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I have a Mach3 and Warp9 ESS setup on my router for the last couple of years, and while it did the job.....sort of, the look ahead/trajectory planner is far from adequate, as many of you would know.

I asked several times on the Warp9 forum if Mach4 and their smooth stepper was ready for prime time, and they finally came back with a yes for router / mills as long as I wasn't wanting to thread with it.

So I bit the bullet and installed the most recent stable version of the program and ESS plug-in.

The install is pretty straight forward, but the configuring is like most of this stuff. A pain in the arse. Lot's of watching YouTube tutorials, and trying to get all those check boxes ticked in the right place. Asking questions and trying again.....But finally everything seems to be configured and working.

And the best news is that a file that I cut a few days ago with Mach3 that was just a plain disaster because it couldn't work out how to follow the curve of a uke template without starting and stopping every few millimetres now with Mach4 just zips around the shape smooth as at 3000mm/minute.

So if you are wondering if it's worth swapping from Mach3 to Mach4, it's a yes from me.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia

I'm liking Mach4 much better than Mach3. I'm also using ESS and I think threading was added to the latest ESS plugin.

I'm having to face learning how to program my tool changer in LUA now. Wish me luck!

Leo

I have an ATC spindle, but only use it with a quick release valve set up, as it's far to finicky in letting a tool go automatically.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia

I was just talking to someone today about Mach 3 and thinking to myself, "whatever happened to Mach 4?" I assumed there was some real problem with it, as I keep seeing Mach 3 being used and sold. Then, BANG! Someone posts about Mach 4!

I know Andy Birko is a fan of UNCNC, but I just couldn't get it to work. When the developer provided no assistance I asked questions on CNCZone. Apparently, even though he wouldn't read or respond to my emails, he was quick to respond there. Only, in an unhelpful way.

So I've been plugging along with Mach 3. Good to hear that Mach 4 is ready for prime time.

I was able to program my ATC in Mach4 with much less difficulty than I expected.

The Mach4 forum is a fantastic source of help.