Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: April 01, 2013, 04:05:59 PM »

You guys might not believe this but I talk to a Tech at Sherline, the girl that answered the phone had him call me when he got in. After I told her what was going on she told me to talk to him before I order the Computer. Well me and Fred talk for about a good 45 minutes and the whole time he keep trying to talk me out of getting the computer, form what he told me is that I got a setting or more wrong in Mach 3, he never ran the software so he couldn't help me. So needless to say I didn't order the computer, right before he call me I was looking at Gecko's website and was going to order the 540 and motors with the power supply and the cables. Does anyone know if beside the box you can put a check in for Sherline 1/2 Pulse mode is there a certain way the settings have to be for using the Sherline? It has to be that I got something wrong in my setup. I have the PDF printed out as a book, been through it more time than I can remember follow it just like it says, also tried different setting I seen on the web ( so that is why I am saying I probably have more than one setting wrong ). Can someone post some pictures of what the setup should be for me Please. I don't have that much hair on my head left as it is.

Thank you all for the help you have been.

WackoWolf

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: April 01, 2013, 02:23:16 PM »

Tried that and still no luck. Like I said before I made sure I turn off the on-board LPT in the BIOS. Look like I am going to have to get there Computer or Get a Gecko 540 with a power supply and stepper motors since the wires from the Sherline ones don't connect to the Gecko board. At least with there Computer I will have the Voltage I need and then go from there to get Mach to run. I am going to "Cabin Fever" in a couple of weeks and then I can talk to the people from ArtSoft since they are going to be there. Will let you guys know what happens. Does anyone know if Mach 3 runs under Linux without big problems? Also in device manager it shows 2 I/O address, tried both of them but still no luck, also tried them with the Sherline box check but nothing.

Thank You
WackoWolf

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: March 31, 2013, 07:23:54 PM »

Yes I did, but I will try it that way again, I forget if I turn that one when I just put the PCI card in. Will have to turn the computer back on and check it.

Thanks
WackoWolf

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: March 31, 2013, 06:58:36 PM »

No this is an I3 With Windows XP 32bit on it. I just look on Sherline web site, more than likely this is going to cost me more than if I had gotten it with the package in the first place. This is what they have for the computer and trust me this is old school.



    Processor: AMD Athlon XP 1900+ (1.2 Ghz or faster)

    Motherboard: Via KT133 OEM reference board, Ethernet and sound in northbridge

    RAM: 256 Mb

    Hard Drive: 40 Gb

    Internal drives: CD-RW and 3.5” Floppy

    Current: Internal switches are set to 110VAC but can be reset for operation with 230 VAC

    Installed software: Ubuntu Linux based, with real time extensions, EMC2 4-axis CNC software.

    Included peripherals: Keyboard, mouse and connection cables for stepper motors (Monitor to be supplied by customer)

    Stepper motor drivers/Power supply: 4 drivers installed inside computer box run off separate power supply also installed inside computer box. Power supply output: 6.5 amp, 24-28 VDC

    Other features: Separate on/off switch for drivers so computer can remain powered up without power to stepper motors

    Also included: backup CD-ROM with Linux and EMC, plus a second CD with the instruction manual as a PDF and/or HTML document.

I don't think I have anymore IDE Hard Drives anymore, and not sure if I have any of the old ram (256 RAM LOL ). Poor Poor me LOL.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: March 31, 2013, 06:34:57 PM »

Try that. Can't seem to figure which I/O numbers to use, I have 00 or 07 and then below those I have 880 and 887. I disable the on-board port Right? In March 3 I have it as port 2 right? I can't seem to be able to get anywhere in the card where it tells me what Voltage it is, and when I do a check using Mach 3 for the pin output I get the same reading for + and - which is still in the 3.3 volt range. It looks as those the boards they use at Sherline for there computers are AMD boards, low process speed so they are old school boards. Every time you try and save a few bucks, it ends up costing you what you try to save or more LOL. Just my luck, all I can do is laugh because if I let it get to me something is going to get broke like the other day when I threw the HF cheap o meter and then had to go and by one ( at least this one is better ). I heard it click with I turn on the driver box, but now I don't feel the motor make a click when I try to jog it. Maybe I have something mess up in the settings on Mach 3. Anyone got any ideas?

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: LPT Port Power

« on: March 31, 2013, 01:44:31 PM »

Yes I am using Mach 3. I am not using a BoB. I have the Sherline driver box and cables and stepper motors. My Motherboard will only let me have 3.42V, it tells me this in the BIOS. I have the Parallel Port set as LPT1 and the address is ox378 and it is set as EPP. I can feel the motors click with I try to jog in Mach 3, when I turn on the driver box the motors lock. So I must be getting some power to the motors. I need something that will give me the Volts I need to turn the motors, but I could be very very wrong since I am totally mew to this. I hope someone can come up with a plan since like I said in the first part of this tread I really don't want to have to buy a computer from Sherline ( I would make sure that it would be clear that I want more than 3.29v from the board ). So you can see I am stuck. Unless I have something else mess up and they could work with 3.3v ( you tell me ).

Thanks
WackoWolf

7

General Mach Discussion / LPT Port Power

« on: March 31, 2013, 07:46:22 AM »

Can someone help me. I don't want to have to buy the computer from Sherline. I am not getting enough volts from the Parallel Port on my computer, I am only getting 3.29 V from it. Is there any way I can increase the volts? I have try almost everything I can find on the web. Someone here must know how I can do this. Is there something in the registry that I can edit or is there an add board I can try? I have been going nuts for almost 2 weeks now. I can feel the drive click when I try to jog but the motor doesn't turn. I have try a PCI card, that didn't work. I have the BIOS set to EPP and I also try ECP. There has to be something I can do to increase the Vols.

Thank you
WackoWolf