Re: Shop Camera

> >In CCED, "John Stevenson" <john@...> wrote:
> >I have just fitted a web cam into an R8 adaptor on that new X3
> milling >machine I have converted.
> >Using the video window inside Mach3 I can easliy get to a thou for
> >centering and lining up purposes.
>
> John,
>
> Sounds VERY nice. How did you get the Webcam lined up to the spindle
> axis? (I would think you'd move the mill to center it over a target
> and then adjust the webcam to put the target in the crosshairs?)
>
> How robust do you feel the setup is? Would it stand up to general
> everyday shop use? (Or could it m be made to do so?)
>
> I can see this sitting in a "collet" stand just waiting for use;
> always at the ready...
>
> NICE.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Ballendo
>

Ken,

The webcam is located in a pocket slightly larger than the cam.
Screwed into this are 4 screws that adjust the cam like a 4 jaw chuck, that get's it lined up with a known centre point.
This is then repeatable when removed and refitted.


It's quite robust as the cam is inside a steel housing but it's only a cheap $10 camera as I wanted to try it out first.
The whole reason to do it was to check out the video feature in Mach3 and for demo purposes at the show.
The more I can show with mach3, the more the X3 conversion looks better.

Today I was doing some show parts using different features, one was thread milling with a broken tap.
Amazing speed and finish, one tool for any given pitch.

John S.