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Messages - tlfmef

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Michael - thank you for taking the time to write this detailed response.  A lot of invaluable advice here.  I especially appreciate your thoughts on POWER, RIGIDITY, ACCURACY, homing switch, user manual, etc.  This purpose built machine is far from a general purpose router-lathe - e.g. the 2 sled mounted routers both move in only one dimension and are designed for only a single operation - which does not remove a huge amount of material.  There is also no need for precision in coordinating the turntable rotation with the sled movement in this application.  My design concept has evolved a bit since my original post - I'm now going with Mach4 and a smoothstepper board to control the steppers on the linear actuators that move the router sleds.  I'm actively working on the mechanical detail design now with the aid of sketchup. Again, I really appreciate the guidance.   Tom

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Hello Machies - hope this is the right forum to post this:

I'm a retired engineer who is also an experienced cnc user - specifically a shopbot 3-axis router.  I've never built a cnc or automated tool from scratch but I'm ready to go for it now.

I recently designed and built a simple, manually operated, purpose-built, "router lathe" to machine a specific wood product we manufacture.  It consists of a slow turning platter (driven by a variable speed DC motor) to which the piece is attached, and two hand-held wood routers mounted on sleds which are moved by hand cranks into the slowly turning piece.

I now want to build a more automated version of this tool to enable higher volume production.  Minimally, I need to automate the movement of the two router sleds with configurable incremental motion steps that are synchronized to the rotation of the platter (i.e. they will move a configurable distance with each revolution).  I envision using Firgelli Linear Actuators (or similar) with Arduino Uno microcontroller(s) for this.  I envision a proximity switch that closes a contact with every revolution of the platter, as the trigger to move the sleds.

It might be nice (but not required) to also automate turning the platter and router motors on/off, as well as controlling the platter speed (currently controlled manually via a potentiometer).

My questions:
- Any input or advice on the concept above ?
- Is all the logic for the control of both sleds appropriately encoded in a single Arduino controller ? 
- What is the recommended control "console" ?  Is Mach3 appropriate ?  ...overkill ?  ...is it extendable to control this hybrid device since it fits neither the router nor lathe profile ?
- Since the only thing I really need to "parameterize" is the number and size of the incremental movements of the router sleds, perhaps a much simpler "console" is more appropriate ?

Thanks in advance for any guidance,
Tom from Eagle Point Oregon

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