Hey guys,
Thanks for the info. I will look into getting some limit switches. Just in case.
Now I need to learn how to use cad.
Thanks again for all the help.
Nick
You can use your limit switches as "home" switches in Mach - there's a setting for that somewhere. The point of having a home switch, even if it's not super-repeatable, is that once there is a home position stored in the controller as G53 (machine) coordinate, you can then use macros to drive automated stuff. Like having parking positions that aren't dependent on the various G54-G5x work offsets.
For example, I've set a "Park 1" to have the table be all the way forward and centered for loading/unloading. "Park 2" is centered and most of the way back for washing chips off the table & parts. "Park 3" is centered in Y, and mostly left as I have my 4th axis on the right side. I use this as a way to get over quickly to indicate a gauge pin in the 4th. "Park 4" is similar, but for a fixture plate reference hole on my trunnion table.
There are also macros and functions which use a Z-home, such as auto tool-length plates. Also useful for setting the top of the Z-travel during 'safe' retract moves.
As far as the pool cues go, I think your best bet is to taper them on a lathe and then do the inlays on a 4th axis. If you raise your tailstock (offset the small end by half the total taper amount) you'll wind up with a surface which is parallel to the table. The patterns will then all be a the same Z-height.
If you're doing work near the handle end then the patterns won't be too far off. But this will work only for 'indexed' stuff - i.e. not wrapped around the handle circumference.
However, if you think you're going to do something complicated that wraps around the thing, then the decreasing diameter will require CAM and a cue held straight along the rotational axis. The CAM will figure out the decreasing diameter and adjust Z-height appropriately.