[Harmpy35]

Hello guys,

I want to build my own cnc router. It wil be a proffessional (light serie works) one and i'm spending money anyway.
I want to order 4 gecko's but i don't get sure of my case. I nowhere can find the solution to my question. Now i'm giong to spend money anyway, what are the best full half and microstep drivers for me?
Geckodrive look cool, but i simply don't know that for sure.

The machine will be quet fast but at first will come the work in the 0.1mm 0.05mm (maybe 0.01mm) range.
4 stepper motors bipolair serie(2.5Nm (350 OZ/IN?)) and ballsplines 12x4mm will do the rest.

Who can make me sure about the drivers i'm going to use for this???


And then a second little question.
What shel i do, TurboCNC, PCNC, Mach2?
whats the best programma to stear the steppermotor drives?


Very thanks in advance!
And greetings from the Netherlands!
Harmen

[wmgeorge]

I just finished my mill -drill project using G202 Geckos and stepper motors. Very impressed by the quality of construction and support. I used DeskCNC board and software as it runs off the serial port, not dependent on computer speed or parrallel port. Love both products!! B.G.

[jdelaney44]

Gecko's are great! I have G320s and G340s for servo motors.

I blew a set up by wiring them wrong and Gecko replaced them for free. They have a one time "stuff happens" policy.

They are running now and performing well so far. Set up was pretty easy.

I am using Mach 3 and can tell you that it is also a good choice and well supported.

Thanks,
-jd

[CJL5585]

In my opinion, Gecko's are the top of the line drives, for industrial and for the hobbiest. They are fool proof, if one wires them correctly and does not exceed any of the ratings.

I think most of the problems that occur are created by the person using them.

Jerry

[Harmpy35]

Hey guys,

That are some positive comments about the gecko's. And i think i'm going to order some.
I'm more confidence about the geckodrives.

Do anyone have some kutting, routering, milling results that are made using geckodrives? Thats the sing i'm missching from the geckodrives. A bit of lack on results in the work they make.

Thanks guys, for the replays!!!
It made me more sure of my case!

Greetings from the Netherlands,
Harmen.

[ger21]

I believe I read that they sell about 100 drives every day. So someone is making something with them.

[Harmpy35]

:-) And i can't find those results back. Geckodrive don't trow with results of what there drivers are capeble to.

thanks ;-)

[rgillam]

I'm using 3 geckos ( older ones ) work great! Mach 3 with a cnc4pc breakout card.
Heres a couple pics: http://www.customgraphicshop.com/cnc/spindle.htm

[DACMACHINE]

In my opinion, Gecko's are the top of the line drives, for industrial and for the hobbiest. They are fool proof, if one wires them correctly and does not exceed any of the ratings.

I think most of the problems that occur are created by the person using them.

Jerry

I agree 100%

finished my lathe retro couple months ago
(Mazak 60" between centers, not a small machine)

I was pushing my machine quite a bit with some heavy cuts, I actually blew a fuse on the spindle, chuck stopped, my tool kept going, till the carbide broke, and I finally hit the E-Stop (my fault, didn't wire a safety to stop the drive)

I have yet to have a problem with these drives

Dan

[Budcan2]

Both router tables (4'x8' and 3'x4') at my son's sign shop use gecko drives. These tables have done a lot of cutting since they were built....without any problems with the drives. Good value for the money!

[toneV8]

How to know which Gecko model to use in cnc mashine. Does it use same Gecko model on all axis.

[toneV8]

Can someone answer on my questio.

[JavaDog]

How to know which Gecko model to use in cnc mashine. Does it use same Gecko model on all axis.

Well, you said you were using steppers, right? So, you would be looking at four options:

G201
G202
G210
G212

Generally, most people use three (for 3 axis) of the same model...

[CJL5585]

How to know which Gecko model to use in cnc mashine. Does it use same Gecko model on all axis.

The Gecko Model depends upon whether you are going to have stepping motors or Servos.

With stepping motors use Gecko 201 model.

With Servos use Gecko 320 model.

Yes, most people use the same model on all axis for simplicity.

Jerry

[swarfmacdaddy]

Geckos rule!! I have 3 g201 drives that are some of the first ones they made. They have thousands of hours on them and show no sign of slowing down. Im starting on a new gantry router and i will be buying 4 more. As far as im concerned, Geckos are THE ONLY choice any sane person would make on a hobby budget.

[ger21]

With steppers, here's how you decide.

First, using 10 microsteps, or 2000 steps per revolution of you motors (assuming 200 step per rev motors), can your computer generate steps fast enough to reach your desired speeds? If it can, then you have 2 choices.

G201 or G202. The G201 is cheaper, but the G202 has more built in protection against miswiring or shorts.

The G210 is a G201 with a step multiplier. The G212 is a G202 with a step multipier.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Gerry so if I'm reading this correctly, the 202's are just a 201 without heat sink requirements and are less prone to being blown due to mis-wiring? I seem to remember someplace that the 201/202's both did only 10microstepping while the 210/212's could be set to micro stepp at various level's? [2,4,8,10 mircrostepp's?] Is there any other issue's to concider when ordering? I'm at the point where I've pretty much got my system all mapped out but don't understand the various features of the different 2xx model's, and unfortunatly don't speak "electronic'ese" so whats posted on Mariss's site doesn't mean a whole lot to me. If I read what he has there it looks all like a copy and paste from one spec sheet to the next. [ No offense Mariss its all over my head anyway :-)] I plan to buy four unit's I just, at this point, don't know which model.

Also another question, when spec'ing my power supply I just simply add up all the amp's I need from the 4 steppers and thats how many amp's I need from my power supply? Granted that the max amp's/4 [# drives] isn't greater than the max rated amps's [ 7A each..I think]??

JerryFlyGuy