2024-06-13 19:21:56 +00:00
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# Type
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<figure>
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<img src="TAIG_CNC_Mill.JPG" title="TAIG_CNC_Mill.JPG" />
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<figcaption>TAIG_CNC_Mill.JPG</figcaption>
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</figure>
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Our CNC mill is a [MicroMill DSLS
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3000](http://www.microproto.com/MMDSLS.htm), a [Taig Manufactured CNC
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Mill](http://www.taigtools.com/cmill.html).
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This mill is generously on loan from the Smithsonian.
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We are running [ArtSoft Mach3](http://www.machsupport.com/) for control
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software.
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# Terms
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- Computer Numerical Control (CNC) - The ability to control a machine
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using mathematical commands
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- Computer Aided Design (CAD) - Software which generates a model which a
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machine can translate into tooling commands for manufacturing.
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- Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) - The actual process of production
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from file to finished product.
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- Tooling/tools - The bits used in a mill to actually
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- Milling - The use of a spinning piece of metal to shape an object
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through calculated removal of a media, normally via an X / Y / Z axis.
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- Manual Data Input (MDI) - A method for doing manual milling with
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precise control commands.
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- Lathing - The use of a "static" piece of metal to shape an object
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through calculated removal of a media which is in (usually) a circular
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motion.
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- [Mach3](http://www.machsupport.com/) - The software used to translate
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G Code into electrical pulses which can be used by a mill.
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# Getting Started
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To initially get started with the CNC mill, it's helpful to have a basic
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grasp of G Code. How better to get started with this than to begin
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playing.
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## Turning on the Mill
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When turning on the mill there are three primary "light switch" style
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switches which should be turned on. The first is on the back of the
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black box labeled "MicroProto Systems, MicroMill DSLS 3000". This switch
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is located on the back to the right side (imagine reaching around on the
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rear right). Flipping the switch "up" should turn this on.
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Next, turn on the main control to the spindle. This is achieved via the
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light switch on the M3/M5 box. Turn this to the "on" position (flicking
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it towards the label M3/M5).
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Finally, turn on the spindle on the actual mill. This is in a blue
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enameled box residing on the Z axis. Flip this switch "up". If the
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spindle immediately starts spinning, this is because someone didn't send
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the control command to stop it. This isn't a problem, but we will want
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to stop it sooner than later. We will cover this in the next section.
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To avoid unexpectedly turning on the spindle motor when powering on the
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machine, wait to flip the power switch to the on position until after
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EMC2 is running. This will ensure that the parallel port is in the
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appropriate state according to the configuration file to keep all motors
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off by default.
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## Starting Mach3
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This can be done by using the icon on the desktop.
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## Spindle control and Emergency Stop
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If the tooling is clear of all obstacles, you can press *F5* to toggle
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the spindle motor on and off.
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The switch on the right side of the mill, near the top will cut power to
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the spindle. This is the best way to shut it down in an emergency... but
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note that the axis can still move after the switch is thrown. Pressing
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*Reset* in the interface will signal Mach3 to make an *Emergency Stop*.
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You'll see the *Reset* button blink, and the status line at the bottom
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will read "E-Stop Triggered, press reset...".
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## Making our first motions
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### Jog Controls
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To start, we're going to use the "jog" functions to move the milling
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cutter around and get a feel for what is "positive" and "negative" on
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the X, Y, & Z axis.
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Especially, when starting out, limit motion to the X and Y axis as this
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has the least potential for damaging our tooling (aka, breaking a bit).
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As you get a feel for what's positive and negative, we will start using
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larger motions.
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To start, hit the "tab" key to bring up the Jog controls. The main
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settings on this panel are the *Jog mode*, which can be either
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*continuous* or *step*. In continuous mode, holding down the motion keys
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(described below) will make the axis move continuously, and quite a lot.
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In step mode, pressing or holding the motion keys will move only a fixed
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step per key-press. The step distance is also configurable on the Jog
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control screen. You can hide the jog controls when not in use by
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pressing the *Tab* key.
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To start, select continuous mode in the jog controls and press the *Left
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Arrow* and *Right Arrow*. Notice that the mill table moves left and
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right. This is the X axis. Next, press the *Up arrow* and *Down Arrow*
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keys briefly, notice that the mill table moves front to back. This is
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the Y axis. Finally, press the *Page Up* and *Page Down* keys briefly;
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notice that the spindle moves up and down. This is the Z axis. As you
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were moving the milling cutter around, you'll notice that the
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coordinates are displayed in the main window. This is where you can
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quickly survey where your tooling is located.
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### Obligatory Setup
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Sometimes the *Reset* button in Mach3 will be flashing. This usually
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means that you exceeded the movement limits or speed of the mill and the
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controller has signaled Mach3 to stop. Often clicking reset is enough to
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clear this error.
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### Mill Controller Crash
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Sometimes the controller will crash, this is usually evidenced by
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*Reset* complaining that it cannot clear a limit. It will offer a button
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that says "Fix this for me". "Fix this for me" actually redefines what
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an error is in the software (e.g. if input low is defined as an error,
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then it will redifine error as input high). Instead of clicking *Fix
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this*, you should try turning off and on the mill controller using the
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switch on the rear, lower-right side. Clicking *Reset* again should
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clear the trouble.
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### Advanced Manual Control - MDI (Manual Data Input)
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Click on the MDI tab in the main Mach3 screen to the MDI Controls
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section. Within this section (the line next to input) we can type in
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actual G Code to move our tooling around. To start, we're going to use
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simple "go to" commands. This will rapidly move the tool to the position
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that we tell it to. Note, at any time, we can stop the execution of
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these commands by hitting the "stop" button on the screen or typing
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ALT-S on the keyboard. The first command we will use is "rapid go to" or
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"g0". As an example: make sure the tooling is well clear of the table
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using the jog controls and all axis are (roughly) centered. Reset all
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axis (X, Y, Z) to zero using the *Zero Axis* button located to the left
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of the current axis location. As you click zero axis, you should see the
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axis change to -0.0000.
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To make our first motion, let's move the X axis to position 0.5. To do
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this, enter this command into the box marked *Input*:
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` g0 x0.5`
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The X axis should begin moving and it should stop 0.5" to the right of
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it's initial position.
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Additionally, we can give multiple coordinates at once. Now try the
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command:
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` g0 x0 y0`
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This should send our tool back to the starting position. This can make
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things go much, much faster for resetting back to the position that you
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started with the mill at.
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To have more fine grained control we can use the command "g1". There is
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nothing that G0 does which G1 cannot. The only difference in syntax is
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that we specify the feed rate of the motion as the first option. By
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default the mill is set to operate in inches per minute. Thus, unless
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you change this (via g code) it should be assumed that this will be the
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unit of measure for your commands.
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Lets slowly raise our Z axis up one inch:
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` g1 f2 z1`
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Note, since we were at a position approx 1 inch up and told the mill to
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return to zero at a rate of F2 or 2 inches per minute, it will take
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approximately 30 seconds for this command to complete. Slow movement of
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the tool (especially when 'plunging' the z axis is a good idea as it
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allows for time to hit the "esc" key if things start going horribly
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wrong).
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Now, let's build on some of these together:
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` g1 f10 x1 y1 z1`
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Whoops, back to zero:
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` g1 f5 x0 y0 z0`
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When moving back to zero you will see that the mill is moving half of
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the original speed (5 inches per minute rather than 10 inches per
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minute).
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Let's really open this thing up and see what it can do. While watching
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this command move notice the *feed rate* indicator in the preview MDI
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tab. This will allow you to see the actual speed of the tool.
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` g1 f50 x1 y1 z1`
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Linear motion is great and all, but how about we dwell outside the
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euclidean space for a minute. The next commands that we are going to
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learn are G2/G3. G2 will make a clockwise arc while G3 will make a
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counterclockwise arc. The command syntax is as follows:
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`*G2 - Command`
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`*Fx - Feedrate at X inches per minute`
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`*Xv - Destination X coordinate (in this case end at v)`
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`*Yw - Destination Y coordinate (in this case end at w)`
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`*Ix - X axis center point offset`
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`*Jy - Y axis center point offset`
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`*Za - Interpolated Z axis coordinate (optional)`
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To start, lets make a circle:
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` g2 f5 x1 y0 i-0.5 j0`
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Annnnd we fail. This is because we've given junk data to the mill. Lets
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try that again making a circle. Of course, to make a circle, we will
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want our beginning (1,1,1) to be the same as our destination (1,1,1)
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only changing the X axis center point offset.
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` g2 f5 x1 y1 i-0.5 j0`
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Fun math bits... run that command again and note the "distance to go" or
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"DTG" in the preview area. Note the distance at the immediate start of
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plotting our 1 inch diameter circle (2 \* 0.5 X offset). This should be
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a predictable [result](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi)
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# Tool Changing
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Use a wrench to gently remove the chuck. Check the toolbox beneath the
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mill for different bits and other things as required.
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Little force should be required to tighten the chuck; it has been said
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that finger-tight is often sufficient.
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# When you're done
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Please cleanup the mill area and place tooling back into the mill
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toolbox under the bench.
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Finally, turn off all three power switches noted above.
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Thanks
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# Caution
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Please avoid doing these things, unless you can deal with the
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consequences yourself.
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- Don't run the mill too far off axis. The stepper motors will usually
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make a harsh grinding sound when this happens.
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- Don't leave the mill completely unattended. Be prepared to hit the
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*Reset* key within at most a minute of hearing something go wrong.
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- Obviously, don't put your hands in hazardous places.
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Otherwise, the mill is robust and newbie friendly.
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2024-06-13 01:48:44 +00:00
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[Category:CNC_Mill](Category:CNC_Mill "wikilink")
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