On 09/09/2010 12:37 AM, Ignoramus10551 wrote:


Jon, this is FAR easier to do with G-code subroutines. Trust me on
this.

Hmm, maybe, but I've gotten used to what my own routines do, and I can
modify them when
I feel like. I now have a rectangular routine that ramps down, I have
to add that to my circular one, too. But, sometime I have to check out
some of these routines and see if I like them.

Perhaps your router can only handle these feedrates, I generally run
about 10 IPM
with only 2800 RPM.

must be thin aluminum. Is it loud?

usually .062 to .125" thick. No, not loud at all. There's a slight hum
when the cutter is in the work.
For the panels, I use a routine that "trepans" the hole, cutting
just inside the final dimension, the slug drops out and then it
makes the finish pass. I generally plunge about .050" each step
down with the 1/8" end mill, so I do a 1/8" panel all the way
through in 3 passes.

Try writing subs for this, you will be amazed.
I know the C code for it, no question you could do a G code sub, but it
would be just a little complicated.

But, a while ago I ran into some SERIOUS problems with subroutines. I
had a slot that was to be repeated many times, so I programmed it once
and offset the work coords to repeat it. EMC would cut it OK, although
the Axis preview was not right. But, EMC2 was NOT able to restart the
job in the middle at all. You could set the correct parameters to the
right state for a restart, but when you did the "run from line" it would
just go to the end of the program, following all the subroutines.
I had to give up and do it without subs.

I don't know for sure if this would behave the same way in your use, but
it put me off subroutines in a big way. This was just last year, or
maybe even early this year, so I don't think this has been fixed.

John Kasunich's comment on this problem was "subroutines are evil, don't
use them!"

Jon