Hello All,

I just downloaded Mach 2 on my new computer. I had it on my old computer which fried & I did not write down any of the ports and pins etc...

I use Mach 2 to rough out my Celtic wood carvings.

Can Someone please help with ports & pins, input signals, Outpus signals, output pins......I turn the porter cable router on manually, vacuum manually.

I recall from two years ago that there was not too much I had to program on the Mach side and I have all of the motor tuning already set.

Basically I just need the printer port stuff to send from the computer to the control box and any suggestions (aside from "write this down dummy")

Kindest Regards,

Bernie Fay

You need to know what you have for heardware to set the settings

How do I tell what the hardware is?

open the box and see what is in it

Generally port 1 is used to output step and direction signals to pins 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8,9 if you have 4 axis.  Probably you have port 1 pin 2 for axis 1 step and port 1 pin 3 for axis 1 direction, port 1 pin 4 for axis 2 step and port 1 pin 5 for axis 2 direction, port 1 pin 6 for axis 3 step and port 1 pin 7 for axis 3 direction.  (although these can be reversed, ie pin 2=dir & pin 3=step)

If you can verify any of this by visual check first, do it.

Start with one axis.  Set up axis one first and check with a DVM for a high (+4-5V) or a low (0-.5V) at pin 3, axis 1 direction signal.  Change directions in Mach by jogging and verify signal changes.  Then try to get your first axis moving, you may have to change logic levels from "positive" logic to "negative" logic to get the correct direction, try to run your step signals with negative logic to minimize current loss.

Once you have movement tune the motors and calibrate.

EVERYTHING IS DETAILED IN THE MACH2 MANUAL.  You should read through the section on getting started, it will explain all this to you.

Have just purchased Shark CnC machine trying to load Mach2 Mill, need the sequence to load the postprocessor supplied by Shark after loading the Mach2 install, Need the step by step if possible. Also would like to find someone who has used the Shark machine and  could give us some support (will compensate for help)

Thanks..

I will download the manual and start reading and whenI get stuck I will post.....

It's time I learned this.

What are the advantages of Mach 3 instead of Mach 2?