Search:

Matt,
I think what you're talking about will be exactly what I will do.
That ETACH2 would be perfect, but for $200 I'd rather try building one myself to start with.

Do you know of a good...

I've finally had some time to fiddle around more with my motor a little more.
I think I have a slightly better understanding of what's going on and I'm back to the original question I proposed:
...

First off, between Matt and Paul, you guys are invaluable!

Yes, I'm using an AB motor, a very common MPL model. Ultraware auto-recognizes and sets the parameters.

The odd thing with the...

Auto-tuning fails for some reason, so no, I haven't tuned it with (or without) my spindle connected.

How could the motor run smoothly when it's only being pulsed once a second (1 Hz)? Wouldn't...

Paul,
Some success. I found a follower ratio that worked, but it's 1:540! Quite a bit different from your 1:4. Changing the Lines per Revolution didn't seem to affect anything that I could notice....

Paul,
I think you helped me out at the beginning of this project over a year ago!

My question to you is if you ever set a specific value in ultraware to tell the driver how "far" is one step (one...

To anybody still following this thread:

I'm trying the same thing, using an ultra 3000 with mach 3 to run my spindle. I've successfully wired it up and mach 3 can turn the spindle at the...

Has anybody out there used a servo motor as a spindle, and used the step/dir spindle outputs from Mach 3 to control it?

I'm using an A-B servo with an Ultra 3000 to control it. The Ultra is set...

Yeah, the X3 might work, but the motor is little smaller then what I want (probably looking for 1-1.5HP). Also, the manual Z feed thing would have to be delt with.

I just talked to Tormach, and...

Here's the situation, I have a home built CNC VMC that I've built and have slowly been upgrading for years.

I've finally gotten to replacing the headstock. I started with (and currently am using)...

huh, i guess that would do the trick easier then taking apart an old gamepad.

In an attempt to free up as many parallel port pins as possible, I'm thinking of trying to take apart some USB device (gamepad, keyboard, etc.), run the switch wires to my limit and home switches,...

Spent a little more time on this project.
First, I did just add an incremental/continuous button for single step jogging by the d-pad (which for whatever reason it still allowed continuous jogging...

Alright, I got the logitech dual action controller, fired up key grabber, and everything is working PERFECTLY so far.
But I do have two questions that would save me a bit of time hunting if anybody...

Yeah, i forgot to mention that I am using Mach 3.
Sounds like I'll be able to do exactly what I want. I'll give it a go this weekend and see how it turns out.
Thanks for all the input.

Hello,
I am going to attempt to use a cheap USB gamepad as a hand pendant. I've read several threads where people have done similar things, but I'm looking for quick and easy.
Has anybody used...

They are "installed" as limit switches. In Mach 3 I use one direction of my limits as my home switches. Being that they are normally closed, they are fairly repeatable. For the price and easy of...

I'm in manassas and just found this thread.
Anything interesting come up?
(I have a home-made VMC)

-gl

I'm not sure what kind of machine you're running, but for something simple I use the normally closed push button switches that radio shack sells (red and/or black push buttons). They have worked...

So check this out.
One of my axis will "randomly" go + or - when I jog regardless of if I'm jogging in the + or - direction.
For example, I'll briefly press the jog button for Z+ and the lead screw...

Well, unfortunately for me, after putting in a little more time with my "fix" I still have the e-stop and limit switch tripping problem. It is deffenately better though, so the Wi-Fi adapter was one...

Sounds like a good idea to add one to my system. I don't suppose somebody makes a simple low pass filter that I can plug right into my parallel port cableing???? Or is this something you would get...

Gar,
I'm not familiar with the parallel port low pass filter that you speak of. Is that like a choke that wraps around the parallel cable, or like a male / female parallel port plug that plugs in...

Well, I think I figured out the problem... I un-plugged my wireless network adapter and ran my test program with the spindle running, and no false triggers!
I am using a D-link USB 802.11G wireless...

Does anybody know if there are any technical colleges or anything where I could take some training classes on CNC milling? I am finishing up building a desktop mill in my basement, and think I...

Gar, before I read your posts I did in fact try one of your suggestions. I disconnected the e-stop cable and wired it closed at my electrical box. I ran a program with the spindle on and it still...

My limits and e-stop switches are all normally closed. The cables currently aren't shielded and I don't have any capacitors on them.

Yeah, I've seen many threads suggesting proper grounding to fix EMI problems.
I'm not saying that I'm skeptical of that fixing my problem......... but I guess I am. I've checked all my grounds with...

I have searched the forums and found close to, but not the exact problem I am having:
I can run a program without the spindle running and everything is fine. When I turn the spindle on and run the...

Hello,
I have acquired a hand held manual pulse generator (I think that's what it's called) which I would really like to integrate into my home CNC mill for jogging the axis. The bad/good thing...