Z Offset Issue with Rear Approach Tools

[roundel325]

Now I wonder if i'm understanding this correctly. Are you saying that if the wizard is set to "gang" and "front" approach, all tool x offsets must be referenced (touched off) the front of the stock? If so, how do you go about referencing a rear facing tool to the front of the stock? I was assuming that by setting a tool as "rear" approach in the tool library, it should be touched off the rear of the stock, even if the wizard is set to "front".

I appreciate your help.

[cnckeith]

you can touch off from either direction as long as cnc12 knows which way the reference tool came from, hence front or rear.

[cnckeith]

i've got a beta build with the fix, PM me and i'll send you the link so you can try it out.

[roundel325]

Keith -- I installed the fix and spent an hour exercising the tool library in various configurations. It looks like the Z offset bug is fixed. Thank you for that! I do have a question about X offsets though: With a rear approach reference tool (wizard set to "Gang" and "Rear"), should the X Ref diameter be entered as a negative value? I think the answer is yes, but please confirm because the manual does not mention negative X Ref values. And, likewise, should the X Ref diameter be left as negative when measuring offsets for (non-reference) tools set to front approach?

Seems like it could be worth adding a gang tool setup sub-section to the CNC12 user manual.

[cnc_smith]

Your primary approach is always positive for X for gang tooling. If the Primary approach is Rear then X will be positive for the rear mounted tools and X Diam will be positive. If the Primary approach is Front then X will positive for the front mounted tools and X Diam will be positive .

[roundel325]

Thank you Dana. I was certainly doing it wrong.