the hbm bf30 which has the same dimentions as the wm18 and i have seen a few peoples conversions on spanish forums that fit both 1605 and the next size up, i think 2005 if i remember correctly without having to modify the underside of the table in any way, I suppose it depends on who designs the nut carrier to the available space.

I'm in contact with David that makes the Arizona conversions and the new pm25mv acomadates a dobleball nut with no modification so you should be good with the wm18.

Just out of interest, which motors have you selected for X and Y, nema 34 or 23

Derek

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