Official Luthiers Forum!

This is a pretty simple one but thought I would post it..

I've been using Mach3 and specifically Gerry's 2010 screenset, and was keen to utilize the probing and zeroing function.

I've seen a few ideas out using copper pipe etc inset into acrylic with cross hairs etched into it for touch probe indexing and zeroing to your work piece. I was a little hesitant to use pipe as most of the time its not 100% round, I also don't have access to a lathe to turn a purpose made unit.

I found that if a used the template guide which came with my edge trimmer (kind of looks like this http://www.carbatec.com.au/inlay-kit_c21332) I could just drill an XY Zero hole in my jig or table which i would inset the edge guide. load up a precision pin into the spindle collet, attach the wires, lower the pin and then run the probe routine.

Works great when you are constantly changing your jigs or holding fixtures and you need to re-zero quickly and accurately, having a pre-drilled Zero reference point ensures I get it right 100% of the time.

Cheers
Glenn

Thanks. How do you manauver it into the hole? Does it touch the template insert?

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Ken

Sorry Ken - i was in a hurry when i wrote this and may not have explained it properly.

The pin drops down into the main part (the larger hole) the mach3 runs a script where the pin touches off each of the sides of the base which then helps it find the dead centre.

didn't have time to make a video of it, but here a similar process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZNiOvetYY

Probes are awesome! I have them on nearly all of my machines. They make life so much easier. No fumbling with edge finders and coax indicators. Great stuff.

How did you hold the magnets on the leads? That's a cool idea.

indeed. somehow though, i don't think we're talking about a Renishaw here

OK thanks. That makes more sense to me.

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Ken

Just a note: If your machine is properly grounded, you should not have to attach anything to the router bit or the collet...

here is a video I made that might be a help to some on the whole process, along with some of the probes I created....they work great and are quite accurate...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWglgxd ... dA&index=7

Cheers!

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-CyborgCNC
http://www.cncguitar.com
https://www.facebook.com/CncGuitar

Hi Sheldon - thanks, they are just small 5mm rare earth magnets which hold great, much easier that alligator clips etc..
I just roughed up the ends with some sand paper, soldered the leads on (which seems to hold well) then put some head shrink on for some extra hold so the wires had some support.

Cheers
Glenn

Haha yeah not quite a renishaw (I love my renishaws but they need to upgrade to a cheaper battery in those things). Still cool technology though. It's amazing what's possible with CNC these days.

I wanted to do this, but I have a 3925 K2 box. I have looked at the breakout board and cannot trace a good spot for pin 12 on the board, so I set up tool offsets with set collars on my mills instead. Wish I could set it up, looks cool.

I use a Haimer 3d taster (sensor) on the FADAL, not as as cheap as a homemade solution but under $500. Simple to use, no wiring, incredibly accurate and available in a couple of sizes suitable for smaller machines.

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www.morganguitarworks.com
www.morgancustomguitars.com

I got a Renishaw probe off of eBay without the electronics for a bit over $200; it only took a couple minutes with the multimeter to find which pins were used for the circuit. Definitely couldn't make something as nice for anywhere near that price. Got a good tip from my girlfriend when I set my max bid on that: I set it at $215 instead of $200. Sure enough the bidding history had it re-bidding on behalf of me and 3 others right up to $200 at the last minute...I won it for something like $205 or whatever the increment was at that point. We have a strong psychological tendency to set our limits at round numbers, and it's a great advantage to know about it on eBay

I'm going to do something similar for alignment when I set my new machine up: zero everything with my tenths indicator then bore a hole in the corner of the table at an exact location. Then when I put my probe in (and lock the spindle) I can re-set the probe offset every time with a little program so it's always in agreement with the machine home. So much easier than trying to adjust the probe into perfect alignment. I'm really looking forward to having encoders with a zero pulse, plus home switches, to finally have a dead-reliable homing setup- use the switches to get you within a rotation and then check the zero pulse to get within one count. Fadal uses something similar, but it makes you jog to the home lines manually then searches for the zero pulse.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

I'm sure you will be very happy with the renishaw, Bob. They are excellent tools. Very versatile and make set ups a breeze. If you do a lot of tool swapping you may want to look into the tool probe also. I don't use it very often but when I do it's a nice thing to have. One good thing about the tool probe for long runs is that you can have it probe before a tool change and if the tool has broken during the operation it will alarm out an wont go in with the next tool and break it also. Keeps you from having to babysit the machine on long runs.

Neil, digital or analog Haimer? Analog seems like the way to go.

Bob, what did you need to interphase the Renishaw to your Fadal?

Zeke, when you use a tool probe, at least on a Fadal, do you still have to manually punch buttons and jog down to the probe for every tool, or can you set it up with the tool numbers to start and end with and then hit go?

Mine are on Haas machines, which are very similar to fadal control so I assume modern fadals will be the same, but you do not have to manually punch buttons and jog. The probe is in a set location and you can just use the quick code feature to tell it what kind of tool and what sort of touch off you want and it will generate the code. You can also program the touch off directly into a program. It will do the length offsets and also will measure diameters of tools and set the cutter comp also. Like I said I don't use it nearly as much as the probe but it comes in handy when needed. The tool setter on the lathe however is used all the time. That thing makes lathe set ups super quick.

And also yes you can tell it what tool number to set and if you want lengths diameters or a mix then hit start and come back when all the tools are set.

I haven't been using a stock control on any of my machines in three years, all retrofitted to KFLOPs, so to interface I just connect one circuit pin on the probe to 5v and one to one of my digital IO pins.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Analog - definitely the best option, I also have the Renishaw TS27R tool probe on my Fadal

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www.morganguitarworks.com
www.morgancustomguitars.com