Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: dwa60 on December 24, 2017, 12:13:58 AM
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Can any tell me why a member started to help me then just cut me off. All I want is to beable to use Mach3 on my cnc machine that I built. I have a laptop with a usb to parallel port cable. to use for this. If any one else would help me get started please let me know. dwa60@hotmail.com
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Hi Dennis,
Sorry to hear that you are not getting the support with Mach3 that you need.
What USB to Parallel Port cable do you have ?
(the standard ebay adapters just do not work).
If you are using a laptop then you need a recognised motion controller (such as the Warp9 ESS or similar).
I presume you are using stepper motors, which motor controllers do you have ?
Tweakie.
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Can any tell me why a member started to help me then just cut me off.
Can't speak for another but someone tried to help you.
You were given a list of known workable breakout boards and controllers
for use with Mach, but seems you prefer not to take the advice given, and
want to get one of manny cheap Chinese products you purchased to
work instead.
RICH
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this is not so, I went and bought a board as he told me to get and I did tell him. But he did just cut me off. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO BUY A $1000.00 DOLLAR BOARD TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY. I have been trying to do what mach says. I was not told what breakout board to buy.
Thanks for nothing
Dennis
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So what board did you buy? You must also realize that getting a CNC system set up requires skills that some users may need to learn on their own, not here.
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Hi Dennis,
I am sorry that we cannot help you but the offer is always there if you want it.
Tweakie.
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Hi,
I rather suspect that I was the member who appeared to dump efforts to help OP.
He has posted before and on each occasion he has tried to get assistance to get a Chinese knockoff USB to parallel board to work. I didn't
recognize the board from the picture that he posted but Tweakie did.
I have swapped a couple of PMs with him since and told him that I was perfectly happy to help him get setup but I wouldn't be bothered to do so unless
and until he bought a suitable board, my suggestion was either US or European made, CNCdrive, PMDX, Warp9 or PoKeys being the standout players.
He has never replied. I can only presume that he wishes tp persevere with the Chinese made board he already has. I wish him the best of luck.
Craig
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I DID BUY A BOARD FROM THE US. IT CAME FROM OPENBUILD,
DENNIS
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Hi,
fine, post the details.
Craig
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I DID BUY A BOARD FROM THE US. IT CAME FROM OPENBUILD,
DENNIS
Looking at their website, it doesn't appear that they sell a Mach3 compatible board.
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I DID BUY A BOARD FROM THE US. IT CAME FROM OPENBUILD,
DENNIS
Looking at their website, it doesn't appear that they sell a Mach3 compatible board.
I did the same, could not find one? Perhaps the OP needs to post the part number and name of the one he has. Not everyone has the skill set to build a CNC.
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Not everyone has the skill set to build a CNC.
Nor the temperament.
Mike
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So if this is the board he has? Link> https://www.banggood.com/4-Axis-USB-CNC-Controller-Interface-Board-CNCUSB-MK1-USBCNC-2_1-Substitute-MACH3-p-1093439.html
I am not sure if Mach3 will work with a straight USB connection without a Driver software of some type.
To the OP, I am 75, I also have some health issues and somewhat limited funds. I do research and ask questions BEFORE I buy. Saves a lot of money and time.
EDIT.
Software download link removed.
The Banggood supplied board is a knock-off copy of a USBCNC controller board.
The Banggood supplied software provides the associated Pirate license for that board to operate with the USBCNC software.
Tweakie.
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No, that board does not work with Mach3.
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No, that board does not work with Mach3.
So what does it work with? Why the software, which I am Not going to download.
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It works with their own software, which may be a pirated version of some other software.
I highly advise everyone to avoid ALL chinese motion control boards and software. It's well worth the little bit more money to buy from reputable vendors, that support their products.
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So what is the cheapest way to get this guy going?
So many of you guys have built many machines, helped
others and so on.
I'm just familiar with gecko, and CNC4PC stuff. Somewhere there
are some suggestions for a LPT board pretty cheap that works.
It's Christmas
olf20 / Bob
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A UC100 and a C10S breakout board?
But I'd recommend a UC400ETH, for $25 more.
It's going to cost close to $200, unless you use the parallel port.
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So what is the cheapest way to get this guy going?
So many of you guys have built many machines, helped
others and so on.
I'm just familiar with gecko, and CNC4PC stuff. Somewhere there
are some suggestions for a LPT board pretty cheap that works.
It's Christmas
olf20 / Bob
Hi Bob,
According to forum stats. The OP has returned to the forum (presumably to read this thread) on a daily basis but he has failed to provide any of the information that has been requested by our forum Members that have been trying to help him.
Tweakie.
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A UC100 and a C10S breakout board?
But I'd recommend a UC400ETH, for $25 more.
It's going to cost close to $200, unless you use the parallel port.
Its a Lot more than $25 difference. The UC100 is $110, the UC400 is $150 plus additional money for the required circuit board to parallel port cable and a gender changer adds another $10 to the cost, they also recommend a cross over direct connect CAT5 cable and that adds another $5. Just went through all this, and still waiting on the screw terminal connector that was not in the box.
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$110 VS $149, so call it $40.
If you buy the right cable, you don't need the gender changer. And with a modern PC, you don't need a crossover cable. I didn't need one with my UC300ETH.
I thought the UC100 was a little more than $110.
But like I said, figure $200 by the time you add a breakout board, and other misc. stuff.
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$110 VS $149, so call it $40.
If you buy the right cable, you don't need the gender changer. And with a modern PC, you don't need a crossover cable. I didn't need one with my UC300ETH.
I thought the UC100 was a little more than $110.
But like I said, figure $200 by the time you add a breakout board, and other misc. stuff.
All parallel PC ports are female (maybe Mac is different,) so you will need the gender changer. Serial are Male. I was building computers in the early 80's for my own use.
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You can buy cables with either end.
https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=71&product_id=102
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You can buy cables with either end.
https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=71&product_id=102
But not from the vender of the UC400ETH, if you buy from them you need the gender changer. Otherwise by the time you add the shipping charge $5? to $7.50 cost of the other....
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Hi,
price a real CNC controller like Fanuc or Siemens....20k plus and annual fees as well!
Craig
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Hi,
price a real CNC controller like Fanuc or Siemens....20k plus and annual fees as well!
Craig
For a Hobby grade controller? Sure. ::)
The UC400ETH is fine but folks need to know they will need to order some extra parts to get it running. I am still waiting on the screw terminal connector.
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Hi,
price a real CNC controller like Fanuc or Siemens....20k plus and annual fees as well!
Craig
Wow, is there really 20k worth of difference in there between that and say a CSMIO which i would class as a pretty high power controller???
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Hi,
I just put that in to highlight the point that even the more expensive Mach controllers are chicken feed compared to the admittedly high spec Fanuc and Siemens
controllers. In fact Siemens annual software licence fees are rather more than a Mach controller, even an expensive one.
With Mach3 at $175 and Mach4 (Hobby) at $200 with a perpetual licence makes a very capable CNC solution available very cheaply. Anyone who whinges about a few dollars
here or a few dollars there should either wake up to what OEMs pay for CNC solutions or be directed to go the free way with LinuxCNC, very politely of course.
Craig
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With Mach3 at $175 and Mach4 (Hobby) at $200 with a perpetual licence makes a very capable CNC solution available very cheaply. Anyone who whinges about a few dollars
here or a few dollars there should either wake up to what OEMs pay for CNC solutions or be directed to go the free way with LinuxCNC, very politely of course.
Craig
OK Craig I Made the comment about the required parallel port connector, gender changer and the like to Inform others that there was more than just ordering the board and away you go. You would think if the vender selling the board also sold the correct for your application connector you would get in all in one package, one shipping fee and you would be done.
Informing is not whining. Ordering from 2 or 3 difference sources is BS.
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Unfortunately, it comes across like whining. ;)
Assuming you bought it from CNC4PC, yes, they should carry the cable.
CNC Drive sells them, if you buy direct from Hungary.
I'm not a huge fan of CNC4PC myself, but since they are the main distributor for a lot of products, I still buy a lot from them.
My point is that most people have to buy the cables anyway, so you shouldn't be including the cost of the cables.
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Well I just got this to say. All you people are very rich, and can afford to spend $200.-$1000 dollars for a board. But then there are us poor bastard that do not have high paying jobs to afford them, we have to make do with what we can find EVEN IF IT COMES FROM CHINA, now you are saying the Smoothieboard is no good, well is is made by Openbuilds in the USA. They say every person who buys the board also use mach3. ALL THE COMPANY'S IN THE USA HAVE THERE BOARDS MADE IN CHINA, IT IS CHEAPER, THEY ARE MADE UNDER THERE SPEC'S. EVEN THE BOARDS THAT YOU PEOPLE USE ARE MADE IN CHINA. No company in the us can afford to have them made here, labor is to high, I know this as I use to work for Zeltex electronic. All the boards that we got came from china.
So as of today I am removing ALL MACH 3 from my computer. You do not need to reply to this.
I AM DONE WITH MACH ALL TOGETHER.
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now you are saying the Smoothieboard is no good, well is is made by Openbuilds in the USA. They say every person who buys the board also use mach3
Then have them help you get it working, because none of us can make a Smoothieboard work with Mach3.
And unfortunately, you'll probably ending up spending $200 on parts that don't work, before you get a working machine.
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Well I just got this to say. All you people are very rich, and can afford to spend $200.-$1000 dollars for a board. But then there are us poor bastard that do not have high paying jobs to afford them, we have to make do with what we can find EVEN IF IT COMES FROM CHINA, now you are saying the Smoothieboard is no good, well is is made by Openbuilds in the USA. They say every person who buys the board also use mach3. ALL THE COMPANY'S IN THE USA HAVE THERE BOARDS MADE IN CHINA, IT IS CHEAPER, THEY ARE MADE UNDER THERE SPEC'S. EVEN THE BOARDS THAT YOU PEOPLE USE ARE MADE IN CHINA. No company in the us can afford to have them made here, labor is to high, I know this as I use to work for Zeltex electronic. All the boards that we got came from china.
So as of today I am removing ALL MACH 3 from my computer. You do not need to reply to this.
I AM DONE WITH MACH ALL TOGETHER.
I know nothing about the Smoothie board, but you do know that none of these guys or gals work for ArtSoft? They could care less if you use Mach3/4 or not but they are experts. Repeating, nobody here works for the Mach3 designer. When they say its not going to work, its not because its Made in China, its because other people have tried to use. FYI my new 6040 Router was Made in China and it works fine, and works even with a UC400ETH. So its too bad you did not do some research before spending any money.
PS As I know your reading this.... a Link to the Smoothie Board website..... where do you see Mach3 mentioned? http://smoothieware.org/
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Hi,
that OP is removing Mach3 from his computer suggest to me that he hadn't got around to buying a licence anyway.
Notwithstanding the learning curve of LinuxCNC it is within OPs budget, free.
Craig
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But can it run a Smoothieboard.....
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But can it run a Smoothieboard.....
From what I found out, its about as useless as trying to run GRBL on a Arduino board (blue light diode laser engraver) and attaching interface board. RFI from shop lights and EMI from the other shop equipment and it would fault out all the time. Great for a hobby person who wants to tinker around. :(