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Author Topic: running mill and lathe?  (Read 2197 times)

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running mill and lathe?
« on: October 01, 2015, 12:57:30 PM »
Hi all,
I am in the process of converting my 9x20 lathe to CNC. Is it possible to use one computer and to run both machines?  Is the a way to  have a dual configuration of Mach3 to run them both? On the lathe I am planning on using different
Ball screw ratios than the mill so all that would have to be reconfigured
Every time I  switch machine. 
You guys that run two machines how do you do it?  Can I share one motor driver control
For both?
Lots of questions but I  am sure some of you run multiple machines.
Thanks
Skipper
Re: running mill and lathe?
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2015, 12:59:04 PM »
Oh, I forgot mentioned I am currently running a bench top mill with mach3.

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: running mill and lathe?
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2015, 01:19:43 PM »
Hi Skipper,

Setting a different Profile within Mach3 for each machine takes care of the various settings differences etc.  It is then just a matter of swapping the Parallel Port / USB or Ethernet cable from the PC depending on which machine is to be used.
There are those who use the same motor drive controller but, in my case, I prefer separate controllers for each machine (saves swapping too many cables).

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: running mill and lathe?
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2015, 01:52:17 PM »
regarding the swapping of cables, although the situation is not exactly the same, i have a lathe and a mill that share rs232 communication with the same

computer, i ran the computer output into a cheap but industrial grade A-B switch, turn the switch to A, the mill is connected, to B and the lathe is connected.

maybe this is a possible solution.
Re: running mill and lathe?
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2015, 01:45:40 AM »
Guys thanks for the response, I guess I never looked to close to see that there are different profiles available.  I will give that a shot and the  industrial A-B switch too.