[dixdance]

Craig gives very good advice in this thread!

I am using Mach 3 with a parallel port, but I bought an ESS to enable me to use a laptop to save room. Just didn't get around to it yet. And I used Mach 3 because I already had a license, probably would have gone with Mach 4 otherwise.

Dusting the spindle taper was just to see if I could do it, having seen it done on a Youtube video by Labels Extreme, an interesting Australian who does a lot of inlay work for luthiers. It worked so well I never bothered to replace it, but a Chinese spindle was what I assumed I'd wind up with. The Kress does go up to 30,000 rpm which is nice for those micro endmills. I also thought of mounting a 60,000 rpm pneumatic pencil grinder, but again it just hasn't been necessary. The cnc router is just a small part of my low volume banjo making operation, so I can afford to be patient.

My only complaint about the Davinci is that it isn't bigger! But for what I do, I've found work arounds. I did have a friend put the t-slot plate in his Hass mill and create a very accurate grid of 1/4" dowel holes on 1" centers. The bottom of the holes is tapped 1/4-20. Great for fixturing and tiling long stuff, highly recommended if you can manage it.

[Jwills]

Thanks a lot for all the contributions you all made to the conversation and helping me come up with a plan. This weekend I hung out with a friend of mine, an engineer who used these machines, or a very similar one in college. So as far as operating it, I am hoping I can learn something from him.

As far as my plans with the machine, I think I am going to take a little advice from all of you:

ericscottf, after getting the software, how would I connect my computer to the machine? Would a simple USB adapter work or is this more complex? Will I have to find a computer with a RS232 port, or is this done with a motion controller as joeaverage recommended?

dixdance, yes I believe it was your posts and your project that I am trying to replicate. I haven’t pulled off the paper yet, but I am thinking you are going to be right based on by experience with Plexi.

joeavaerage, I am researching a lot of the different products you sent me and trying to come up with a plan on how I, a novice, will complete the upgrade.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

ericscottf, after getting the software, how would I connect my computer to the machine? Would a simple USB adapter work or is this more complex?

A USB adaptor WILL NOT WORK. You need a motion controller, ie some hardware that can generate high-speed accurately timed pulse streams from numeric trajectory data.
A USB adaptor does not even come close.

Looking at a UC100 it connects to the PC by USB and has a DB25 parallel port output. Its tempting to believe it that it is a USB adaptor, but its not, its a genuine motion controller with an FPGA inside.
Its way,WAY, WAY cleverer than a USB adaptor.

Craig

[dixdance]

Reading the above reminded me that I also have a new, never used UC100 that I'd be willing to sell at a good price. Yet another item I bought that never got used!

[ericscottf]

A USB to serial adapter will work because the machine already has a cnc controller in it that you're connecting to. It isn't necessarily a great one though.

Hi,



A USB adaptor WILL NOT WORK. You need a motion controller, ie some hardware that can generate high-speed accurately timed pulse streams from numeric trajectory data.
A USB adaptor does not even come close.

Looking at a UC100 it connects to the PC by USB and has a DB25 parallel port output. Its tempting to believe it that it is a USB adaptor, but its not, its a genuine motion controller with an FPGA inside.
Its way,WAY, WAY cleverer than a USB adaptor.

Craig

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

A USB to serial adapter will work because the machine already has a cnc controller in it that you're connecting to. It isn't necessarily a great one though.

So there is a motion controller, its in the machine currently. That is what generates the pulse streams, so yes I can well imagine a USB to RS232 adaptor would work,
but the do you want to be stuck with a nice machine, albeit small, only to have a weak motion controller that cannot extract the full potential of it?

The control system of this machine was typical of what was common 15 years ago......but things have moved on long way since.

Craig