[DynaCNC]

Tell it like it is. Most everyone knows the truth, and most everyone knows the lies. Do the math and count the conplaints on every side. I know most everyone that has a CNC table reguardless of what make or brand has a brain and can figure it out. Let the honest customers speak, I will not comment on PCNC.

This type of bashing is uncalled for, unprofessional, immature, and un-needed on any of these forums.

Hi Joe Rathbun / PCNC ( Laserman ), glad you could join us on this forum.

Dave Cress

[FunnyBike Racer]

I purchaced my Practicle CNC table 11 months ago! I've cut with it once.I have let the whole CNC,computer,ect. thing overwelm me.I havent given up YET.I posted my first thread today hoping I will find a Helpful person with a Practicle CNC table,Hypertherm 1250,Correl Draw,Vector Art, Bob-Cad,Ect.
Jay Nickell
SureGrip D-Rings Inc.
307-358-0079

[Torchhead]

Jay: We have been making and selling a PCNC retrofit that is a plug-in replacement for their Non-working THC. It runs with MACH3 and replaces the WINCNC proprietary control card and software. You can get information about our MP1000-THC. We offer an adapter that allows our box to just plug into the PCNC control cabinet. In the process we have gained a lot of information and hands on of doing the upgrade. We work with the older Gecko Drive units as well as the newer Rutex based design.

Support is one of the important aspects of our company. You are welcome to join our support group at CandCNCSupport Yahoo Groups and read about people that have gotten their PCNC and other tables running with our help and products.

We never leave our customers twisting in the wind and give support even on things we didn't design or make.
I have my own cutting business and I use CorelDraw, SheetCAM and MACH3 on a daily basis. I have done classes on using Corel and more recently how to use the magic trio to get production from your machine (plasma or Router)

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com
www.FourhillsDesigns.com

[FunnyBike Racer]

I do not have thc now,but would like to upgrade.I have a Hypertherm 1250 with machine torch

[Torchhead]

Until you switch to using a THC you can just run with the setup like it is. You will find after running about 1 day without one that a working THC will pay for itself through less scrap (bad cuts), fewer consummables and lower frustration. If you cut a few dozen brackets a week it may take a lot longer. If you cut hundreds then not so long (:-)

[FunnyBike Racer]

A thc is on the list> Which one is the best and how much and where
Thanks

[Thundercnc]

Add me to the practical cnc desperation list. I have more down time than up time running. Right now I have been down three weeks, and no one will talk to me except to say the tech's are not here right now. What a bunch of garbage, I bet if I was buying they would be there. Service is non existent, these machines have more problems than any machine I have ever ran. Right now the z-axis goes thump, thump, thump when going up and down. Any one out ther have a clue why.....they will probably tell me once the year is up. If I rotate the shaft by hand it goes smooth so it is not bent. Appreciate any help. would any of you that own this pos have drawings to be able to buy parts other than from practical cnc?

[cut more]

Thundercnc
I have a practicalcnc too. I bet if your Z-axis has the round guide rails 1 of the linear bearings is dirty or failing. Measure the shaft diameter, go to vxb and find the right size. I rebuilt my z axis using linear rails because I felt that was the best route for me.
Cutmore

[Torchhead]

Is you PCNC a servo or stepper version. Does it lose position or just make the ugly sound? Their later machines have linear bearings on the Z slides and are pretty sturdy. Pull the motor off and see if you can chuck a handdrill on the Z shaft and run it up and down with the drill. Still rough? It's mechanical. If it runs right with the drill then you either have a bad motor or bad motor drive. If it's servo it may not be a drive. Usually if something goes on a servo it is pretty spectacular and damaging.

I have more hours on PCNC tables than I like. The early tables were basically junk. Later tables are mechanically pretty sound. Their electronics (controller) is a mess.

They are having serious problems with the servo drive (Rutex) and are having a hard time finding new ones or even ones for replacement. I have several in stock from scrapped PCNC controllers.

They keep accusing me of making all this up so I can make money. Hey, they make it so easy I don't have to make anything up!

TOM CAUDLE
www.CANDCNC.com

[BalchSigns]

I have an early PCNC table that was wobbly so I modified it by bolting on a 1200 lb optics bench.

Last week my wife pushed the gantry down the length of router without disconnecting the motors. I think that blew out the gecko 201A driver. The flashcut signal driver checks out ok on another router but gives up and disconnects on the pcnc.

any guesses?

ernie

www.balchsigns.com

[Torchhead]

Hummmm. Was the power on to the drives? I would not think you could get enough back EMF with it off to destroy a drive. Not unless your wife was really mad and pushed it at 1000 IPM or more (:-).

Even then the other drives should be okay. Just disconnect the suspected drive and try the Flashcut into the working drives. Of course if one drive were to be taken out by the overvoltage then I guess it's possible all three went.

Do the motors lock up when you turn on power?

I don't think PCNC individually fused the Gecko's, but if they did, better check them. I don't know why the Flashcut card would error off because it just drives the Step & Dir on the Gecko's......Could it be the +5 power and maybe the Flashcut card is not being powered up in that unit. Does the Flashcut card have any power indicator on it?

[BalchSigns]

You hit it, for some reason the +5v supply is dead. The motors lock up when power is applied. I'll replace the 5V and be all set. Thanks for the quick reply.

ernie

www.balchsigns.com

[Thundercnc]

I finally got a package of bearings and spacers today, of course the instructions they promised did not show up with the parts. Lucky the machine doesn't take much to figure out, I took it apart and put in the new, but it still does the same thing. I don't see round guide rails, the rails are square...if I am understanding what you are refering to. Also I am new her so I don't know where .vbx is located....please clarify. I am on the end of the 4th week of being down again.

[Thundercnc]

I did Pull the motor off and chuck a handdrill on the Z shaft and run it up and down It is smooth, so I must have a bad motor or bad motor drive. Now how do I know which is bad?

[Thundercnc]

Thanks for the information, that is way more help than I have got out of Eaton Rapids. I hate having to deal with them every day.

[Thundercnc]

Sorry I keep missing the key points, it is servo not stepper so it would not be the drive. I have had lots of trouble with this motor from day one. It did not work right, they blamed it on the small switch at the top, but it continuously goes out. Perhaps it was just the motor in the first place, except now it is failing fast?

[Torchhead]

Thundercnc: Swap the motor and encoder pair for the Z with another axis. Lets say you use X. Then if you jog X in the software does it still "bump" on the Z? If it does, it's not the drive. If the bump transfers over to the swapped axis then you need to suspect the cabling or the drive.

On their servo systems they use a heavy shielded cable for the RJ45's for the encoders. If the cable is allowed to flex at the connectors it tends to put a strain on the plugs and sockets. Funky encoder signals from a motor will cause all kinds of stuff (including run-aways of the motor). While they have home switches on the table (optical vane type) I doubt that is what they had you replace. The encoders are on the back of the motor where the RJ45 (network type cable jack) plugs in.


If the "bump" stays with the Z after swapping drives and cables ,then it could still be the encoder connection or the motor itself. Only way to narrow that down is to swap motors/encoders and put everything back. If it follows the motor/encoder over then you have your answer. If it stays with Z no matter what you swap, then it has to be mechanical. One customer told me that when he pulled the belt pulley off his Z that the shaft was 5/16 but the pulley was a MM bore and was sloppy on the shaft.

Anyway. Don't feel like you are singled out. I have several more of their customers that have new (yes, NEW) PCNC tables that have controller problems.

PCNC accuses me of making this stuff up because I make money on selling their customers electronics that really work ("pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"). Yes, I do make money off them, but THEY MAKE IT SO EASY!

The Rutex drives they use cannot be tuned in their MB design. They can only be tuned via software and then only if the right connections are used. Poorly tuned drives can cause problems as well. If the Gain is low or the Dampening is too high the drive gets "spongey". It will allow you to move it almost a 1/4" turn before it decides to correct. Since the Rutex has a higher error limit it doesn't fault as quickly as a Gecko.

Now they are facing the problem that they cannot get Rutex drives anymore since the the owner "quit" a couple of months ago. They burned a bridge with Gecko (see earlier posts in this thread) so next stop for servo drives looks like China.

You are welcome to join my CandCNCSupport Yahoo Group and I will try to walk you through a logical troubleshooting process so you can get back running. You will find other frustrated PCNC owners over there that can help share you pain.

TOM CAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com

[Thundercnc]

I am on my way to try what you suggest, thanks for the help and I am sure I will be joining the group. I am sure they know they are the cause of their own problems.

Thundercnc: Swap the motor and encoder pair for the Z with another axis. Lets say you use X. Then if you jog X in the software does it still "bump" on the Z? If it does, it's not the drive. If the bump transfers over to the swapped axis then you need to suspect the cabling or the drive.

On their servo systems they use a heavy shielded cable for the RJ45's for the encoders. If the cable is allowed to flex at the connectors it tends to put a strain on the plugs and sockets. Funky encoder signals from a motor will cause all kinds of stuff (including run-aways of the motor). While they have home switches on the table (optical vane type) I doubt that is what they had you replace. The encoders are on the back of the motor where the RJ45 (network type cable jack) plugs in.


If the "bump" stays with the Z after swapping drives and cables ,then it could still be the encoder connection or the motor itself. Only way to narrow that down is to swap motors/encoders and put everything back. If it follows the motor/encoder over then you have your answer. If it stays with Z no matter what you swap, then it has to be mechanical. One customer told me that when he pulled the belt pulley off his Z that the shaft was 5/16 but the pulley was a MM bore and was sloppy on the shaft.

Anyway. Don't feel like you are singled out. I have several more of their customers that have new (yes, NEW) PCNC tables that have controller problems.

PCNC accuses me of making this stuff up because I make money on selling their customers electronics that really work ("pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"). Yes, I do make money off them, but THEY MAKE IT SO EASY!

The Rutex drives they use cannot be tuned in their MB design. They can only be tuned via software and then only if the right connections are used. Poorly tuned drives can cause problems as well. If the Gain is low or the Dampening is too high the drive gets "spongey". It will allow you to move it almost a 1/4" turn before it decides to correct. Since the Rutex has a higher error limit it doesn't fault as quickly as a Gecko.

Now they are facing the problem that they cannot get Rutex drives anymore since the the owner "quit" a couple of months ago. They burned a bridge with Gecko (see earlier posts in this thread) so next stop for servo drives looks like China.

You are welcome to join my CandCNCSupport Yahoo Group and I will try to walk you through a logical troubleshooting process so you can get back running. You will find other frustrated PCNC owners over there that can help share you pain.

TOM CAUDLE
www.CandCNC.com

[Thundercnc]

It is the motor, the encoders are not the problem (this time) they work fine when switched the constant is the motor. Thanks for narrowing down the problem, now getting them to fix it will be a major operation.

[practicalcnc]

Time to change my Profile Name I guess.

Funny thing.

My name is Joe and I planned a long time ago of starting a small cnc Co.
called practical cnc. I have an ebay screename the exact same thing.

I looked on the internet at that time ans there was nobody using

www.practicalcnc.com. Never got around to starting the buisiness,

some other Joe did... And looks like he's having a bit of trouble.