Light Machines lathe

[dchutchins]

This might not be the right directory to post this & if it is, please redirect.

I just purchased a Light Machines CNC lathe model 0400 & control box. I thought I was doing good and all I would need is a PC. Now I find out there is a special card needed from Intelitek that cost around $1000. Does Mach3 have a solution for this that is relitively inexpensive?

I really don't want to spend a whole lot more money on this machine as I purchased it as a trainer & I am planning on building a 7X or 8X lathe in the future.

[Hood]

Do you have links to any documentation on the lathes motors and drives etc

Hood

[dchutchins]

I don't as of yet. It will be in shipment to me this week. Once I get it, I'll post all the specs I can find.

[Hood]

I did a bit of searching and really all I can find is that it uses 100 oz in steppers and for the spindle a DC motor.
I dont know what the drives are but it may be possible to wire them to a breakout board and work from Mach via the parallel port, if not then you would need new drives. Gecko does the G540 which I think would probably suit your motors (would need to find specs) and has a built in breakout board.

Spindle would possibly be a bit more involved, it depends what its drive needs as a signal but it may be possible to control it via the G540 as well.

Down side is the G540 has 4 axis and you only need two so it would be two drives sitting doing nothing, in itself not a problem but you are paying for them even though you are not using them. Suppose they would always be spares in case something went wrong although thats not likely as Gecko steppers tend to be very reliable.

Having said that it may work out just as cheap getting the G540 rather than a breakout board and two drives and then a spindle control card.

So worst case you are likely looking at $300 (obviously dependant on stepper and spindle specs) for the G540 and a bit of time wiring, best case is a breakout board and spindle board at probably around $100  or so.

Hood

[dchutchins]

Sounds like I am going to be talking to a lot of people at Cabin Fever this time around.

[Hood]

Yes thats would be a good way to get info, much easier if you can see the hardware while someone is explaining.
Hood

[RICH]

Sounds like I am going to be talking to a lot of people at Cabin Fever this time around.

Lot of good folks at that show.
 
Carefull who you ask as a number of us moderators will be there and wouldn't want you to be led astray.    

RICH

[dchutchins]

Hey, even G.I.G.O at this point would be very helpfull. This is definitely a learning experience. My wife is already pissed that I bought the Spectralight (light Machines) controler box & won't be using it. Maybe someone at cabin fever has been looking for one. It cost me $350 - ouch. It wouldn't be a bad deal if I could find the PC card cheap. It looks like Gecko & Mach3 is the only way to go now.

[Hood]

The drives inside you box may be usable, just need to find some info on them.
Hood

[dchutchins]

I now have the lathe in question in my custody. I have looked at the motors & this is what I have:
Superior electric slo-syn. syncronous/stepping motor. Type M062-CF-401E. hold 125 oz in. steps 200 per rev. 4.75 VDC 1.7A. spec A215922. Cont. Duty. 65degree rise. Class B insulation. Impedence protected.
http://mcsupplyco.com/uploads/productlayouts/ProductDetailDisplay.asp?DirectLink=true&ProductID=1202
There are 4 wires connected to the plugs & 8 pins on the plug. From the way the motors are mounted, starting at the top of the plug I have gray, skip a pin, red w/blk stripe, skip a pin, yellow, skip pin, green & next pin is blicked off as a locator.

Luckily the plug on the end of the motor is a standard punchdown type molex plug so I can rewire the machine & still reuse the motor plugs. This machine is definately built on a Sherline platform.