Machsupport Forum

General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) => Topic started by: Monty on June 06, 2007, 11:16:24 PM

Title: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Monty on June 06, 2007, 11:16:24 PM: Well here is my mill. It is a Bridgeport Boss5. It was once an AH-HA retrofit. I replaced the computer and original AH-HA control card with a new computer and Mach3 with a G100. I kept the AH-HA stepper drivers and power supply. One reason I got rid of the HA-HA control was the lack of ethernet, CD drive, USB or anything other than RS232 and crappy floppy drive. It was great 10 years ago, but not anymore. I replaced the Floppy with a USB hub on the pendant. Now I can use a USB camera, a mouse, or a Shuttle pro pendant. ;D.

The pics are of the mill, the old screen under AH-HA control, and the new pendant with the USB hub.
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Monty on June 06, 2007, 11:31:01 PM: Here is a pic of the ways, the cabinet and how I mounted the computer.
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Chaoticone on June 07, 2007, 02:45:21 AM: Nice looking machine, pendant, and cabinet Monty. ;)

Brett
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Brian Barker on June 07, 2007, 11:30:37 AM: That is a GREAT looking job!

AHHA was the best about 10 years back... that is why I have a copy that we ran on a mill like the one that you have :)

Keep up the great work!
Brian
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: ynneb on June 07, 2007, 07:06:31 PM: Great job. Thanks for posting the pics.
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2007, 05:43:37 PM: Tidy looking mill, looks to be in slightly better condition than mine. What backlash do you have? mine is about 1.5 thou on X and 1thou Y and 1/10th on Z.

Hood
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Graham Waterworth on June 10, 2007, 12:42:21 AM: Is that 1/10th of its stroke ;)

Graham.
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Hood on June 10, 2007, 03:59:49 AM: Quote from: Graham Waterworth on June 10, 2007, 12:42:21 AM
Is that 1/10th of its stroke ;)

Graham.

LOL
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: fdos on June 10, 2007, 10:53:53 AM: Haha you don't want to see my old series 1 Interact that I dumped out in the covered yard! Might end up as yet another boat mooring in Poole harbour oneday! There's a few sunk down there already ;)

BUT I had thought recently of resurrecting it for ruff ruff work LOL...

Wayne....
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Hood on June 10, 2007, 11:44:25 AM: Quote from: fdos on June 10, 2007, 10:53:53 AM

BUT I had thought recently of resurrecting it for ruff ruff work LOL...

Wayne....

You should send it up to me, thats the only kind of work I do, its not intended to be but it always ends up that way ;)

Hood
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Monty on June 10, 2007, 12:01:07 PM: Quote from: Hood on June 08, 2007, 05:43:37 PM
Tidy looking mill, looks to be in slightly better condition than mine. What backlash do you have? mine is about 1.5 thou on X and 1thou Y and 1/10th on Z.

Hood

Hood,

This one has X-1.5 Y-1.7 Z-0. I'm thinking of having the X and Y axis ballscrews rebuilt. I'm currently trying to find the source of the backlash, sometimes the bearings at the end of the screws need to be replaced. It may also be in the ball nut or the balls may be worn. I would like to get the backlash down under .5 thou.

Monty
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: cletusrace on May 21, 2008, 02:11:29 AM: Hi I have bridgebort seriesII with the boss5 control on it and was wondering if I was going to retrofit it with a new control what would you recommend for a breakout board to use to control the stepper motors? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: DennisCNC on May 21, 2008, 10:14:10 PM: I have two boards from these guys and they are running good:
http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/index.php?cPath=33&osCsid=c1e4b8bdadabbbe7523eb337a60a8509

I have a C1G and C11G.

Have you been on cnczone.com in the Bridgeport section? years of reading but great info that will save you $$$ and time.
Title: Re: Monty's Problematic Contraption
Post by: Monty on May 22, 2008, 11:38:58 AM: I have had good luck with the combo board from Campbell designs:

http://campbelldesigns.net/

It is based on the printer port. If you want to go usb, you might check out the smooth stepper board, although I have no personal experience with it.

Monty