Create-a-ring Taig Mill

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I posted this in the main benchtop machine discussion unsure of what it was. People have verified that it was a taig. Heres a link to the originial thread: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bencht..._cnc_mill.html

The eventual hope is to get the thing up and running and so what I understand the bare essentials are:

Computer with Mach3 or similiar software
Motion controller
Possibly new electronics board

Is that about right or do I need more/fewer components? This is just to test if the thing works, new motors and other upgrades would come later.

[desktoplathes]

Most - I think that's about right... you can download a free version of mach3 (limited to 500 lines) and attempt to drive the board. Does it have a power supply? I did some brief poking around on the old create-a-ring website using the wayback machine and found a picture of the Taig setup you have with a price tag of $8000 !!! LOL, my how far hobby CNCing has come... I have a xylotex setup and a full up 4-axis package would run you about $460 with everything you need (link). If you wanted to upgrade the spindle to an ER-16 collet system, you can purchase a new headstock and collet set to handle most 3/8" shank or smaller end mills, drill bits, etc.

Here is the wayback link - it appears that they were actively selling some version of their machine package up until 2006! -Keith

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Great info!

The machine does have what I assume is a power supply. I do have the demo version of Mach and most of what I do is manual programming so a 500 line limit is not a big deal. As for the 4th axis kit I've been looking around and a few people have suggested going with a gecko system, so I'll have to do some reading on various options and what I can afford and what will work best for me. If I can get it running a collet system is definitely something I would be picking up. Thanks for the links!

My instructor says he originally payed $12,000 for the system

I was able to get hold of the person who designed the PCB board and he got me the original software so we'll see if I can get that up and running.

[cameraguy]

a few people have suggested going with a gecko system, so I'll have to do some reading on various options and what I can afford and what will work best for me.

There were a few logical ways to go even just a couple years ago - now the Gecko 540 system came out it pretty much reduced those options to one; it just blew everything else away in terms of performance and cost for Taig-sized machines.

Even if you do get the original system running, it is likely a 12v or 24v system, and likely no more than a couple amps at best. We used to struggle to get those old machines to even work 5 or 6 inches a minute - 10 was a real achievement - using the rudimentary stuff like those ancient Xylotex units. Now we regularly cut at 100 ipm. That and the old software was a pain to use. Thats come a long, long way too.
You really likely will want to swap motors and drive hardware even if the old one does get working, it is worth the $400-500 or so just to do it anyway.

[cameraguy]

wow. looking at those old pics really takes me back. if op has the old-style round can motors you really likely do want to look at replacements.
budget may be an issue, so take that as you will, but i don't know that i would spend a whole lot of time or effort trying to resurrect or repair the original electronics.