Argh! Was I ripped off? Please Help Me!

[Sporqster]

Got this Spectralight 0200 set up on e-bay... thought this would be fun for my first CNC to start learning with and making some small stuff from aluminum and wax and such.

Now the guy I bought this from swore up and down that you didn't need a proprietary card from Spectralight to control this thing. That it could be controlled through the printer port alone. So where does this thing go?!?

And if what he says is right, where should I get the software for controlling this through the printer port connection (which there is one to the controller). And another thing, if you can control this thing through the printer port alone, why would spectralight go to the expense of another cable?!? This is my first CNC so if someone could hold my hand with this until I get it up and running, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks!

[JavaDog]

That looks like a DB9 serial connector to me.

[mannster]

0200 specifications link


Uh oh, this page mentions PCI adapter card

I wonder if your seller ever even used this machine ???

[Sporqster]

Originally Posted by JavaDog That looks like a DB9 serial connector to me.

Yes, but it would need a gender changer to just plug right into a serial port... another kinda concerning thing is that on the cable it is labeled "connect to 9-pin connector on LMC interface card in computer"

I'm loading the trial version of Mach 2 on the laptop as I type... maybe I'll figure out how to make it work without plugging this into anything, but I'm kinda skeptical at this point...

[Al_The_Man]

It appears to me also, to need some PCI/ISA card and it runs their proprietary CNC software.
Your best bet would be to contact Spectralite
Al.

[Halfnutz]

The guy is absolutely right. It will run regular cnc software through the printer port, as soon as you make a boat anchor out of that black box and go buy a new control system.
Laugh about it. Yes you were given incorrect information, but I doubt you got "ripped off". Theyre nice Sherline CNC mills with decent motors, and from what I understand you can buy an upgrade from them that will allow you to use it more conventionally, but I think its cheaper to use the power supply and the case and put a Zylotec or HobbyCNC board in it. With a little re wiring you'l have a GREAT machine to start out with. So its not all bad. At least its not some piece of garbage that you cant do anything with. Contact Spectra Light (Light Machines?) and see what they say, then check out Zylotec and HobbyCNC. Good Luck, and dont worry, you didnt do to bad. With less than a hundred bucks (HobbyCNC board) and a weekend or couple evenings you can have that thing running fine.

[anoel]

I'd look in the controller. The controller might be able to be separated (Or is already separate) from the motor drives and with a Parallel port Breakout board you might be able to send Step/Dir signals to the existing drives. You might need to be a bit more electronically inclined than Average Joe perhaps.

[ViperTX]

Well firstly if the motors are just motors without a driver, then you'll need a driver for each motor. What's in the controller....is it just a single board PC?

[Sporqster]

Originally Posted by anoel I'd look in the controller. The controller might be able to be separated (Or is already separate) from the motor drives and with a Parallel port Breakout board you might be able to send Step/Dir signals to the existing drives. You might need to be a bit more electronically inclined than Average Joe perhaps.

I'll pop the hood tonight and find out what's in there. I was starting to investigate just buying a HobbyCNC kit per Halfnutz suggestion.

As for electronically inclined, hmm... I do OWN a soldering iron, and I passed a few basic electrical classes in college, but I'm prolly gonna need some hand holding to do anything I can't look up explicitly on a schematic now! I'll post pics here tonight.

Thanks for the help all!

[RotarySMP]

You#ll do fine. The mechanical part is the hardest and most work. At the worst case if you have to toss the drivers, a three axis Xylotex is not that expensive, and then you can use TurboCNC, which is free, or $60 once you decide you like it and want to do the right thing and support the authors.

[JFettig]

It is a ISA/PCI card to plug it in, you might want to take a look at the drive system and see if you can get it to run off step and direction. I heard the cards for those machines are pretty outrageous to buy.

Jon

[Sporqster]

Checked the power supply with my handy-dandy multimeter- it's making 42.8VDC

Looks like one big ol' board. not modular. So what can I salvage, and where do we go from here?

As mentioned, I can follow a schematic and I can solder stuff if instructions are clear. Maybe I'll build a controller and put it in this box... For my purposes, I need to go inexpensive, and don't need a lot of frills. I just want a basic 3-axis controller that's easy to work with.

Thanks so much!