Tormach pcnc 1100 running off spruce software

[Pugman1]

Hi out there. I would like too update my tormach to run from a Lang cable so I can stop worrying about my old pc going wrong and having too find another old pc that uses a printer cable. So is there a way that I can update the tormach. I have looked on tormachs own site, but the prices they ask for things are out of this world, and when I add uk import taxes on top my wife would kill me if I purchased anything from tormach. So if you know what I need to get, and what I need too do it would be good. Thanks, michael. My tormach mill is an old series 1

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[mactec54]

Hi out there. I would like too update my tormach to run from a Lang cable so I can stop worrying about my old pc going wrong and having too find another old pc that uses a printer cable. So is there a way that I can update the tormach. I have looked on tormachs own site, but the prices they ask for things are out of this world, and when I add uk import taxes on top my wife would kill me if I purchased anything from tormach. So if you know what I need to get, and what I need too do it would be good. Thanks, michael. My tormach mill is an old series 1

What control software are you using are you still using Mach3 if so there are options to use a computer with a USB by using a UC100 you must buy the UC100 from the manufacture and not a Chinese copy, with the UC100 you can run your machine from any computer that can run Mach3 control it will run better than it ever has before just with this UC100

This is the manufacture there are suppliers they have that see these also

CNCdrive - motion controls

[Pugman1]

Hi, yes using Mach3. How will the UC100 connect to the tormach , thanks

[mactec54]

Hi, yes using Mach3. How will the UC100 connect to the tormach , thanks

It has a USB on one side for the computer and the same pinout as a standard LPT port. on the other side that would connect to the cable you already have, it may need a gender changer or you can use a cable to match very simple this has a CPU in that little package so does not rely on the computer to run your machine

USB connection to the control PC.

Same pinout as a standard LPT port that you are already using

You need to down load there software for the UC100 for Mach3 it will auto load and configure

[dazp1976]

I'd rather the UC400eth myself.
Ethernet connection to pc. Then Idc26 to db25 cable from either port 1 or 2 into the existing parallel interface of machine.

Never trusted the UC100. It was always a bit of a quick bodge when parallel was being removed from pc's.

[kstrauss]

Why not use PathPilot? All you need is a Mesa 5i25/6i25 card, a PC with the appropriate slot and the PP USB stick to upgrade. The total amount to Tormach is either $185 or $225 depending on the chosen Mesa card. Most any off-lease PC with a HD and 4GB will be sufficient. You plug it together and it just works without any special configuration required. Is that significantly more than a UC100 and hours of futzing around?

[mactec54]

I'd rather the UC400eth myself.
Ethernet connection to pc. Then Idc26 to db25 cable from either port 1 or 2 into the existing parallel interface of machine.

Never trusted the UC100. It was always a bit of a quick bodge when parallel was being removed from pc's.

You are not on the same page try and understand what he wants to do the UC100 is an excellent option for his setup

[mactec54]

Why not use PathPilot? All you need is a Mesa 5i25/6i25 card, a PC with the appropriate slot and the PP USB stick to upgrade. The total amount to Tormach is either $185 or $225 depending on the chosen Mesa card. Most any off-lease PC with a HD and 4GB will be sufficient. You plug it together and it just works without any special configuration required. Is that significantly more than a UC100 and hours of futzing around?

The UC100 is plug and play and the cost is much less and he does not have to learn another control software, it's an easy upgrade and his machine will run better than it did before

[rodw]

Why not use PathPilot? All you need is a Mesa 5i25/6i25 card, a PC with the appropriate slot and the PP USB stick to upgrade. The total amount to Tormach is either $185 or $225 depending on the chosen Mesa card. Most any off-lease PC with a HD and 4GB will be sufficient. You plug it together and it just works without any special configuration required. Is that significantly more than a UC100 and hours of futzing around?

x2 this is by far the best option so you stay within the tormach Linuxcnc ecosystem. You could save a bit of money just by getting a CD or download of pathpilot and grab the mesa cards from https://eusurplus.com/

[dazp1976]

You are not on the same page try and understand what he wants to do the UC100 is an excellent option for his setup

When he said 'run from a LANG cable' I assumed he meant 'lan cable' typo.

[rodw]

When he said 'run from a LANG cable' I assumed he meant 'lan cable' typo.

So he could use a Mesa 7i92 which is an ethernet version of the 6i25

[mactec54]

So he could use a Mesa 7i92 which is an ethernet version of the 6i25

He is running Mach3 which is using a Parallel Port and this is the part that he was afraid of having to try and replace the easiest replacement is a UC100

[Pugman1]

Thanks chaps. Some debate here which is the best way to go. I have been using solidworks to draw the work, fusion 360 or vcurve pro to provide the gcode and Mach3 to run the machine. I have no idea of the tormach software and too be honest I don’t have the time to teach myself another program. So apart from the uc100 which to be honest I am not to sure about it working ok, my luck with adding on odd bits is not that great. I don’t see how adding a board to my pc would help, yes it would take away the old printer cable, but how does this connect to the milling machine. And would I then need to purchase pathpilot which is very expensive, I paid £200 for vcurve pro years back, tormach want over 600 dollars, that’s some mark up. So how reliable is the uc100 ? Here in the uk it costs £89 from a real company not a Chinese company pretending to be in the uk, it’s more then likely made in China anyway, most other things are these days. And what’s the difference between sprucecam and pathpilot anyway. Thanks, michael

[metalmayhem]

I have no idea of the tormach software and too be honest I don’t have the time to teach myself another program.

it's a control software , there really isn't much to learn if you already know mach or any other control . There are always going to be some differences but for the most part they all function the same . Tormach has the hub which you can sign onto and play around with a virtual controller

Personally I think pathpilot is the best alternative , if I recall correctly the pathpilot installer is $25 from tormach , mesa card is somewhere around $150 , a used pc is $25 +++ . I bought the tormach pathpilot pc's for my first few mills just because I wanted complete turnkey at the time . My last one i opted out and installed pathpilot in an old gaming pc which runs flawlessly , I also set up a non tormach with pathpilot on an older i5 hp computer .
Aside from the computer , the 2 key components are the pathpilot installer and the mesa card , both of which are dead easy to install .

I've got 4 uc100's sitting in a drawer from when I ran mach on some now retired mills . The uc100's are ok but I found them bad for randomly breaking connection while running programs . Some folks had better luck by changing the usb cables to better quality cables but I didn't have such luck . In my opinion you'd be better off with the ethernet setup if you want to stick with mach .

[mactec54]

Thanks chaps. Some debate here which is the best way to go. I have been using solidworks to draw the work, fusion 360 or vcurve pro to provide the gcode and Mach3 to run the machine. I have no idea of the tormach software and too be honest I don’t have the time to teach myself another program. So apart from the uc100 which to be honest I am not to sure about it working ok, my luck with adding on odd bits is not that great. I don’t see how adding a board to my pc would help, yes it would take away the old printer cable, but how does this connect to the milling machine. And would I then need to purchase pathpilot which is very expensive, I paid £200 for vcurve pro years back, tormach want over 600 dollars, that’s some mark up. So how reliable is the uc100 ? Here in the uk it costs £89 from a real company not a Chinese company pretending to be in the uk, it’s more then likely made in China anyway, most other things are these days. And what’s the difference between sprucecam and pathpilot anyway. Thanks, michael

No It is made in Hungary by CNCDrive I still have one of the very first UC100s they made and it is the best thing to run Mach3 apart from using a SmoothStepper and that is much more money

[kstrauss]

I have absolutely no idea how you determined that Pathpilot is "very expensive". The software is actually free (public domain). To use it you need a Mesa card (5i25, 6i25 and 7i92) plus PP on a USB drive. From Tormach the total cost is us$185 or us$225 depending on your chosen Mesa card. It connects to your mill using your current parallel port cable. I assume that you mean VCarve Pro from Vectric rather than VCurve Pro. If so it is us$699 or £540 direct from Vectric so $600 is a bargain although I didn't know that Tormach sells it.

Pathpilot is the software that controls your machine (the same function but much better than Mach3). SpruceCAM is the software that generate the GCode (the same function as VCarve).

[kstrauss]

I'm having a problem understanding the problem You have a Tormach 1100 which cost $10-20K (the current 1100M is $17K without tooling). Spending $100 or even $1000 is a rounding error in your total cost. Why not upgrade from Mach3 to modern software and get on with making whatever you make?

[footpetaljones]

You may have bought Vcarve Pro for $200 "years ago", but the price on Vectric's website is $699 now, that's not Tormach's markup.

Migrating software never goes as smoothly one thinks, and trying to to convert a Tormach to Mach or UCCNC will most likely leave you stuck in the middle with both Tormach and the software provider saying "not our fault". Spend the $200 and get a Mesa card and Pathpilot. The Mesa card will connect to the printer cable. Unless you want to completely redesign the machine's electrical cabinet you can't escape the printer cable, just eliminate the motherboard connection for it. Tormach has a UK distributor now, I think, so you may not even have to pay import duties if they have stock of the Mesa card. https://blog.tormach.com/tormach-lands-in-the-uk

[jwatte]

I have absolutely no idea how you determined that Pathpilot is "very expensive".

Tormach generally lists the full PathPilot controller with the PC and screen included, which ends up costing a fair bit, because, well, it includes a PC and a screen :-)

If you already have a PC to run Mach 3 on, the upgrade to PathPilot should be $25 for the installation USB stick, plus whatever an appropriate Mesa interface costs (which is in the $79 range.)

If you want a project to build something custom that nobody else has, and you integrated from scratch, then by all means, go forward with something else! If you want a mill that makes parts with the minimum outlay of cost and tears, it seems like PathPilot would be the way to go. But only you can make the call about what's right for you!

[Pugman1]

I have absolutely no idea how you determined that Pathpilot is "very expensive". The software is actually free (public domain). To use it you need a Mesa card (5i25, 6i25 and 7i92) plus PP on a USB drive. From Tormach the total cost is us$185 or us$225 depending on your chosen Mesa card. It connects to your mill using your current parallel port cable. I assume that you mean VCarve Pro from Vectric rather than VCurve Pro. If so it is us$699 or £540 direct from Vectric so $600 is a bargain although I didn't know that Tormach sells it.

Pathpilot is the software that controls your machine (the same function but much better than Mach3). SpruceCAM is the software that generate the GCode (the same function as VCarve).

I find the information tormach give on some of their upgrades a bit short in detail. Ok I can buy a card to go in my pc with the pathpilot on a usb stick. But it’s still old technology using a printer cable from the dark age. Here in the uk old computers are failing and not worth buying. I was looking for and hoping to find information on getting the mill to run using more upto date tech. Please remember I am in the uk, so add 20% to all prices then add on handling charges and anything else they can think of. Makes it expensive