I have just registered and introduced myself in the proper thread. I then did a little quick searching of the forum, but I think my questions are either specific since I seem to have a one of a kind machine, or I just don't know what to search for...

I just purchased a small CNC mill. I don't know a lot about it other than it is 3 axis, it has stepper motors, runs on 110V, and is like new inside and out. It didn't come with any control software or documentation, and the company website doesn't list the machine. I have called, emailed, and have received no response. So I guess I am on my own to get it operational. I am kind of lost when it comes to electronics. But I do have a brother that is a whiz and can help me out if I need it. I just need guidance and I can do what needs to be done. What I think is going to help me is the machine appears to be all there, and untouched. I think it just needs software and a pc to control it. And I have access to Mastercam X5 for the programming portion of it all and if nothing else I am fluent with notepad and G&M code

I have some pics of the machine posted here...
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/2FastLX/CNC%20Mill/

I was reading through the Documentation for Mach3 and in chapter 5.3.1 - figure 5-3 it looks like I should need 6 pins of the parallel port hooked up to tell all 3 axis what to do. But my machine only has 4 wires and one bare wire that appears to be a ground hooked to the side of the parallel port. If you look in one of my pics you will see the parallel port. There is a red, white, black, and green wire, then a bare wire connected to the metal housing around the port for a ground. Is there something missing? Or is this machine just wired differently?

I have a 32 bit Windows XP pc with SP3 on it. It has a parallel port. I am still reading the Mach3 documentation, and can get through the software part of it all, but that is where I am at. Please help as I have been dying to have a small machine like this at home. I don't think it needs much to be operational, but I am not completely understanding the instructions because of my lack of experience with electronics.

Thanks a bunch,
Kevin

I just punched in a couple lines of text I found on a sticker on one of the eproms. One line reads "esMINT/3.28" and under that it says "v1.6h/s-JD5".

That led me here... http://denfordata.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=2211&p=7781#p7781

So it appears I have a Denford Micromill. That makes things easier, but it appears I will need to do more work than I thought to convert this to use Mach software =(
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,9947.0.html

Hi Kevin,

Welcome to the forum.
Very nice little machine you have there.

To use with Mach I would be inclined to fit a Gecko 540 controller http://www.geckodrive.com/g540-p-39.html (or similar) to replace the existing control electronics.

Just a thought.

Tweakie.