anyone have a EMC config for Shoptask?

[akula169]

I have the El Dorado Bridgemill with the CNC option.

I've scoured the net, but can't seem to find the config for EMC2

Does anyone out there use EMC instead of Mach for this machine?

[skullworks]

My Friend converted his shoptask, don't recall the exact model, but it came with the pulleys to drive the stock screws with N34 steppers.

We opted for N23 steppers for more speed.

It uses a Keling 50V 10A Toroidal powersupply, a modified open source breakout board, PCB from PMinMO and runs on EMC2. Keling steppers & Gecko G251's make things move.

EMC2 also switches on machine power(1) and spindle(2) and a "soft" E-stop will drop all that, while a hard e-stop drops all that and does a DC power dump.

Several others have also done shoptask's, problem is almost all did it differently. I don't know of anyone who bought a turnkey and just chose to switch the software.

[akula169]

Hrm. Wow. I guess I should actually go out and check which steppers I have.

My controller is the G210 Camtronics. I asked Dan if he knew of a config for EMC... and he pretty much sent me to Google, I suspect he's a bit biased towards the Mach2/3 setup. Totally understood. People have their preferences.

I would like to try EMC though - the active 3D toolpath is some nice wow-ware... and I have my roots in linux. I prefer to avoid Winblows whenever possible.

[skullworks]

Any system that was setup to run Mach via parallel port can also be driven by EMC2.

If Dan could send you the Mach config then print it out you would have the basic answers to feed into Step config.

Since this was a 3rd party controller package I assume you yourself have installed it. Your notes should have the needed details of limit and home switches and to which parallel pins they are connected to.

Run StepConfig through and make a junk config noting what details it asks for. Now do the homework of tracking down the answers. (Note: IIRC there are already Gecko timing defaults available as an option in StepConfig)

First time thru it may seem a bit daunting but soon you will be running through StepConfig in 10 seconds to make a small change. Also note that any manual edits (additions) to a stepconfig generated file get stripped out if stepconfig is run again.

Write some simple but abusive programs that will run the machine at its limits (Speed not travel) and use magnet base dial indicators to verify machine is still in proper position at the end of each program cycle. You will detune the machine a bit to a accel and max vel that will provide 99.9999% reliability.

Have fun, and if you have a question allong the way jump on the #emc channel on IRC.

Good Luck.