To set up a new tool at a later stage is simple, just the same routine as before except first touch off the stock with a tool already set up and zero the Z (or to feeler gauge thickness if using one) then change to your new tool, touch off on the end of the stock and set the tools Z offset as previously done with the first tools. Do the same for the X by taking a cut and measuring. New tool is now set up.

Hmm, ok
When you first store your tool z offsets, you stored the machine co-ordinate yes?
Para above - when you say "touch-off an already set up tool and zero the Z", you mean Z work offset?

I still can't see the correlation unless i am wrong in my first assumption?

Don't think too hard about it, it works

BTW I assume you have added the DROs (175 and 176) and Touch off buttons (324 and 326) to your screenset, also the tooltable shortcut button (121)
If you have then they do all the calculating for you and enter the correct numbers into the tool table when setting up the tools initially.


Setting the zero of the stock is done with the normal Z Offset DRO  with tools that have previously been set up in the tool table.

BTW I assume you have added the DROs (175 and 176) and Touch off buttons (324 and 326) to your screenset, also the tooltable shortcut button (121)
If you have then they do all the calculating for you and enter the correct numbers into the tool table when setting up the tools initially.


Setting the zero of the stock is done with the normal Z Offset DRO  with tools that have previously been set up in the tool table.

I do now - That was the missing link. My first understanding of your method would work but only if things did not move around, having these DRO's makes the difference.

Will hopefully have a play later, also looking at ways to locate the tool mount repeatably too.

Thanks for the patience BTW 

On my own screenset I put VB buttons rather than the X and Z touch off buttons and just put the following code in (change to 326  for Z)

DoOemButton(324)
Sleep 100
DoOemButton(121)

Doing that means the tooltable opens automatically saving you the extra button press or the possibility of forgetting to open the tool table and accept/save.

Ok, could add 316 instead of 121 and just save the table without viewing

You could but if you are setting up tools likely you will be wanting to give them a descriptive name and thus you would have to go back into the tool table again to do so

Still having fun with the setup

If i take a light cut, mike it up and set the dia in the X DRO, why is it that if i then move the X to say 1mm less i.e. a 0.5mm cut, the size is wrong?

Seems to come over size each time?

First thing to say is don't alter the value in the X Dro unless it is all tools that are off by the same amount because you will be changing the work offset and that affects all tools.

Two ways to adjust a tool is by either resetting its values in the tool table by using the method previously mentioned (X Touch off DRO/Button) or use the wear offset DROs to add or subtract the entered amount from that tool. It is best to use the latter if it is indeed just wear but otherwise I preferred to use the former.

One thing to also mention, the last release of Mach was screwed up in quite a few ways for Turn so avoid it, think however you are using an older version.

Yeah i got the idea of tool wear comp, handy..

But this was just one tool, take a pass, ok, i did enter it in the X dry so thats one possible error, then immediately reduce X and take another pass - the second one comes out wrong size.

The tool was not removed, not called, just one pass, reset DRO, another pass, wrong result.

Can't see why yet??

Yes, i could 'tune' the result to be correct but from one pass to the next??

I need to test again without altering the DRO, going to be hard to get out of doing that as i do it all the time on the mill