New as in old is new again!

[ger21]

None of this is Planet CNC's fault, or responsibility.

Hopefully, the Masso works well for you. Please let us know how it works, and if there are any issues with it. Lots of people have considered it, but there's not much user feedback available.

[KH0UJ]

Hi KHOUJ
That mains filter in photo 3 should have an earth connection!
Roger

Nope were not using earth ground here sir, it`s OK if the power company`s transmission lines all the way down to the household service drop have an earth ground, but if it`s not then we have a huge problem when lightning strikes, that means if I put an earth ground on the CNC machines then if lightning strikes on the electrical grid, the machines with an earth ground wires will be fried and toasted I tried it in some communication systems here in our place and it`s not good, (I fried a repeater once) maybe in the US, europe, japan electrical standards that`s OK but here in the philippines it`s not really advisable sir rather it`s dangerous. It could burn your house if the lightning strikes.

[KH0UJ]

There you go again... Addressing my DAD !

That looks nothing like my boards.


For my email address use my name at my name .com.au
I'm pleased to hear you are making money out of your machine. Mine behaves like its got a ratchet on the stepper motors stopping and starting as if the pulse rate is all wrong ever since I updated the Planet software and driver. When I removed them and reloaded the pirate stuff that came with the machine it runs smoothly but does nothing its supposed to do. The Vendor gave me a settings file saying this would fix it. All it did was make the spindle look like it was going in the right direction on the screen but move in the opposite direction and hit the limit switch! the drawing looks right in Sketchup, fusion 360 and Vcarve. Load the gcodes into Planet's software and it looks upside down.

You have a different controller. I remember seeing one like yours in an older Ebay listing. The guy selling me the Masso said he gets a call a week from people having the same issues I have. The manufacturer sends these machines to Australia by the container load and then has lots of Chinese sellers advertise them for him. Never an Australian. They don't last long but there is always another one turns up using the same pictures, same price, Same free delivery from Sydney, same worthless guarantee. Customs in Australia are red hot in counterfeit goods. If the people at Planet really did own the controller board design they'd only need to write to customs and the whole shipment would be confiscated.


Thanks for helping.
Ryadia

Basically we have the same controller bro, Toshiba TB6560, that`s what I wanna know, mine is the vertical version but still a Toshiba TB6560 chips, they just put it like a riser type with plug-in sockets to conserve space, so we have the same weakness, if that chip heats up above 60 celsius that`s where instabilities appear, so if I were you, modify it to have a FAN or install a larger heatsink with fan to avoid head aches in the future.

Edit: I just shared it to your email to get you started, your controller is more complex and expensive than mine because it had a built-in RPM display on the spindle, digital manual controls, mine only use a potentiometer 100K for the spindle speed variation. I just noticed yours had a manual Z knob bro, mine does`nt have that, it`s very useful when manual zeroing all the axis, it`s quite a hassle for me to zero the machine because I need to put the jog to 2% to zero the Z-axis on the jig, unlike with a manual Z-knob you can zero the Z on-the-fly it`s either on the material or on the jig, maybe in the near future im gonna request for a stepper motor that had a built-in Z-knob, machining gun parts is a very hassle thing to do without the Z-knob

[Ryadia]

Hi Jerry,
We could argue back and forth all night about who is responsible for tying the licensing of software to what may be a counterfeit board but until Planet tell me the board is positively a counterfeit, neither of us is right. I do know that the manual I got is a doctored, cut down version of Planet's manual and all reference to Planet has been removed. That is illegal under Australian and US copyright law. As for the rest? Let's see what planet says. I'll be the first one to call customs to have the entire shipment confiscated if it has any illegally copied electronics in it. I should know by Tuesday.

Hi Rcaffin,
Sure I can change wires around but that will not solve the issue of inaccurate XY travel and stop with a ratchet noise every 4 inches or so. That only happens when I use current version software I got from Planet. It runs OK in X and Y when I go back to the Chinese supplied software. From what I can glean about the Mk1 controller board, it lacks enough power capabilities for the latest software I suspect the message to "Update the firmware" is planted there to test the controller board and report back to Planet. Considering the behaviour when I use the current software, it's highly likely the manufacturer has re-written some of the software. Question mark about that legality.

I've got two issues going here. I'm getting advice about counterfeit controllers when tonight is the first time I've shown pictures of the board to any one. There is Chinese writing in the suspected pirate software. On the other issue, I've just spent my holiday pay on a Masso controller and I'm trying to get my head around the documentation before it arrives. I have to wire the machine into it. I've sent photos to Planet in the hope I'll give me positive Identification before calling customs. Not to mention I bought this machine without paying 10% GST on it. The importer is responsible for collecting that tax. But that's OK, it's his problem, not mine. We'll see by Tuesday whether or not Chapter 2 of this waste of time saga gets written.

I'm going to bed!

[Ryadia]

Yes... I know its bad kama to reply to yourself but I thought I'd update the situation for those interested. I bought a Masso All-in-one controller. It's pretty easy to connect to the existing Black Box that has the alleged counterfeit controller board in it. I will concede it is basically a load of junk but some of the components are quite usable. Instead of buy a Geko 540 stepper controller, I'm using the existing Black Box and connecting the Masso through the parallel port. The pin outs are published on Hind's (the Masso maker) site. What is not yet on the site is the parallel pins that go to the spindle. That is coming shortly - if I find them! I found a manual for the VFD and its just about ready to fire up and start work. I ditched the PC. The Masso runs on what looks like embedded Linux. It doesn't need a PC just a monitor and keyboard. Really nice, compact stuff.

I'll let you know how it runs later in the week.