Artcam, Lathe Toolpath? How?

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

Hey,

our highschool has a shopbot, well the teacher who got the shopbot has eben gone for 2 yrs, and currently I am the only one who really knows how to use it (I got taught... 2yrs ago) but, I never used the lathe.

We use artcam to make the file, then save it as a toolpath and run it with shopbot.. Works fine.. but I'd like to use the lathe attachment we have, but how? I can hook it up just fine, just.. How do I make the toolpath?

Any help is appreciated, I am thinkin you have to draw it out 2d? but not sure.. again thanks for your help.. Sorry I dont' have a account yet, just wanted to get this posted so I can try and get the shopbot working asap..

[fleinbach]

I don't have one but just type "indexer" into the search feature above. There are posts that explain how to hook it up and use it. I assume you have an indexer?

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

stupid question..

whats a indexer? I have a attachment that slides into these lile rail thingies on the side of the shop bot, 2 piece.. one has a motor like the ones that move the router which turns.. the pieces allow you to mount your wood between them..

I just dont' know how, or if, artcam can make a toolpath for a lathe? its artcam pro..

[fleinbach]

That's an indexer. Artcam or any program can make a file you can use with it. It can be used on either the X or the Y axis. Most prefer the Y. If you mount it accross the Y axis you need to unplug the Y motor feed cable and plug it into the indexer. At that point the indexer takes the place of the Y axis.

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

ok, I did all that..

Just, how do I make a toolpath in artcam? I dont' see any lathe options? will it have to be some sort of 2d looking thing or what?

[ron brown]

Do not unplug motors while the board is powered up! - It will blow a driver.

Ron

[billp]

Jacob,
What you are really trying to do is "fool"the machine here.First you want to draw your file up so that your "Y"axis is EXACTLY the SAME measurement as the circumference of your work piece.
Then you draw the file in Artcam and make your "model" the size of your blank ( only on your case it's a cylinder instead of a flat piece..).. Create your file, and the program will write a file that thinks it's going to be cut on the regular X,Y, and Z planes. But in reality your router is NOT going to be moving in the "Y" direction, instead the workpiece will be driven by another motor that moves it in the direction of your router!. So if the measurement is EXACTLY the same as your circumference it will "meet" as it completes it's circumnavigation of the piece... If you'll go back and check the "search"feature about Indexers there should also be hints about NOT unplugging your motor wires to change the Axes around. If you unplug a motor wire with your control box on it will fry the driver....That is a short layout of the process...Where are you located? Gene Marshall is going to have a "Camp"on how to create files, etc. for the Indexer in New Jersey on Oct.29th. Might be a good chance to get a lot of info...Camp Info is on the web page.

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

thanks,

I'll mess with a cut file tomorrow, im in arkansas.

But, what should a toolpath look like for a lathe? I mean.. I know what a finished product looks like, I just cant' picture it 'flat' 2d.. for the cut file.. any suggestions?

[bill.young]

Hey Jacob,

If you just want to do traditional "lathe-ish" things like fluting and spiral turnings then there is a ShopBot routine that came with your indexer that lets you easily get setup to do that sort of thing. There is also a routine that lets you "wrap" a regular ShopBot file around a turning, and several other utility-type routines.

If you don't have the instruction sheet or software that came with the indexer, drop ShopBot support an email and they'll be glad to send it to you.

Bill

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

hmm ok, so you mean within the cut files? in SBparts?

I figured they may be, just.. im used to making a toolpath on artcam and setting up dimensions there. I dont' know how to setup a dimension for my wood im using within shopbot..

[bill.young]

Hey Jacob,

You can download a pdf file with the instructions for setting up the indexer and running the indexer routines at
http://www.shopbottools.com/files/SBD139_000824Indexer.pdf

Bill

[jay]

Bill thank you.
"What you are really trying to do is "fool"the machine here.First you want to draw your file up so that your "Y"axis is EXACTLY the SAME measurement as the circumference of your work piece."

Daa, why could I not see that before. Cool I can't wait to make time to set up my indexer and try it. So simple yet the indexer has been sitting in it's shipping crate for over a year.

Thanks again.

[zeykr]

Jacob,
Where in Arkansas are you located? I'm in Rogers area.

[Jacob Morgan (Unregistered Guest)]

harrison,

I'll try these things come monday. our homecoming was this week so I wsa busy with all that and missed classes and didn't have a chance to get time with the machine.

I'll try it monday,

Thanks for all the help.. makes sense.

[James (Unregistered Guest)]

Bill is it possible for the info from Gene Marshall camp be placed somewhere on this site? Would Artcam Insignia do this same routine are is it limited to only Pro?

[billp]

James,
We have never really come up with a system to capture a Camp onto any medium. It usually means having someone do nothing else but man the camera, and know enough about the processes to know what to concentrate on ( instead of having 6 hours of a video showing how to carve a 3D seashell...). We are open to ANY reasonable way to do this, but as the Camps get larger it seems to take more logistics just to keep everyone in the same shop area for any length of time...
I always ask anyone attending a Camp to do all of us a favor by taking pictures, and posting feedback on the Forum. Bill Young and I are trying to redo the Camp web page a bit so you will be able to get stuff to US to do the editing/posting. And anyone who has pix from these Camps would be doing a LOT of people a favor by showing them off. Eventually we hope to have the Camp network within driving distance of everyone, but in the interim we'll have to rely on the contributions of those who are able to get to one in person..
P.S. I don't know how you'd apply the tools of Insignia to this process other than engraving letters on a cylinder..Maybe someone else has tried this?

[genem (Unregistered Guest)]

Hey Guys,
I'm glad to help
please call the shop( i am a lousy typist)
732-899-4458

I prefer to create the design and then "Resize Assymetrically" to an equivalent of degrees.
such as 3.6 the value will be 400.

this method makes my life easier as I do not have tofigure out the value for each project.