Tooling up again

Now that I've identified the tooling required to make The Startled Man, I need to stop dicking about and set up my tool table. I need 5 different tools to do the business and I want to be able to change the tools over in the middle of the program without having to fool about changing G54 etc.

So the procedure highlighted previously was used:

• Set G53 (ie use machine coords), then for each of the tools in turn:
• Select the correct tool and length using G43 T**H** etc
• Run M882, then "redeem" the position into the table for that tool

You can enter the commands in the MDI and then run them by commenting out the ones you don't want.

Seemed to work OK.

I managed to use the Mahrtest probe (just). It's too long really but it worked on this occasion. Obviously this is tool number 13 - it didn't require much thought!!

So now I have the whole line up of tools (5 off) set up, plus the Mahrtest probe. I also have Tool 1 defined as the short 6mm pointy rod which is useful for doing air cutting.

Did a bit of air cutting. The graphics display is a bit lame. It only generates a tool path trail when the graphics mode is enabled. If you switch back to the main display mode, the graphics trail stops so when you go back to graphics mode there is a big gap. 

The machine is now set up. The tool lengths seem to be correct, the air cutting looks good. What could possibly go wrong?

Time to go big or go home!