Machsupport Forum

General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) => Topic started by: fabhund on February 08, 2014, 03:30:06 AM

Title: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: fabhund on February 08, 2014, 03:30:06 AM
Just wanted to show what I've been doing for last couple of months.
I was getting increasingly irritated to use the mouse + keyboard all the time, and wanted to do something else.
However I'm using a Parrallel-port setup, and my inputs and output are limited, so I had to look elsewhere.
Found the "PoKeys" from "PoLabs" didn't really know what it was, but it has a lot of IO pins, and MACH3 plugin.
So I took a chance and got one.

And then it took off  ;D, I just wanted a simple jog panel, with my "Basic" functions at hand.  :-\

Pls. Look at this album for pics and a demo vid. Step by step progress. (Details written for each pic)
https://picasaweb.google.com/114354420787953529502/CNCOperatingPanel (https://picasaweb.google.com/114354420787953529502/CNCOperatingPanel)

Now I need to make the box around it, and mount it some where on the machine.
And getting the rest of the foils on the buttons.

Let me know what you think ?
Best Regards, Bo Andersen.
Title: Re: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: Tweakie.CNC on February 08, 2014, 06:09:15 AM
Absolutely excellent work Bo - you have obviously put a lot of time and effort into into what is to become a really useful addition to your machine. My congratulations.

Tweakie.
Title: Re: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: Chaoticone on February 08, 2014, 10:33:32 AM
Good job Bo! You will be glad you did this as long as you have the machine I bet.

Brett
Title: Re: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: N4NV on February 08, 2014, 12:04:22 PM
I tried Pokeys for jogging and found it had too much of a lag.  Have you done anything special for jogging?

Vince
Title: Re: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: fabhund on February 09, 2014, 12:41:37 PM
Quote from: N4NV on February 08, 2014, 12:04:22 PM
I tried Pokeys for jogging and found it had too much of a lag.  Have you done anything special for jogging?
Vince

I have not been tweeking anywhere, however I found there is 2 ways of mapping the push buttons.
One using the MACH3 OEM-codes that "hooks" directly in to MACH3, and some IO-stuff that I think "simulates" button pres somehow !?
In this video you can see/hear the difference. And I show how I set mine up.
Pls. ask again if anything is unclear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z351UbtLujs&feature=youtu.be

Best Regards, Bo Andersen.
Title: Re: An operating panel for MACH3
Post by: N4NV on February 09, 2014, 01:35:11 PM
The video explained it perfectly.  Thanks,
Vince