Please could you tell me what is the current functional status of lathe in Mach4 hobby version being sold on the website?

I understand the red highlighted G code functions in the manual are not yet implemented but what is the significance of yellow highlighted items?

I have a two lathes running Mach3 turn and want to convert them to Mach4 lathe. Is this possible now? I am happy to use long hand G code and no canned cycles as I have been doing in with M3.

Please advise.

Thanks,
Kerry

I'm in the same boat. I have two EMCO lathes that would love an update


pete

The significance of the yellow highlighted items is simply that the descriptions are not complete in the manual.  The manual is not quite done.....

mach4 lathe is already running much better than mach3.  check out brian's youtube videos on the mori

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64KFiXM7ziA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvQeXDsVZ0A
etc..

Thanks for the response.

What's the process for updating from Mach 3 to Mach 4?

Will I need a new breakout board and such so I can run this through the USB? If that's the case is there hardware available by some vendor?

Thanks,
Kerry

That depends on your current set up.  if you are running on the parallel port now i would suggesting getting an external motion controller, there are many options for that.  if you already have one then you will need the new plugin for that hardware.  if you have a lot of custom scripts that you will be keeping they will have to be translated from vb into the new lua format.

I am running a parallel port now to a  CandCNC UBOB. From there it goes to the CandCNC router pack to drive the motors mounted on my lathe.

So it sounds like I will need a new external motion controller. Where can I get this?  It would be great if I could find a Mach4 plug-and-play system. I'm not afraid to replace things with newer stuff to get a better overall system.

I don't have any custom scripts.

Thanks,
Kerry

The ethernet smoothstepper is a classic.  it works great and basically provides 3 parallel ports worth of i/o.  should be able to use the existing bob or can upgrade to something like the pmdx-126.  cnc4pc also has a variety of bobs designed to plug directly into the smoothstepper.

pmdx also has some new inexpensive usb motion controllers out, one of which would plug right into your bob.  i've had a chance to play with the 422 with integrated bob, super easy to set up.

then there's the cslab csmio, vital systems hicon, and a host of others.  depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.  The smoothstepper and pmdx boards are under $200.  a hicon integra without closed loop will run around $500, and is worth every penny.  it is a much more industrial level motion controller.

... a word of caution here. Lathe functions in Mach4 depend heavily on features of the
plug-in and/or the interface device. As of now (February 2015) the lathe functions for
the PMDX SmartBOB devices have not yet been implemented.

I think the videos that Brian posted were for a machine running a Vital Systems HiCon
board. For anything else, I would ask before purchasing.

Steve Stallings
www.PMDX.com

Kerry,
 If you haven't yet it would be a good idea to download the demo, there is a lathe screenset on it and you can make changes with lua.

Dave