Here are some of my pendant pics of the HEDS I got off ebay and used inside it.. Course I can't find a listing for them at the moment on ebay although the guy said he had lots of them Last sold on ebay under number 180025999028 jrhelicopters was his user ID

And a wire diagram:)

b/

Didn't get get attatched.. Here it is again.

./

100 some reads and not a single question?

Guess I'll just take to talking to my self..hehe

b.

i was just in awe and didnt know what to say...

Ya that must have been it.. In Awe for sure..

The guy jrhelicopters from ebay said in a message to me that he did have more of the HEDS incase anyone needs them..

Incase anyone wants to know what type of enclosure that is it's a PacTech PT-8 I think http://www.pactecenclosures.com/

b.

100 some reads and not a single question?

Guess I'll just take to talking to my self..hehe

b.
LEDs!!! Where are the LEDs???

Seriously, though, nice job b.

[More] Questions follow:
Do the HEDs "click" when they are rotated or are they smooth turning? I'm thinking that you need different knobs/wheels on your pendant control. You know, the ones with the little "spinny post" like the ones used on mills, lathes, table saws, etc. Like the extra turn wheel that they attach to school bus, large truck, and construction equipment steering wheels. Just a thought.
Why don't you use your CNC Router/Mill to make a professional looking control panel for the pendant instead of the "peel-and-stick" labels?

Here's a link to jrhelicopters latest 3 HP HEDS Shaft Encoders Linear Servo Motor Encoder (http://cgi.ebay.com/3-HP-HEDS-Shaft-Encoders-Linear-Servo-Motor-Encoder_W0QQitemZ180029464530QQihZ008QQcategoryZ67005QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) auction on eBay.

Well; I'm fascinated!

Could someone explain how/if they could be useful with a CNC router driven by stepper motors.

I've looked at the ebay link and I would love to be able to have some form of hald held jogging mechanism that is not driven through CAM input. (Or do I get that through MACH 3 ?)

Am I am on the right track thinking in this way?

Andy

I am trying to build one with a single encoder and a 3 way switch to select which axis. Maybe I should have tried the three encoder approach.

Alan

Well I cut the hole for the db25 connection on my mill. Does that count for being pro?

I agree I should have cut out and laminated the pannel similar to the way I do my timing system displays (www.watchdogflyball.com) but since I dind't know what I would be adding and laminate melts when you drill more holes stickers had to do. They are printed from one of those label printing machines if that makes ya feel better..heeh

They are smooth turning but after using them I think I'd rather they be this way. They did have some drag although I put a little bit of wire shrink wrap around the base of the shaft to make them have a little more.

Dials were the best I could find. Actually I want to get some with the little finger dished pocket thing so you could spin in that. ALthough these are not that bad to use once ya get used to it..

Disable switches (to avoide oopsies when you know you no longer want to move one motor are highly recomended). Didn't think I'd use them much but turns out I do.

Acondit.. They are cheep enough to not have the headach of a switch (or keeping track of which way the switch is before you start spinning. I'd be constantly jogging the wrong axis I think)..

You could in theory plug this directly to the pulse input of your gecko drive I suppose (or similar) to move the motors with out a PC or Mach3 in the middle. But then understand you loose your digital possition readout..

I though after the conversion waiting to use the mill for the PC to boot would be a drag. Course now it stays on but you would be surprised how fast a dedicated to only your CNC machine boots when it isn't connected to the net having all sorts of extra junk installed.. (even if it's only an old P3..heh)

b.


b.

ive been hacking a keyboard to build a control panel for mach i'd like to do a similar hand pendent as youve got http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23859

I am trying to build one with a single encoder and a 3 way switch to select which axis. Maybe I should have tried the three encoder approach.

Alan

Acondit.. They are cheep enough to not have the headach of a switch (or keeping track of which way the switch is before you start spinning. I'd be constantly jogging the wrong axis I think)..

A simple pushbutton switch to toggle between axis is very simple to implement using the OEM triggers in mach3. Also, using screen designer, you can add large LED's on any screens you want to show the active axis.

i was looking through the automation catalog, and i saw some 2 and 4 point joysticks, are these a progressive control, like the farther you push to one side the faster your system would move, are they just on off type situations?
seems to me that for something like 30 bucks, this might be a pretty nift system, even if they are only on off, you could set it to drive at your jog speed in mach, couldnt ya?

A simple pushbutton switch to toggle between axis is very simple to implement using the OEM triggers in mach3. Also, using screen designer, you can add large LED's on any screens you want to show the active axis.

Ger21,

I am actually using EMC2 so the features of mach3 are not relevant at the moment. I do like a lot of the features of Mach3 but I am not a windows fan.

I am actually exploring the use on a cnc equipped lathe to drive the lathe in manual mode without the computer attached. In addition to the encoder, my circuit board has a variable speed step generator that can be used as a powerfeed. I'm still testing.

Alan