What are folks using for home & limit switches?

[rustyolddo]

Curious as to what others are using on the mini-mill for home & limit switches, & repeatability?

[ESjaavik]

If subject to coolant, use proper switches. For anything else, I'd use microswitches. They are cheap but will keep working if you can keep them out of the worst chip/dust storm. Use the ones with arm and roller. Look at www.5bears.com where you can see them mounted out of the way from the chips.

[JFettig]

Where do I find these proper switches? also, how good of repeatability would I have from the proper switches and from microswitches?

I was just gonna ask this same question.


Thanx
Jon

[IJ.]

Originally Posted by JFettig Where do I find these proper switches? also, how good of repeatability would I have from the proper switches and from microswitches? I was just gonna ask this same question. Thanx Jon

Jon I'm using these switches and the repeatability has been brilliant with the machine homing perfectly each time!


If I were to do it again I'd use these as posted by Al The Man!

Honeywell sealed switches

They would be much easier to mount!

[JFettig]

Awesome man! thanx for the info, they look like the ones that are on the lathes at work. I now have to find a distributor for these things. Do I use the same ones as limit and home switches? I mean one switch do both?


Thanx
Jon

[IJ.]

Very welcome Jon,

Do you mean can you use the same type for homes and limits?? If yes they're just on/off switches with connections on them for NO/NC.

If you mean can you use 1 switch to do Home and Limit this depends on your controller, I know DeskCNC has an option to make a limit do double duty as a home.

[JFettig]

yeah one switch doing both, I use turbocnc right now but plan on using mach2 soon,

do you know if theres any online retailers that supply these or something similar?


Thanx
Jon

[IJ.]

Jon: Not sure about an online supplier I know if you go to the HoneyWell site I linked they have a dealer search option you could use!

I got the Tend switches locally here and they seem quite common.(I really would prefer the Honeywells though for ease of mounting/wiring)

[RJ.]

Jon,

Try Digikey.com. Search Omron D4C-1602. Looks similar to Honeywell. Omron also appears to make a sealed version D4C-1632. I haven't ordered yet, but will need some soon also.

Regards,
Rick

[owhite]

If your limit switches wont see a lot of debris, chips or lube, you might be interested in looking at optical interuptors:

http://cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5247

Owen

[snaggletto]

Hello,
What voltages do you use to control the switches? I guess to 'sense' the switch you would have to use the 0/5V from a parallel port breakout board right? Is this the best way? I should think it would be the easiest to implement as you wouldn't need another power supply etc...

[JFettig]

Has anyone found a retailer for these switches? I am in need.

Jon