Hi Martin,
That certainly looks to be from the same stock. There are minor differences, my cutting area is perhaps 20mm shorter in both directions although the cabinet measures a touch more, in width, anyway. The stepper motors may be different, which may account for the cutting area. I have the same X and Y buttons, but four more at the bottom and it doesn't say Conect anywhere. I have rewired all the buttons to a cheap joystick pcb and I have three buttons at the bottom to select one of three jog speeds. The centre button of X and Y +- and Z+-, which was originally used for rapid, now zero the tool, which is very useful. The remaining button at the bottom starts a macro to find the Z height of the work.
If you open the RS box and find some pcbs on the inside of the door, I'm sure it can be modified for Mach3. Whether it will then be faster I don't know. I run mine at a rapid speed of 40" per minute.
If I can help, I will, though I am flat out at the moment.
Dave |