Machsupport Forum
General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) => Topic started by: sandcrab on March 05, 2010, 11:58:34 PM
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Newbie CNC, but old manual mill and caster. Had the machine a while, but just decided to get a controller and am shopping craigslist for a shop computer to run a mach3 simulation. Intended use might be patternmaking or finishing castings. Time will tell.
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I bought a laptop computer on ebay & it worked just fine for Mach3. paid $150.00.
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That's interesting. Have you run a maachine with it yet? The site cautions against laptops because the battery saver modes interrupt the flow. I am looking at the same price for a desktop and may have to add the video card to get the 32 MB called for.
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This machine lacks the limit switch on the Z axis, but has the micro switches on the X and Y. Any suggestions on what to use on the Z? The cover is there, and the stop is on the quill.
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Yes I ran a machime with it. Worked very well
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sandcrab
Some laptops are fine others not, older laptops have more chance of working but unless you know of a certain make and model that works then no one can say if it will or wont so its pay your money and take your chance.
Hood
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OK Thanks Hood.
Cancel the question on the limit switches. I dug to the bottom of the basket and found them.
New Question: This machine has the Standard Electric Slo-Syn steppers and have been asked about the voltage and current to set up a resistor in the 203 Gecko drives. The only numbers I can get off the top cover is "p/n 025805 this is alternate motor for 026744".
Any ideas for a starting voltage and current?
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If its the original style huge finned type steppers then I think they are 9 amp, so if using with Geckos you will not need any resistor. As for voltage the 80V max for the Geckos would be about right.
Hood
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Yes Hood, the large finned barrel steppers probably an '80's machine.
I'll pass that info along and see what new questions pops up.
Thanks
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Just been doing a bit of searching, maybe this thread will be about similar motors?
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cad-cam/bandit-controller-mastercam-179581/index2.html
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Possibly, although the voltage he filled in was 2.1. And it is a three screw cover whereas mine is a four screw. I had one opened up because of some condensation that had started to cause some rusting and seize the armature, but had not got to the bearings and I was able to free it up. The wire is no16 in excellent condition and would be about what I would expect to handle 9 amps.
Must be wee hours there, I'm in Reno, NV.
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I think the voltage was a bit more than 2.1 on the superior or sigma motors that I originally had on the Bridgeport when I first got it but also what you have to remember is with the likes of Geckos you want to use around 20-25 or so times the motors voltage so even if they were 2.1v you are still looking at about 50V.
When I did mine I already had a POS manual Bridgeport that I had converted so I took the motors off of it and put them on the BOSS, then sold the originals on eBay.
Its not too bad, just gone midnight here :)
Hood
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Just a quick shot with a crummy cell phone :D.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/sandcrab_photo/Bridgeport1.jpg)
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The guy you want to contact about these is John Stevenson, he has done a couple of them with the original steppers and geckos. I think he now uses the Leadshine drives as they have a model that can handle 9Amps.
Might be worth a PM to John, heres his profile info
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=115
Hood
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I installed a VFD for the motor and started it for the first time. Typical variable speed belt and pulley noise, but spindle bearings are quiet.
I downloaded trial Mach3 and installed it on the dedicated computer. I have been through the tutorials waiting for the Mach3 control box, and all that went as described in the videos.
The Mach3 box came in from Campbell Designs yesterday so I will start wiring.
The limit switches on X and Y are NO micro switches which can be each be connected through a single two wire cable.
The Z has two micro switches for limits and a single push button micro switch at the top for the home. I can wire the two limit switches to a single connector, but will need an additional cable to include the home. As I remember in the tutorial the home and limit may be combined. Should I keep home separate on Z?
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If you have enough inputs just keep the separate switches but if possible best to wire them normally closed as that means if a wire breaks then a limit will be seen, with normally open the first you will know of a broken wire is the axis flying past the limit and not stopping.
Hood
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I got the Z axis to cycle and started tuning the motor without limit switches.
I will have to separate the circuits because as supplied three of the connectors are for the the X.
I'll see about changing to NC when I go out tomorrow.
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I posted in what you made, but the question might be have more exposure here.
I picked up a rotary table on Ebay, but it is servo driven.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll142/sandcrab_photo/Rotary1.jpg)
My plan is to convert to stepper since I have the fourth axis Gecko in the Campbell box. I haven't been able to sort out the NEMA numbers for the mount. From what I understand the number is based on the bolt flange center to center distance. This mount mics at 1.100" so that would be NEMA 11, but when I go to catalogue cuts the numbers do not coincide. Any thoughts? the shaft is 6mm.