Got my NWA 4th axis ordered

[EdThorne]

Hi Nick,
Thank you for the update. I'm sorry to hear about the delays. The manual and new post-processor are both necessary. I hope they are released, soon. I'm not ordering until I see everything up and running properly otherwise I will just become frustrated. Good luck to you.
Ed

[studio-n]

thanks Ed. I really want this to be a successful addition.
when it comes in I plan to completely document the addition from unboxing to first turning
so we can all see if it is an easy process or not. cheers!

[meb]

They say in the description that it can be setup diagonally on the table to turn longer spindles. If this is really true then the software to run the 4th axis will be different than any other software for 4th axis turning I have seen ... this might justify the cost for development of the software ... if not true then they need to change the false advertising. They did send me an email letting me know that shipping was delayed until week of March 23 waiting on the chucks but they are not sending updates since they missed that shipping date. If the delay is the instructions then you have to question if they really have it running or are they still trying to develop a post processor to cut a spindle with the unit mounted diagonally on the table.

[4DThinker]

Cutting diagonally is a vague term. It can probably be used as an indexing mount as 2D/2.5D tool paths can easily be rotated 45 degrees, but there are no options I've seen in VCarve Pro or Aspire for 3D spindle cutting at any angle besides 0 (X/Y) or 90 (Y/X) degrees. They'll need a custom gadget or some other magic as far as I can tell.

[monitoringpost]

My thought is that the "magic" will be the virtual zero functionality. That is, one will likely require the newer control software for the 4th axis to re-map the co-ordinates for cutting diagonally. Now that been said, whether one requires the newer control panel to use the 4th axis in the more traditional sense - I don't know but what has been posted on the NWA site doesn't lead me to think that.

Update: Stumbled across this post by Tim Owen that does seem to indicate that the v2 Control Panel will be a requirement to operate the 4th axis accessory. You can read it here.

[gordread]

I was really excited when I first saw this. Now I am less so.

I really hope that NWA steps up and makes this happen soon. I certainly won't be ordering anything until they demonstrate their ability to deliver.

Gordon

[Tim Owens]

Thank you all for the enthusiasm for the 4th axis attachment to the Sharks. We are shipping the kits this week and have the 2.1 manual upgraded to include the 4th axis. But on further review decided that this is a complicated system for someone not versed with lathes. We are creating and will be have a start guide and a Start video that we will put online. This would help streamline peoples setup of the machine. So I wanted this finished in the next couple of days.

[studio-n]

thank you for the update, Tim.

[Ryan Richardson]

Yes, thank you for the updates (both Nick and Tim). Being a woodturner before getting my Black Diamond, I've been anxiously awaiting this attachment and have been following these developments closely.

[meb]

They are shipping, I have the tracking number and UPS has the package. Estimated delivery to me is Tuesday 04/14/2015.