[Hobbiest]

Okay guys...what all is needed for a servo system, assuming the Clifton servos (http://www.automec-direct.netfirms.c..._dc_motor.html )are being used? Besides Gecko, are there any other affordable drivers? Sure do wish I could get one of my friends surplus Gallil's! Are encoders an absolute necessity? Closed loop or open? Why?

[ynneb]

You will need a power supply.

You will need servo drivers, you could try Rutex as well as Gecko

You will definately need encoders. Those motors are just like plain DC motors and have no way of knowing where they are without encoder feedback.

Obviuosly software to drive the setup. Mach2 is good.

Sheilded cable fro the encoders.

Thats about it, besides a printer cable and other small things like that.

[Patrick2by4]

Those clifton motors also need a power supply (36 volt 20~25 amp transformer, capacitor, bridge rectifier, case for all the electronics, parallel breakout board if you want to simplify the wirings, fuses, etc...) I'm in the process of acquiring all these items right now because I'm about to build my first machine.
By the way Benny, your signiture line is hillarious.

[ynneb]

Glad you liked the signature line Patrick.

I notice you are relatively new to this forum. I hope you learn all you need to build your machine from here. Make sure you post lots of progressive pictures of your machine, and ask lots of questions.
Good luck with your project.

Benny ( Yes your decryption was correct )

[Hobbiest]

Patrick...any way you would give a price breakdown of the items you have purchased for your electronics? Anybody else? Does anybody know of any pre-assembled driver/power supply/etc. kits for a reasonable price? Would anybody be willing to do it for trade of some sort (once I get my current router done you can see what I can do)?

[replicapro]

You know its so crazy.
You go on a search engine and type servo cnc or something and you come up with about 20-30 kits. Some are $600 some are $4000. Yet other than the fact that some come with larger servos, I can see where the price hike is justified. So any rational person automatically rules out the cheapest because it cant possibly be any good. I wish there was a competative matrix as well as an application chart to show people exactly what the differences are and to configure a set up that is good for their machine.

[Hobbiest]

If I could get a complete set up, minus motors for <$500, I would be very happy indeed. Not that I have $500 to throw around, or at all...but very happy all the same.