TurboCNC vs Mach3 vs EMC2

[JeLC]

I am almost finished with my first CNC (a slightly modified version of the JPGO), am ready to buy the electronics package and get this thing going. But now I'm trying to decide on control software. Linux/EMC2 is free, but looks like I'm going to have to become a Linux programmer to set up all the different modules it requires to run. I can get TurboCNC for $60 and have a copy of Win98 to install on a spare computer, a 2.4 Ghz system but I'm not even sure Win98 will run on it, so that's an 'iffy' possibility. I'm thinking Mach3 for $150 may be my best option.

I'm ready to start making wood chips instead of spending days setting up a system, reading manuals, learning code, modifying the HAL, etc.

I realize that anyone who responds will probably favor and recommend their configuration, but I'd like input on all three setups for comparison purposes. I'm just needing a little advice as to which is the easiest and fastest to set up and get running.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[ger21]

EMC is supposed to be much easier to set up these days. I've burned a disk and looked at it for a few minutes, but that's it.

TurboCNC is pretty easy to set up, and easy to use. You don't need win98, just plain DOS, which should run on any PC. Few people use it on routers these days, mainly due to the lack of a Constant Velocity mode. It's apparently being worked on, and may appear in the near future.

Which brings you to Mach3. IMO it's just as easy to set up as TurboCNC, if you know what you need to do. It's a good idea to watch the setup videos at www.machsupport.com They should make the setup pretty painless and straightforward.
Also, you don't have to pay the license fee to set up and run your machine. Mach3 is free to run up to 500 lines of g-code. So feel free to try it, and if you find it to difficult, move on to something else without spending anything more thanthe time your willing to spend. good luck.

[epineh]

For a standard kind of machine, you can use stepconf in EMC to setup everything, it took me about half an hour to do this having never configured a machine before with EMC, it has come a long way. My machine is using servo's, and limits/home switches. It is a graphical wizard so no command line editing is needed, but you have the option of doing so if you want.

Last time I used TurboCNC it was free and quite good, the display is basic but has everything you need, I stopped using it as I needed constant velocity contouring, which I think the new version has ? Setup was not all that hard to do with Turbo either, from memory it has quite fast pulse rates out of the box with minimal hardware.

I haven't used Mach but have friends that do and it works well for them, the setup is pretty straightforward and it has a huge user base so support is always easy to get, it will really come down to what you find the easiest to use.

Good Luck.

Russell.

[Regnar]

Emc2 I actually really easy to use for a basic setup. From time to inserting the cd to running the mill was under 30 minutes. What you should be looking for is the stepconfigwizard under the cnc menu if you have started using it. With any of the systems you will have to read the manual. They all do the same thing pretty much its just a matter of what operating system and how much money your willing to spend. I have tried both mach and emc2 and until I bought a cam program I used mach3. Once my projects got over 500 lines of Gcode I switched over to Emc2 and have not regretted it. Good Luck

[vlmarshall]

When I bought my little Sherline a few years ago, I started with Mach 3. After playing around for several months, I pretty much let the whole thing sit for a while. It was much easier to make the parts I wanted at work.

At the beginning of this year I formatted my mill computer and switched to EMC. After a strange Latency issue, it's working flawlessly. I couldn't be happier with it.

[Bubba]

My only real experience has been with Turbocnc. Have been using it since V3.?. As previously stated, it is fairly easy to setup if you read the documentation. It does what I want and CV is supposed to be in the next version which is due out at any time.
I like the fact that I don't have to worry about windows. It will run on a minimal machine and due to the environment in my shop (un heated and cooled) I was having a problem with hard drives. So I used a CF card as a solid state hard drive and haven't had a problem since. Made everything read only and don't have to worry about the write limitations of the CF. It won't remember the last position when you turn it off, but I always do a home routine when setting up anyhow.

[dertsap]

ive never tryed turbocnc but i've always heard good things about it , i used emc for a few years but never could get the rapids to max out as i can with mach , ive tryed tweaking so many times , the whole operating system would nearly freeze up and become unstable , using it I never ran the machine at its full potential so I've ditched it ,when i started using it the documentation sucked so trying to find info was a googling nightmare , I understand their secretarial skills have improved recently which was well needed , . its a good software and well priced but its not for my setup
mach has a clean interface , nice clean tool and workshift pages , all around cleaner than most , and it looks closer to the real deal (control panel) than any other software .

[vlmarshall]

Mach...looks closer to the real deal (control panel) than any other software .

True! Mach's interface would be great on a touchscreen, for mouseless operation. Even a bunch of one-key shortcuts like EMC uses would work nicely.

[dertsap]

True! Mach's interface would be great on a touchscreen, for mouseless operation. Even a bunch of one-key shortcuts like EMC uses would work nicely.

mach has shortcut keys and its very easy to customize the shortcut keys , add or remove buttons etc , its quite easy to customize a screen to a persons personal preferance , I'm working on an emulator so that i dont need to use a mouse other than loading or editing the program , everything is push button controlled

[123CNC]

I have no first hand experience with TurboCNC. Its simplicity and clean interface has its appeal. The DOS version has its DOS appeal and limitation, some day that las dinosaur will be extinct. A newer windows version is out or in the works?

If money was your only object, EMC2 then TurboCNC and then Mach3.

If you want to get 'er going, Then its a matter of variables up to the end user. Comfort level with OS, Linux/DOS/Windows and preferences in the software interface.

You can have EMC2 and trial Mach3, TurboCNC? I would spend 30 minutes with each, and then pick the lady I find most alluring. Or is it most productive or just plain easy.