[Chris D]

Hi all,

I know how much everyone loves photos so I put together a webpage detailing the CNC Controller I am building - Mach3 based. It is a big webpage so please be patient with the download.

http://www.woodworkingathome.com/CNC...Controller.htm

Hope you enjoy and comments welcome!

Chris

[Ken_Shea]

Chris,
I could say nice work, or looks great, maybe even say I'm impressed but I think this word sums it up nicely, Spectacular !

Ken

[Chris D]

Chris,
I could say nice work, or looks great, maybe even say I'm impressed but I think this word sums it up nicely, Spectacular !

Ken

Ken,

Thank you VERY MUCH for the compliment. Like I said in the description there, it has been a hoot to do and one heck of a great learning experience!

Again, thank you!

Chris

[RotarySMP]

Wow. You put a lot of thought and effort into that. Fantastic work Ken. What lathe will it be powering?

[Ken_Shea]

Fantastic work Ken

Good discription, wrong person

[Chris D]

Wow. You put a lot of thought and effort into that. Fantastic work Ken. What lathe will it be powering?

If you promise not to laugh I will tell you ......


A chinese made 9 x 20 lathe - the usual cheapo variety you can pick up from the discount tool places. This controller certainly cost more money to make than the lathe costs to purchase :-)

However, I know the lathe is mechanically not too bad. You are probably familiar with the Emco Maier machines from your part of the world. I believe they originally designed the machine and the Chinese copied it and started dumping them on the market. Most of the mechanicals are poorly finished and made, however, once i convert it to CNC, most of the mechanicals will no longer be needed :-) Realistically, I am only keeping:

Headstock and spindle - replacing bearings
Bed - not too bad, a tiny twist in it but better than some I have heard about
Tailstock - that's pretty good, just needs a bit of "Fixing up"
Saddle - seems to be good
Cross slide - probably modified, but hope to keep it.

All the rest of the components pretty much are not needed so I will sell them on Ebay to help fund the cost of the control :-)

Chris

[pminmo]

Super job, professional looking. I'm impressed, great work Chris!!

[Chris D]

Thanks Phil!

Much appreciated.

Chris

[ynneb]

I can only repeat the words of others in this thread. Fantastic
It sort of reminds me of a ghetto blaster.
Do you need to wear lots of Gold chains and an afro hair style to drive it ?

[RotarySMP]

Here is a link to a really nice stand an austrian guy has made for his 9X conversion (it has been like this for a while)

http://home.pages.at/pcspeed/cncdreh...ehmaschine.htm

I hope the tail stock is better than the crappy one on my 7X lathe.

[Chris D]

I can only repeat the words of others in this thread. Fantastic
It sort of reminds me of a ghetto blaster.
Do you need to wear lots of Gold chains and an afro hair style to drive it ?

Well, I am not fond of jewelry in the shop, nor is my hair curly so I am sort of screwed there :-)

I also wish the speakers in it and the sound card in the computer were as good as big ghetto blasters! It would make working in the shop even more fun - crank up the Pink Floyd and rock out!

Chris

[Chris D]

Here is a link to a really nice stand an austrian guy has made for his 9X conversion (it has been like this for a while)

http://home.pages.at/pcspeed/cncdreh...ehmaschine.htm

I hope the tail stock is better than the crappy one on my 7X lathe.

That is a nice looking stand and conversion in progress - thanks for the link. I always love seeing other people's conversions (and shops), you can always pick up a neat idea!

The tail stock isn't the best, but isn't the worst I have seen either. I do plan on fixing it up and modifying it a bit to suit my needs - but that is something that is a bit down the road yet. You will also appreciate this part. I had to take it apart for some reason - don't recall why. However, between the upper and lower halves I found the "shims" used to get the tailstock on center. A torn off piece of paper what appears to be from and "inspection" report :-) Perhaps that inspect report was the "first findings" report!

Chris

[miljnor]

very nice!


Show off!

[RotarySMP]

Now that is what I call QA, finding the part out of tolerance and then ripping up the inspection report for shims. Classic.

Do you have any photos of you conversion yet?

[Chris D]

very nice!


Show off!

:-)

Thanks Michael!

[Chris D]

Now that is what I call QA, finding the part out of tolerance and then ripping up the inspection report for shims. Classic.

Do you have any photos of you conversion yet?

Yes, I agree, that is an interesting spin on quality!

No, I have not started on the mechanicals yet. I am still gathering parts - I believe I am just down to the Z axis ball screw and then I will have everything to start the retrofit.

I did construct a two speed transmission for the machine a few months back. Rather than gears I did it with timing belts and pulleys. I still have a few more things to do on it but hope to have that done pretty soon seeing as I have the electronics in pretty good order now.

I will post some images of all that stuff when I get somewhere with it. I am guesing it would be around late Winter or early spring .

Chris

[anoel]

Freak!!!!

[Cold Fusion]

That controller looks AMAZING! So when will you start selling them

[Chris D]

That controller looks AMAZING! So when will you start selling them

Thanks! But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I don't want to turn fun into work - cause then it aint fun anymore!

Chris

[miljnor]

you could post the design templates and such though! that is still classified as fun!