Need Help!- Setting up home shop on a budget. CNC & Manual

[Sowen]

My name is Sean I am a technitian here at BobCAD, we noticed your posting and would like to assist you, unfortunatly were are at the EMO trade show in Italy this week but will be back in the office next week , if you would like give me a call next week 727-489-0003 (bobcad support number) Just ask for Sean, have me paged let the receptionist know that I asked you to give a call.

BobCAD Support

[CNC_Penmaker]

Originally Posted by Sowen My name is Sean I am a technitian here at BobCAD, we noticed your posting and would like to assist you, unfortunatly were are at the EMO trade show in Italy this week but will be back in the office next week , if you would like give me a call next week 727-489-0003 (bobcad support number) Just ask for Sean, have me paged let the receptionist know that I asked you to give a call. BobCAD Support

Interesting i'' consider it


Anyone happen to know the pinout for the db25 port on the optidriver plus boards by chance before i dive into guessing?

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by CNC_Penmaker Anyone have thoughts on using a surplus touchscreen monitor to control the cnc to keep dust out of the pc since it would replace the keyboard and mouse saw a few local for around $50.00.

Quite a few people used them to good advantage for the reasons you just mention.
For Mach3, [people have done custom screens to further take advantage of the touch screen.

Mike

[CNC_Penmaker]

Well I picked up my touchscreen today and plan to install it on a swing mount sometime this week will post pictures once its up and running this is getting addicting... Already thinking of a diy 3d scanner!

[csdude]

sorry for opening this thread again,

but I recently got the same equipment (a mill and a lathe with the optidriver plus cards).

did you ever get those machines with that card to work?

thanks,

Ron

Originally Posted by CNC_Penmaker Guess my next question would be is which is the best option has anyone here tried the microkinetics software? What is the problem in using some other software and does it support non microkinetics cad/cam with the mn400 (i mean in making your own postprossors) alot of questions just stop me when i'm not making any sense

[CNC_Penmaker]

Originally Posted by csdude sorry for opening this thread again, but I recently got the same equipment (a mill and a lathe with the optidriver plus cards). did you ever get those machines with that card to work? thanks, Ron

I'm getting close I had to put the project on hold for a few months with the birth of my first child. I've decided to at least try to use the equipment I already have mn400e / optidrive plus. As of last week i found a source for the needed cables and working on the last couple problems. Building a pc to drive the machine and a new pc for doing my CAD work. They will be based off the new amd 6 core processors that came out this week and the ATI 5800 series video card. I was going to go with Gecko Drive but due to funds plans change. I do have both of microkinetics software "Turnmaster Pro and Millmaster Pro" so we will see. Might upgrade drivers and software later once we finish with the tile and carpeting. Until then will have to use what i already have on hand.

[eartaker]

You really don't need much of a computer to run the CNC. I'm betting you could use the computer your on right now to run your CAC/CAM programs. I ran masterCAM 9 and Autocad 2006 on a 1.6ghz laptop with 2gb of memory and a crappy Intel graphics card and had no issues. Had to upgrade once I went o MasterCAM X though.

[csdude]

Originally Posted by CNC_Penmaker I'm getting close I had to put the project on hold for a few months with the birth of my first child. I've decided to at least try to use the equipment I already have mn400e / optidrive plus. As of last week i found a source for the needed cables and working on the last couple problems. Building a pc to drive the machine and a new pc for doing my CAD work. They will be based off the new amd 6 core processors that came out this week and the ATI 5800 series video card. I was going to go with Gecko Drive but due to funds plans change. I do have both of microkinetics software "Turnmaster Pro and Millmaster Pro" so we will see. Might upgrade drivers and software later once we finish with the tile and carpeting. Until then will have to use what i already have on hand.

Ah hi,

well in the meantime I did get both the machines to work. You don't really need the mn400e (I was told that one is like +-$750) and than you'd need to buy a software key (since I don't have it) and their software.

I decided I didn't want to buy all of that and looked into it a bit deeper.

The only thing I needed to do was to rewire some things in a parallel cable (I posted that in the yahoo sherline group).
I have an old laptop (6-7 years) that I partitioned.I installed MSDOS/turboCNC on one partition and ubuntu-cnc on the other.
(I also have a REALLY old laptop, somewhere mid 90's or so, and that one really is too slow (cpu speed and dma transfers are really slow. Interrupt sharing probably doesn't help either)

On the 7-8 yo laptop the msdos/turbocnc setup works just fine. The ubuntu kernel is whining about the clock accuracy (also ubuntu is not happy with the wireless ethernet card).

Having a 6 core cpu for cad work is probably pretty cool. Some pc to 'drive' the machines and run g-code with can be something really bare bones.
The MSDOS/Turbocnc is a real old setup, but I actually like it. Just one screen that does what it needs to do.
Also, since MSDOS is not multitasking nor multiuser it is way simpler and one probably runs into a lot less complications. With ubuntu/linux one never knows what process might get started that screws something up.
Drawback with turbocnc is that no one is maintaining it and the code is a mess (I have seen the 'kernel' source code)

Although, I am interested in getting the cnc ubuntu setup to work at some point

Ron

[CNC_Penmaker]

Originally Posted by csdude Ah hi, well in the meantime I did get both the machines to work. You don't really need the mn400e (I was told that one is like +-$750) and than you'd need to buy a software key (since I don't have it) and their software. I decided I didn't want to buy all of that and looked into it a bit deeper. The only thing I needed to do was to rewire some things in a parallel cable (I posted that in the yahoo sherline group). I have an old laptop (6-7 years) that I partitioned.I installed MSDOS/turboCNC on one partition and ubuntu-cnc on the other. (I also have a REALLY old laptop, somewhere mid 90's or so, and that one really is too slow (cpu speed and dma transfers are really slow. Interrupt sharing probably doesn't help either) On the 7-8 yo laptop the msdos/turbocnc setup works just fine. The ubuntu kernel is whining about the clock accuracy (also ubuntu is not happy with the wireless ethernet card). Having a 6 core cpu for cad work is probably pretty cool. Some pc to 'drive' the machines and run g-code with can be something really bare bones. The MSDOS/Turbocnc is a real old setup, but I actually like it. Just one screen that does what it needs to do. Also, since MSDOS is not multitasking nor multiuser it is way simpler and one probably runs into a lot less complications. With ubuntu/linux one never knows what process might get started that screws something up. Drawback with turbocnc is that no one is maintaining it and the code is a mess (I have seen the 'kernel' source code) Although, I am interested in getting the cnc ubuntu setup to work at some point Ron

Well i was going to use an old Compaq evo d510 sff at 1.5 ghz and a old graphics card with something like 128mb. But then decided i could use the new machine for both hobby and business work. But i agree older pc's are well suited to the task. im looking at space limitations in my garage so one pc powerful enough for everything is better.

[csdude]

Yes I figured those out (I did it for both the mill and lathe (same board one is just less populated). I posted it in the yahoo sherline group

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/YEffS2q...son-hookup.txt

Originally Posted by CNC_Penmaker Interesting i'' consider it Anyone happen to know the pinout for the db25 port on the optidriver plus boards by chance before i dive into guessing?