A Little Program to Compute Handwheel Turns/Ticks

[ggbutcher]

I'm doing manual milling, found myself using a spreadsheet to calculate how many handwheel turns and subsequent ticks on the dial to move the cutter. That was a bit of a pain, so I set out to make a program to do that calculation. After about a week of fiddling, here 'tis:

https://github.com/butcherg/turnsticks/releases/tag/v0.1

This release is a Windows program, but the source code is there for anyone brave enough to try compiling it for something like Ubuntu Linux...

Here's a screenshot:



Basically, you enter a value or math expression in the expression box, press Enter, and the equation, numeric anser, and computed handwheel turns/ticks are posted in the answers box. If you enter another expression, the results are added to the box, so you can make a collection of measurements you're working with. The size boxes to the right are where you calibrate the tool to your handwheel; right now, it hard-code loads the Sherline numbers, but they can be changed once the program is running.

I've found the ability to enter a math equation to be a significant time-saver. The example in the screenshot is the width of a slot to be cut (0.5") minus the endmill diameter (1/8"), didn't have to spend time with the calculator to determine a single number to enter.

Anyway, am I the only one weird enough to find use for such a thing?

 

[WobblyHand]

Think it's great that you made that program. I know I could have used something like that a while back.

Now I have a DRO, but when my read head was going bad, this would have been helpful.

 

[RJSakowski]

When I saw the title, I thought that you had a mechanism for counting the number of turns of the crank to go from A to B. I used to struggle with that as I would lose track of the turns and have to go back and star.t over. A Hall effect switch wi6th a small magnet glued to the dial or an optical switch wi6th reflective tape on the dial attached to a small counter would have been great back then.

 

[ggbutcher]

When I saw the title, I thought that you had a mechanism for counting the number of turns of the crank to go from A to B. I used to struggle with that as I would lose track of the turns and have to go back and star.t over. A Hall effect switch wi6th a small magnet glued to the dial or an optical switch wi6th reflective tape on the dial attached to a small counter would have been great back then.

Yeah, makes me glad I'm making small parts, my largest distance to date is 19 turns. Even that, I had to concentrate on it to keep track.

 

[RJSakowski]

The most useful mod I have made to my machines was adding DRO's. They solved the problem of counting turns and eliminated backlash issues.

 

[ggbutcher]

The most useful mod I have made to my machines was adding DRO's. They solved the problem of counting turns and eliminated backlash issues.

I may yet do that too, but I'm kinda enamored right now with doing it reliably with the handwheels...

 

[WobblyHand]

Adding DRO's to my lathe really helped. I bought my mill with DRO's installed. If I were to have the opportunity again, I'd install them myself. They're not hard to install and they are quite gratifying to use. You don't have to have them, but they make life easier.

 

[Larry$]

I may yet do that too, but I'm kinda enamored right now with doing it reliably with the handwheels...

"Reliably" was my problem. I installed a 3 axis DRO on my mill. Best thing ever! Besides curing my counting issues it has a lot of other functions that come in handy. ½ function used every day. Bolt hole function, multiple spacing on X, Y or even and angle. Even travel speed if you're into that. No accounting for backlash. Highly recommended.