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Hi Pete - which full boards have you had good luck with? I'm used to using a combination of BOB and separately-mounted drivers, but I could be talked out of it if there was an alternative that was...

I've been trying it out, and I'm really impressed with it. It handles multiple large stl files with ease, and makes it simple to create machinable - or carvable - art from 3D models that are...

Those extrusions probably need all the help they can get. Bridging the two extrusions with something solid sounds good, as well as bolting more steel to it - both would be worth trying. More bolts...

Are these values that are appearing in your DROs, or are they measured? They don't seem to be consistent, so I'm suspecting "thread drunkenness" in your screws. Unless you're using expensive ground...

That part isn't an operation; it's to define the region that the facing operation takes place in. The tool paths will appear in the area between the rectangle (or any other closed shape you draw) and...

That looks like the bearing that supports the ball screw. It seems to have moved towards the motor - it should be further back, inside the housing.

Is that the Z axis, or another one? The...

Are you applying backlash compensation? That can have somewhat random results.

If stabilizing it with your hands helps, it might be due to flex in your gantry beam, or the two extrusions you're gripping, or both. If it's made out of aluminum extrusion, that stuff doesn't have...

You can get authentic UC-100 motion controller/USB adapters from Arturo at CNC4PC.com: https://cnc4pc.com/uc100-usb-motion-controller.html

That's a fairly large mill to fit on a desktop; it's more what would be called a "benchtop" mill. It will cost as much as you want to spend to get a decent quality basic machine that size - before...

Try a Facing operation instead; Roughing would be for a 3D object. Specify the size of your stock and pick a tool. Choose from the 2 axis options. Select the boundary curves of all the regions you...

You can use washing soda and a battery charger to remove rust on anything you can submerge in a tank....

Thanks, Pete, I'll check it out. It looks like I'd have to buy an additional board for another $299 to control the VFD; is that correct? I was hoping to get both motion and VFD control in a single...

It looks like I need to replace my ancient SoundLogic board, since I can't figure out how to make it control my VFD. (It's got 6 pins sticking out of the board labled "spindle ctrl", but no...

If the wires touch and conduct electricity between themselves by doing so, wouldn't that be "active high"? If it's lit all the time, with them disconnected and not doing anything, that would be the...

As I recall, Supercam was supposed to be an alternative to G-code, and wasn't compatible with it. Since it's no longer supported, trying to revive it sounds like a step backwards. But if you're not...

I've found that with detailed carvings, the feed rate I set is pretty irrelevant. Since the toolpath consists of lots of tiny combined movements in Z plus X or Y, the controller will be slowed down a...

All the parallel port driven machines I've ever set up wanted EPP.

Are you starting a museum of obsolete CNC equipment?

Maybe this will help: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/i-o-port-conflict.1143846/

If the old computer still works, you should be able to run it with Mach3, which has a parallel port driver. If you're getting rid of the old controller, I'd suggest getting a Geckorive G-540; the...

Are these ceramic, or glass? For that, a laser would work better than a CNC mill or an engraving machine with a spindle. If they're metal, then you could engrave them with a tool in a spindle. It's...

First you'd make a 3D model of the lips. Then you'd intersect it with a series of evenly-spaced planes, generate curves at the intersections and save them as DXF. Then you'd create toolpaths from the...

You said you installed the toolpath software - did you install any CNC control software, like Mach3 or UCCNC? Tool path (CAM) software opens your drawing or model and writes a tool path (G-code)...

The only downside to fatter ball screws is the greater degree of rotary momentum they develop. I don't see this as a big issue with the Z axis, since it never has a chance to get going very fast, but...

Make sure you get Vectric's sign-off on this, because license transfers aren't recognized without it.

An extremely dull bit could account for lost steps and jerky motion while cutting. It would also explain why the program worked okay with the spindle running in air. But the limit switch errors are...

It could be radio-frequency interference (RFI) from your spindle leads. Try running the program "in air" above your workpiece without running the spindle. If it works perfectly, check the grounding...

Take a look at MOI (Moment of Inspiration). It's a simple but powerful 3D program that's easy to get started with. You buy it outright - no subscription required, and your models are your own, not up...

I think the shipping costs would make most prospective buyers think twice - or maybe 4 times.