Bridgeport with BOSS 9 advice wanted

[shovelitdeep]

Hi all
I have an opportunity to pick up a series II at a decent price and need info.
(1) How is DNC done on it? there are 2 look like 9 pin DIN connectors on the back, no floppy. Can one be installed?
I want to be able to do 3D profiling and contouring and I am not going to punch that kind of program in.
(2) What is a good CAM program for it? I have a seat of Solid edge for drawing.
(3) What should I look for when I look at it under power. Mechanically, it is in as good a shape as can be expected for it's age, having run mostly aluminum.
I have had only about six weeks experience with Bport CNC in my 25 years as a CNC machinist.
Anything else?
Thanks
Rich

[wcarrothers1]

I like my bridgeport with the Boss 10 controller. How ever I'd question how great (or fast) it could to all out 3d contouring since the older controllers don't really do any look ahead thus they jump from point to point (accelerate decelerate stop, Ect.. Thus it would be pretty slow (I think) with multiple small point to point moves.

That said it is a great platform to start with. I figured I would swap my guts out for a mach 3 setup but have not as I like it to much so far.

DNC isn't to hard after you get the hand of it. Some weird quirks but probably different querks then my boss 10. I have not run any really long programs but I've had it quit on me DNC'ing in the middle of some programs at the same point which I can not explain why and had not had the time to figure out why.

Great platform to start with and less work over all if you gutted for a conversion then starting with a manual mill. Thats 1 great thing for sure.

Plus you can often pick them up for less then their manual equivlant because people "think they are trouble? but they aren't in mybook..

b.

[shovelitdeep]

thanks, I want to do 3d profiling for model engine building.
I have solid edge for drawing and would like to be able to CAM it and DNC. I will check out BOBCAD when I get the machine.
Rich

[cut more]

I have a series2 R2e3 with Boss8.
I have done some 3d contouring with it. I use Bobcad v21 for all my programming.
Dnc can be easy or it can be a pain & it does not seem to depend on anything but how quick you need to get the part done. ie. if the part is in a rush you will have a problem and if it isn't important it will DNC fine!
Mechanically under power, listen to the spindle, The ballscrews & bearings at rapid feed rate. Also a good idea to check the backlash if possible. I would try to cut a part too if possible to check surface finish/part dimensions.

Bob,
I don't know if boss10 has this gcode but, on the boss8 if you put G99 @ the beginning of the line(before G1,G2,G3) The control wil not start stop with each command. Just do not put G99 before a G0 command. This has greatly improved some of my regular parts.
Hope this helps,
Cutmore

[wcarrothers1]

Actually reading the manual this weekend there is a G9 and G8 which are model deceleration off and On which if you are carefull and know you don't have successive moves more then 20deg from tangent of the last move (think that is what the manual said) you can disable deceleration so it will not pause between move commands.

I finally got time to read through the programmers manual this weekend and found that.

Also if you use the internal tool diameter compensation (which I do not yet) it "looks ahead" 1 or 2 steps to automaticly disable the deceleration but only if you are using compensation. Since I'm at the level where some other program is making my gcode for me (which isn't the most efficient gcode of course) I have not used most of these features.

How ever I'll probably be manually inserting the G9 and G8's in my programs going forward from here. Guess the worst thing that can happen is the drives can fault out if I have deceleration off and miss seeing a move that needs it.

anywho.

b.

[shovelitdeep]

Thanks for the advice. I think that I will buy the thing, I hope I am not biting of more than I want to chew
Rich

[jedzismack]

I am looking for the manuals for a boss 10. I just picked one up that is using the original control with a rs232 kikt and tera term. I have a few bugs to work out though.