Newbie CNC, but old manual mill and caster. Had the machine a while, but just decided to get a controller and am shopping craigslist for a shop computer to run a mach3 simulation. Intended use might be patternmaking or finishing castings. Time will tell.

I bought a laptop computer on ebay & it worked just fine for Mach3. paid $150.00.

That's interesting. Have you run a maachine with it yet? The site cautions against laptops because the battery saver modes interrupt the flow. I am looking at the same price for a desktop and may have to add the video card to get the 32 MB called for.

This machine lacks the limit switch on the Z axis, but has the micro switches on the X and Y. Any suggestions on what to use on the Z? The cover is there, and the stop is on the quill.

Yes I ran a machime with it. Worked very well

sandcrab
Some laptops are fine others not, older laptops have more chance of working but unless you know of a certain make and model that works then no one can say if it will or wont so its pay your money and take your chance.
Hood

OK Thanks Hood.
Cancel the question on the limit switches. I dug to the bottom of the basket and found them.

New Question: This machine has the Standard Electric Slo-Syn steppers and have been asked about the voltage and current to set up a resistor in the 203 Gecko drives. The only numbers I can get off the top cover is "p/n 025805 this is alternate motor for 026744".

Any ideas for a starting voltage and current?

If its the original style huge finned type steppers then I think they are 9 amp, so if using with Geckos you will not need any resistor. As for voltage the 80V max  for  the Geckos would be about right.

Hood

Yes Hood, the large finned barrel steppers probably an '80's machine.
I'll pass that info along and see what new questions pops up.
Thanks

Just been doing a bit of searching, maybe this thread will be about similar motors?
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cad-cam/bandit-controller-mastercam-179581/index2.html