would i be advantaged to go with digital encoders? How would i go about finding ones that would be suitable for these motors? It seems going with digital encoders would allow me to purchase a wider variety of controllers.

This should also work, correct? http://www.a-m-c.com/download/datasheet/30a8.pdf

This should also work, correct? http://www.a-m-c.com/download/datasheet/30a8.pdf

Those are rated so much lower than what the motor is rated at they will not give the desired performance. The drives need to be rated for what the existing transformer puts out or you will destroy them. Using a voltmeter find out what the voltage going into the current drives is. Be careful!!!!!!!

Those motors probably have an optical encoder inside them along with a tach. You will most likely not need the tach. Optical or digital they are both incremental encoders which work with the Mach3/4 +-10v controllers.

Alright will do. Again I don't know what the underlying issue with my control is. Do the encoders ever fault?

Encoders can fault or fail. The older ones actually use a teeny tiny light bulb inside which can burn out

 Mike

Alright, I hooked up my vfd today. The drivers are getting 105 volts.

You will need a driver that is capable of handling 105Vdc at a minimum. The ones you linked to earlier are only good for 80VDC.

the ones you linked originally would though right?

Yes they would.

Alright, so i just powered up my cnc and i get a " Emergency Stop Switch " error message, and for whatever reason when i try and ESC to clear it it does not go away. Any idea on how to fix this?