K2 With Mach III?

[GuitarEng]

I've been shopping around for a "guitar sized" cnc router. I'd prefer the price be under $10k new...but it looks like 12k is a more realistic number for a shop sabre with all the goodies that I will need in this machine.

I would be interested in the K2 machine, except that they do not have a digitizing solution worked out (I guess this is a controller limitation?). Mach III appears to have the digitizing software built into it. Would it be possible to run a K2 machine with Mach III? Would this then allow me to run the digitizing probe?

Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions on other machines..

Thanks!

[ger21]

Originally Posted by GuitarEng Would it be possible to run a K2 machine with Mach III? Would this then allow me to run the digitizing probe?

Yes, and Yes. Mach2 can do digitising, btw. I think it's just slower, and perhaps not as user friendly as Mach3 does it.

[GuitarEng]

Is this a pretty easy switch to make? does it require any change in hardware?

Thanks for your advice!

[ger21]

You just have to do the setup on it. You can actually have Mach2 and Mach3 on the same computer and use either one. Just don't try to run them at the same time. Also, go to www.machsupport.com and watch all the tutorial videos to get up and running a little faster.

[GuitarEng]

Here's K2's response to my question...it sounds like it is possible but that it might not be real straight forward. I guess this steers me towards that Shop Sabre...!

"We have not used Mach3 for probeing. Usually users of mach products can use
the default codes but often this require some programming on to of that
default macro or code that mach3 comes with. We currently do not support
probe and do not have plans to implement prode with mach 3. I am working
with another company for scanning with no eta."

[ger21]

I haven't used it, but I just looked at the probing in Mach3 and it appears to be very simple. You can download and install Mach3 in demo mode and look at it.