Re: HPGL to G-Code widget

> Hi Tom,
>
> I downloaded it, but I can't remember what it does. I'll have to

take a peek

> later when I get to my windoze box.
>
> >we, (the group Torchheads)
>
> Ahh. I'll have to check it out. But I just checked around, and I

can't seem to

> find it. What's the actual url?

As Jim stated www.sheetcam.com He has a yahoo group at group/sheetcam
He just uploaded version 0.1.6 Beta today. He is starting to make
changes faster than I can test....I LOVE IT!

>
> > What control software are you
> >using?
>
> Well, now that's embarrassing. I bought a Torchmate kit many years

ago that uses

> Microkinetics stuff. It's junk, but I've got it working, more or

less. The best

> method is start the cut and quick unplug the keyboard so there's

less chance

> that it bombs the computer. Basically, it's just a ISA card that

runs some teeny

> steppers directly. So the noise has a nice path right onto the bus!

And crappy

> DOS software that only takes HPGL-1. Someday I'm going to have to

spend some

> money and get something better.

You don't have to say a thing about the Microkinetics stuff. My
first system for my engraver used the same ISA board, lame DOS
software and steppers. I bought their DM4050 driver cards. They are
the only part I have kept. I sold the Optistep card for 50.00 bucks
and threw in the "engraving" software that used the HPGL-1 for free.
I had lots of problems with HPGL imports into that system. One thing
you need to be aware of is that Corel will let you make vectors that
loop over themselves and even let you close them. Sometimes if you
use Corel-Trace it can give you lots of tiny loops if you have the
settings to tight. A lot of CNC programs will croak if you present
them looped vector paths or paths that cross over other paths.

Try the SheetCAM and HPGL from Corel. You will see it's more the
lame import in your current solution than it is problems with Corel.
No nasty artifacts or strange positioning.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get something a LOT
better. Replace you old computer with a cheap 1 to 2 Ghz unit (I
bought a new 2.6G AMD chip and motherboard this week for 69.00 at
Fry's! Get a free copy of MACH2 (Demo good for up to 1000 lines of
code) and the free copy of SheetCAM (Free while in beta). If you are
not happy with the motor drivers take a look at the Xylotex 3 port
bipolar board or the HobbyCNC unipolar cards. Both are very cost
effective solutions for stepper systems.

If you like to dabble in electronics get the free THC circuit off the
Master5 yahoo group in the files section and check out the pictures
of my floating head design for the torch under THC_Stuff in the same
group. The THC is made to work with MACH2 only since all of the Z
axis logic is in the controller software and the THC external circuit
just measures the tip voltage and gives a logic UP or DOWN output to
MACH2. The master5 group is the previous group to the current
MACH1MACH2CNC group. You will have to break down and buy a registered
copy of MACH2 to get the THC logic functions (150.00; free upgrades
for life).

I don't have to unplug *anything* to run my machine at up to 180
IPM. I have a noisy old Miller 500 that blots out radio reception
for miles but with proper grounding, isolation and modern electronics
it is a smooth as silk.

>
> >Don't be too ashamed that you use CorelDraw. For 2D artwork

creation

> >and the import and export of many different file formats it is

hard

> >to beat. I can draw something in minutes with Corel, pass it

through

> >SheetCAM and have it running with MACH2 on my plazma table on less
> >time than it takes to just do the drawing in more complex packages
> >(and I have several).
>
> I'm not ashamed, just irritated. Corel likes to break imported

files into pieces

> and then close the open paths with garbage. Its drawing algorithms

are flawed

> and it loves to do things like invert HPGL files for no apparent

reason. Even if

> they were exported by itself! I mostly use it for conversion,

because it's just

> easier to draw in an actual Cad program (for me). I've been using

QuickCad

> forever, and I'm just used to it. It does plenty enough 2d stuff,

and I like the

> command structure. Single key snap changes and customizable too.

And about $60.

Use what you are comfortable with. I have QuickCAD (started using it
when it was a program called Drafix) and use it occasionally since
you can program it to automatically print out the XY coordinates on
the center of holes and it makes setting up and using the DRO on my
big mill to manually drill precisely positioned holes in plates quite
easy.

I have been using Corel since version 3 and am so comfortable with
it, that I can make it do anything I want. I even use it with a 3rd
party script that automatically generates isometric renderings from
2D drawings...real handy to use for catalog drawings and to send to
customers for a design. I have lots of other high end drafing
programs or access to them (AutoCad, ArtCam, Rhino, etc) and while
the 3D stuff is pretty interesting I find myself cranking up my
trusty old CorelDraw 9 when I need to get lots of work done fast.

>
> Thanks for the feedback!
>
> Hal Eckhart - Casa Forge - Minneapolis MN -

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