Post here? Refurbish engraving table

[Evodyne]

I've been reading over your thread. I have the 210 Geckodrives and would definately say "buy Gecko". If you buy the 201s, you get a chopper-type drive with x10 microstepping. The somewhat more expensive 210 offers full-step, half-step, x5, and x10 microstepping. Because Mach II uses Windows, the PC's parallel port is somewhat speed limited in terms of clocking drives. If this ended up being a limiting factor, a x5 microstep would give you more speed than a x10.
Both drives are bipolar drives and featue 7A/phase capability and supply voltages from 24 VDC up to 80 VDC. It is recommended you go no higher with the supply voltage than 20 times the rated voltage of your motor-you'd be at around 60 volts with your slo-syns. The drives modulate (or chop-hence "chopper" drives) this voltage on and off to get the necessary average voltage to push current through the windings when the motor is at upper RPMs. The result is superior high speed performance. You set the maximum winding current via a small, 1/4 resistor.
Finally, all else aside, I've heard nothing but good things about Maris (the father of the Geckodrives) and his support/policies. That alone can be worth it's weight in gold.
Good luck!

[Electech]

I have to agree with the reputation point.

I am going to check out the Gecko drives before I do anything else.

Steve

[DS420]

Visit our web site www.solustan.com or www.linkmotion.com. We build upgrade kits for most engraving machines on the market. In most cases, you remove the old controller. Replace it with a couple of step motor drivers and a couple of solid state relays to control the Z axis. You will need about 20 to 25 lbs. of air pressure to actuate the solenoid controlled Z axis.

These are some of the best engraving machines on the market. We have upgraded over 150 of Newing Hall machines and over a 1,000 different engraving machines.

LinkMotion is a 32 bit driver. Works with XP or NT. You design your job in Corel Draw version 9 and up or Illustrator or AutoCAD or DolphinCAD or Rhino, etc. and simply print your job to our driver. We control the machine through a parallel port.

If your machine is equipped with cylindrical attachment, LinkMotion is built with the capability to handle cylindrical engraving.

Prices are;
1. LinkMotion driver is $999.
2. Set of engraving fonts are $499.
3. Complete upgrade kit with breakout board, microstepping drivers, power supply, solid state relay in a housing, LinkMotion, and fonts is $2,999.

Shipping charges additional.
We accept most major credit cards.
The above quote is good for 30 days.

Dhiren Shah
Solustan, Inc.
781-449-7666
www.solustan.com

Originally Posted by Electech First post on this forum, let me know if this is the wrong place to post this, please. I bought a Newing-Hall engraving table on ebay. I am attaching pictures. I want to upgrade the controls and want to ask people more experienced than I am on what they would do. I am an industrial electrician/technician working on german printing presses, I have a working knowledge of electronics but mostly do repairs This table works as is but runs on a dos based program limited to text, and arrow heads. That can be changed but have to have a different eprom for each type of symbols or fonts. I want to be able to use say corel draw or mach2, basically some type of windows based software that can do graphics. I use corel draw with my Roland SX-12 vinyl cutter. I am looking for a new controller and possibly motors if these wont do the job. The table on this is about 15" x 13". The stepper motors are slo-syn step motors: M063-FD06 200 steps/rev Hold 150 oz. 3.36 volts, 2.9A x and y are motor driven z is the down motion powered by an air cylinder Newing Hall will upgrade this table to there new system for about $8000.00 needless to say that is out of the question. I paid $600 for this and hope to spend less than that to upgrade it myself. thanks Steve

[bps]

Electech,
I have owned many of these machines and they are workhorses! The motors and the lead screws are actualy two seperate parts. the lead screw is glued to the stepper motor shaft and the glue joint "breaks" to prevent damage to the machine in case of a head strike. Be glad to help with any questions I can answere. I have one of these for sale as well with rotary attatchment, stand, vacuum table and fonts. $1000 for anyone interested. jbunner2@comcast.net