Thread: what am i doing wrong

Are you using the File tab and selecting Load G-Code to do this?
The gcode should be under c:\Mach3\GCode but you should also be able to load a .tap file from anywhere.

geoff
no i am not
will try in the morning and see how i get on
thanks

I just tried using the Load G-Code button (hadn't used it previously) and it showed the contents of c:\Mach3\GCode, the same as the File->Load G-Code did.

Not at lot of help I'm afraid.

cant remember if Mach 3 asks if you want test files setup in set up , you might not have them installed

as for cut3d , you have to specify G-code , and in a "*.tap" file when it comes time to save

your windows" pop up " box might have been changed to a file other than "*.tap " then the box will not show the files ,

click on the " load g-code " button ,
at the bottom of the " popup box" there is "files of type " drop down dialogue box
change that to (*.tap) , and the files should show
if not change it too "AllFiles(*.*)" and see if you can get anything to show up in any folder

try that , thats all i think it could be at the moment

cheers ken

update
i reinstalled mach
set everything and yep found i had the test codes
dont know what i did wrong for a start, but all good now
had my first opps
first lesson learned zero my spindle at the centre of the table (X&Y)
thanks everyone for their advice
cheers tony

now its time to work out if your machine makes sence or needs reconfiguring

when you move the x axis in the positive direction dose it move that way
same as y axis

it was 2 months before i cut a non mirror imaged job and found the y axis was backwards and mirror imaging all the jobs

not sure what the standard is but i use , x axis full left is o running positive to the right
y axis all the way to the back is 0 and coming toward you is positive

z is easy

might need a few other members idea's on this , because it just the way i have mine set up

ok ill try to make this easy to test the direction of your machine

on the main page of mach3 you have the " file , config , ect " bar at the top , just below that there is another bar

click on the second one MDI , or hit "Alt & 2" and the page will change
just above the " reset " button there is an input box



you can type commands in this box , hit enter , and the cnc machine will move

hit the reset button , and zero your 3 axis

x50 " enter" will move the x axis 50mm in the positive , x-50 will move it back wards
y50 "enter" will move the y axis 50mm
z10 "enter " will move the z axis 10mm

they will move to the mm position from 0 , so if x is at 40mm and you type x50 it will move 10 mm


x10 y10 z10 will move all 3 axis at the same time , saves on hand cranking the steppers when you want to zero in a start position ,no spaces , spaces or comma's will all work between the commands

to get back to the main page click the top "program run" button , or hit "alt&1"

thanks ken
will go out and try later
cheers Tony

since you reloaded mach3 dont forget to drop your licence file in the right folder again

cheers ken