I would like to build a little control box; MPG wheel, jog stick, buttons to switch which Mach screen is displayed on computer screen (MDI screen, Program Run, Off-Sets), toggle the "TAB jog pop-out screen", change jog mode, LCD to display Distance To Go and Current Position, misc buttons to set tools - move spindle head to pos to change tool, some LEDs, feed - rapid and spindle overrides, etc..

The control box will be hooked up to a 60x40 router, but i would like to make it portable incase i want to move/use it on another machine.

Right now im running Mach3 (win 7 32bit) and have no plans in the near future to upgrade to Mach4, but do not want to rule that out.

I started to play with an Arduino and created some "Brains" but then came across PoKeys and Opti-PAC.

Right now the PoKeys57 looks like the best, most versatile and already has a Plug-in written Mach.


So whats the best way to approach this ?

Are there any advantages to USB or Ethernet ?

Any info or recommendations would be great full.

- Thanks...

_