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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Benchtop Machines > Need help with a Boxford Duet Lathe/Mill
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Results 21 to 40 of 56
  1. #21
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    17
    Hi
    If you need the manuals I have copies, I am presently converting the Duet to work with Mach3, The usb to serial should work but they can be fussy, V6 has a setting for the COM port and XP uses emulation to drive the COM port, if you go to Mach3 software you probably don,t need to write any new software the on board software only contols the spindles and safety switches all step motors are controlled through the parallel port if there's a problem with the stepper drive this will probably be hard ware. To initialise the Duet you send Duet.dat which is a program for the 8032 so if you wished to program the 8032 it is just a matter of changing the Duet.dat .The serial cable used is a NULL modem cable, try sending Duet.dat via Terminal 9200 8 bits 1 stop no parity two LED's should flash as it downloads. I haven't much time at the momment but will reply when I can.
    PS which version of Duet do you have 1 or 2?

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    17
    Hi
    Log on to the Mach 3 site and you will see more about controlling the Duet by serial
    http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13
    Thanks for the response.

    Right, after some fiddling the thing is talking to my computer. one null modem adaptor made up and the boxford software will control spindle, detect the guard and E-stop and spindle speed. However the stepper motor control does not work. The board works (i have tried stepping by unplugging the cable from the processor board and pulsing the input pins to the board and the motors move. so it would appear that the processor board is not sending signals to move the axis. also the 4 little leds do not light up in the same patterns as they do when there is no motor connected. but I'm not sure if that is important) I have also noted that the l293E drivers are a little underrated and get very toasty with no fan so a chunk of ally is now sitting on top of them to stop them frying.

    A copy of the manual would be excellent. preferably a scanned copy if possible. I have a Mk1 unit with the big grey box PSU.

    Pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/binrake...7602815870945/

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    1306
    From the messages on this thread, it soulnds like it would be a whole lot easier to rid the controller and drivers out of these things and use Gecko's and Mach or turboCNC.
    Regards,
    Mark

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    I am an idiot

    had I looked a bit closer (and read a bit more carefully), i would have realised that BOTH serial and parallel communications are required. there was me thinking it was a serial OR parallel thing. right, now to order one usb to parallel thing.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    362
    binraker,
    I'm thinking Geckos and Mach 3 are the way to go after hearing all you are going through. My limiting factor is that I do not have the control box for my machine. Without that I think I will have to strip it down to the steppers and start from scratch. Good luck with yours.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    17

    Manuals

    Binraker
    Send your e:mail address to [email protected] and I will forward the manuals, I also have a MK1, the manuals include the circuit diagrams. there is a CPU signal on CZ (Step Z) however all other signals are just buffered from LPT1 when you get the manuals you will see what I mean, unfortunatly this signal comes from the PLD if this is faulty you won't get a replacement, however this is only used by the boxford for screw thread and since you can go to Mach software it wouldn't be needed and could be by passed. Best of luck.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13
    txcowdog, I'm not sure that ripping the guts out is the way to go yet. maybe if it continues to be annoying. You will still need a power supply for the spindle motor if you gut yours and since the PSU box only contained that, some other supplies a PWM controller and it wouldn't be too hard to build what's missing.

    I reckon that what might be interesting would be to take out the processor board and make a replacement with something like a PIC18F4550 which has on board USB and serial and then write some firmware to generate tool paths and send signals to steppers from NC sent wither dripfed or as a files sent from the computer. limit switches could also then be retrofitted. However this may be "interesting" but not easy.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    Still no signs of it working

    USB to parallel was a failure as one might imagine. Interestingly the chip it uses, Prolific PL2035, supports the full IEEE1284 specification but the drivers supplied only allow it to be used as a USB to printer bridge. This seams to be the standard chip for these adaptors so I am surprised a better driver hasn't been written yet. Does anyone know if there is another USB to Parallel chip out there with better drivers? perhaps made by FTDI chip or a similar company?

    So with this lack of success i borrowed an old K6 running win2k and tried using that. the serial bit once again worked fine but still no motor steps. i went along all the pins and tapped them with 5v and sure enough all the motors turn so i think it is a software problem. Are there any special set up requirements for the parallel port? I'm assuming ECP,EPP or BID are not needed since this is a one way deal and that the parallel cable should be wired up pin-for-pin.


    The next thing to play with will be installing mach3 on this machine and seeing if that will control it but i will need to work out how to set it all up.

    And thanks for the manuals!!

  10. #30
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    19
    Serial set up

    Picked up a TCL160 from a tech school, cheap, with the software, but no License Key !
    Don't want to throw the contoller card, but again stuck for the format and set up of the serial link. Have manuals for all the previous boxford/denford machines, but not to the level of detail for the comms connection. Any hard data?

  11. #31
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13
    Mach3 just crashes my machine so building a new controller and writing new code looks like the most interesting way to go.

    x3UK, do you have any diagrams/pics of the controller board? If it is anything like the Duet Mk1 board, it will use a microcontroller (8032) with external programme memory in 2 parts, bootloder code on a EPROM to allow it to communicate with the computer and SRAM into which the firmware is written. This is the first thing you have to send to it to make it work (Duet.dat for the duet) Since I think the TCL160 is a newer machine it may work differently. Somewhere in this thread is the serial port config for the Duet. If it is the same architecture and you have the software, then writing a bit of software to send the firmware to it and sending subsequent controls shouldn't be too hard.

    P

  12. #32
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    19
    binraker, TCL160 uses same Uproc board as Duet Mk2, 136-00-03. Just the serial link.
    Guest the MK1 uses the boards from TCL125?
    Reread entire thread, picked up the serial data. Running TurboCNC, but just intended to COPY COM the file to the boxford. But if MACH does the job, guess time to swap.
    Software I have is V10,no key, so been playing with Denford VR turn, which told will also drive most of Boxford M/Cs

  13. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    185
    seen some Boxfords on YOUTUBE MAYBE THESE GUYS CAN HELP
    BR

  14. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    I obviously lack sanity

    Mach 3 just crashes the win2k machine and now I am getting annoyed.

    There for, throwing all concept of sanity to the four winds of the wilderness, I have started writing new software in VB, built a new processor board, started outlining the functions of the firmware, written a new protocol for serial communication with the machine and finally thinking about the creation of a new language to replace the, hideously entropically inefficient, G-code.

    Watch this space....

    P

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    185
    New language ? you may get some ideas from Heidenhain
    BR

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    the mods are progressing...

    Having whipped out the old controller and replaced it with a board with one PIC and a MAX232, I have managed to get the machine to be controlled by a usb to serial port and some VB software. so far i have implemented XYZ movement, spindle enable, direction and speed. I have written a new control protocol which can be implemented on any communication standard wider than 8 bit and uses no complex maths so can be interpreted with a simple uC. All the tool path and step pattern generation will be implemented on the host computer so it should be interfacable with MACH or any other step generation software. I will hopefully be writing a simple G-code to step expander/translator to control this machine and, if i can figure out how to do it, design it so that each G or M code has a translator file so that new codes can be added quickly and easily by just writing a new translation file.

    photos of the mods will be posted in due course. anyone wanting any further info let me know.

  17. #37
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    362
    It sounds as though you have put an incredible amount of time and thought into this process and I am fascinated with your progress. I have two of these and would be interested to see some pictures when you get an extra minute.

  18. #38
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    Pretty picture

    Here is the pic of the new controller board.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/binraker/2091844638/

  19. #39
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    362
    I see you have the original power supply. Lucky you, I just have the machine itself. Nice job on the new board. It looks like you are almost finished with your upgrade and will soon have a fully functional machine. That is some great work. Congrats.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13

    Power supply

    If you are missing the power supply its not a complex thing to build. There is a 12VDC supply for the electronics, 100VDC for the spindle motor and a 24V supply for the lamp. Then just some relays to control the spindle motor, the PWM board which is not a complex thing to copy or make something to do that job and finally the emergency stop wiring. In fact If you did something similar to me then the PWM board could just be a power MOSFET and some resistors and a diode. Of course i say it would be easy to build but that really all depends if you are comfortable fiddling around with electronics and more importantly mains electronics.

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