Pendant controls for Mach2/3 - Page 5


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Thread: Pendant controls for Mach2/3

  1. #81
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    Quote Originally Posted by ynneb
    Click on the picture for more details..



    Very Nice Benny



  2. #82
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    Have you guys seen this pendant from CAMSOFT? When I first saw it I thought the idea was cool but Im not sure I would like this type of enclosure.

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Pendant controls for Mach2/3-joystickdescription-jpg  


  3. #83
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    Thats a good idea, just use that kind of thing as a pendant. I have a playstation to usb converter thing and a playstation controller laying around, Im going to hook that up and see if I like it.

    Jon



  4. #84
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    I found the keygrabber with mach2

    even then, that thing is driving me nuts, I got it to move the axis by joysticks on my gamepad, but nothing else, then I pressed some button and the z axis came rapid down right into the part that was in the vice


    Jon

    Last edited by JFettig; 03-11-2005 at 05:49 PM.


  5. #85
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    Default Wireless gamepad

    This has a 100' range and is a new product. I just bought it and it seems to work well on Mach2 at my office. I have yet to try it with the machine, but I will either today or tomorrow.

    The nice part is that you have 2 analog joysticks for 4 axes, and motion from a crawl to fast jogging depending on how far you move the sticks.

    Oh, and did I mention it is cordless??? It uses 2.4 Ghz cordless technology so it is reliable to 100 feet.

    100 hour battery time and in the $25-30 range.

    I just don't see how you can beat it.

    Link here: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr...CONTENTID=9069

    Pendant controls for Mach2/3



  6. #86
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    The playstation controller I used had dual anolog sticks and they were kind of weird using them for jogging, a little too touchy to really use. I wasnt too happy with those, I had some weird movements too. I decided to just use the arrows,
    I set buttonn 1 as enter, 3 as the incremental jog toggle and 4 as the increment size toggle, the r1 and r2 as feedrate override and l1 and l2 as Z up and down. I used start as cycle start and select as pause. I used joy2key rather than the program that came with mach2, it was acting really strange and I crashed a few times into things. The only problem is that I cant use jog override, it just doesnt like it.

    -edit- they have a 30ft range and 100hr battery life.

    Jon



  7. #87
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    If you use Mach2's KeyGrabber you can adjust not only the total throw of the joysticks, but use exponential. Exponential keeps movement of the axes small when the joystick is near the center. It allows the full speed at full joystick deflection. We use it in RC also and it works very well. You can be precise with small movements, but still get full speed.

    Jogging feels a little weird in Mach2 because after you let off on the stick the machine will still be moving. There is a little lag plus the axis is decelerating.

    30 feet range -- I stand corrected. I could have sworn I saw 100 feet somewhere. I guess I was wrong. 30 feet is probably plenty for almost all common applications.



  8. #88
    Community Moderator ynneb's Avatar
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    I just don't see how you can beat it.
    You cant.

    I asked Logitech if they could supply just the electronics to me, so that I make controls in a dedicated keypad, but they would hardly talk to me.

    I figured if I got the electronics at half the price of a fully built unit, then I could have a dedicated case built up for CNC type work.

    The only negative using a game pad is that it is hard to label the controls. That is why I would have liked a dedicated case. The truth is these controls are so close to what we need, it isnt worth the expense of building a dedicated control for 5 times the cost.

    Being outside the square !!!


  9. #89
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    Would the XBox controller from logitech be a little better since it has a few more buttons that we could allocate for other controls?

    Wired or Wireless.



    EDIT: Well, actually, looks like they have the same number of buttons. Well, it is a different orientation for those who might like it (me included).

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Check Out My Build-Log: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6452


  10. #90
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    http://www.robotstorehk.com/mech2.html
    these are cheap i know but 2 4 axis joys and a case to add a few more switches for the dyi or guy on a budget could be a starting point



  11. #91
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    Ynneb, why dont you just get one of those, take it appart and relocate the switches, even with different switches?

    all you need are momentary push button switches for it.

    Jon



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    Ynneb, Couldn't you label the controller with one of those white permanent markers or some stickers? I don't see labeling the controller as a big deal. Otherwise the controller is nearly perfect. If someone wants to spend 20 hours to put another case on it or whatever, that's fine with me, but seems like a lot of work for very little benefit. I'd much rather have something that is functional than something pretty.

    What about using your CNC machine to cut into the flat parts of the plastic around the keys? You could engrave some lettering and then perhaps put some paint or nail polish into the grooves to make it stand out.


    Javadog: Sounds like an option, especially if you going to run Mach2 on your Xbox.



  13. #93
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    Quote Originally Posted by InsaneEPP
    Javadog: Sounds like an option, especially if you going to run Mach2 on your Xbox.
    That's so geeky I might just have to try!

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Check Out My Build-Log: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6452


  14. #94
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    Actually the xbox ports are just modified usb ports they make and sell adapters(not m$) I am using an actual playstation dual shock controller on my cnc mill.

    I think removing the pcb and placing it in another box is almost a good idea, although you can just get one of those ipac usb adapters for aproximately the same price and have MANY more imputs.

    Jon



  15. #95
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    Is it really that easy to use the playstation controller on a cnc? I thought you would have to add some electronics to get it to work. Is the software already configured to use such a device?

    I got to get myself a machine built so I can play around with this stuff, I am sooooo missing out.
    Jim



  16. #96
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    I have an adapter to hook it up to usb, and I use a program called joy2key instead of the program that mach2 came with, it was all flipping out with that other program.

    Jon



  17. #97
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    Why are you using playstation controlers and the like. A simple Usb game pad will do the job. You just need to use the keygrabber within Mach2. I mentioned all this at the start of this thread. It sounds like things are getting unecessarily complicated with the talk of adapters etc. The only reason You might use a playstation controller is if you drive your router over a bump and you can get some shock feedback in your controller. Read back to the start of this thread to see the standard USB controller that I use.

    I got to get myself a machine built so I can play around with this stuff, I am sooooo missing out.
    You make it sound like you are hoping to drive your router like a car game.

    Being outside the square !!!


  18. #98
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    Benny, I have had it for years.



  19. #99
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    Same here, I have a few spare Xbox controllers laying around.

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Check Out My Build-Log: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6452


  20. #100
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    Quote Originally Posted by JFettig
    although you can just get one of those ipac usb adapters for aproximately the same price and have MANY more imputs.

    Jon
    Don't get the usb IPAC, it has some limitations because of Windows, I think. The PS/2 is a better choice as it doesn't have the same limitations. This is what I've read on the Yahoo group.

    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html[/URL]

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    [URL]http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html[/URL]

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    [URL]http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html[/URL]

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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