[dertsap]

I'm at work right now so I'll check it out tonite . Just so I have it straight , this is what I've been doing --- I start up linuxcnc , pick lathe which puts the linuxcnc folder into the home directory , then I copy the 7 files and drop them into the sim folder which is in the home/linuxcnc/config/sim . It sounds like it's exactly what you've just described
I've never really moved files around before and I've always just modified what was there to suite what I was working with , (thats if I remember correctly)
I appreciate your help . It had me going for quite a long time last nite and I pulled the pin at 3am considering I needed to wake up at 5:30

[samco]

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/...igs/Latest.zip

Here is a zip of the 2 configs. Then Drop the 2 directorys in the /linuxcnc/configs folder (Fullstep and Half-fullstepMorph)

(still have to edit the hal files.. I didn't get around to fixing that)

[samco]

Also for the config to work the switches on the interface board need to be off/down. That is what all my machines came setup as.

http://electronicsam.com/images/emco...ceanddrive.JPG

Top small board (4 switches)

[dertsap]

I'll keep the switches in mind , I'll get er tested here fairly shortly

[dertsap]

Ive got the linuxcnc working in full step at this point on the pc , but when i turn the power on the lathe then the on button in the software goes dim and stays dim till i power the lathe off . Not sure whats happening but the lathe is sending something bad out .
I'm wondering if the estop button is bad . When i plug the lathe in (without pc connected) and turn the spindle switch - it won't stay in the on position . I thought that there was maybe something tripping it back to off as a fail safe since there was no pc signal , but now I'm wondering if the estop is cooked . Or I'm way off base and the spindle switch is cooked and theres a problem in the electronics causing the software to act as it is
someone has had the back off of this thing a few times by the looks of things so who knows , it may be cooked though everything looks as it should

[dertsap]

got it
swapped the # in the hal file for the estop and its a movin

[samco]

Do you have any pictures of the back? There is a plug maybe labled chip guard. Is anything plugged into it?

[samco]

got it
swapped the # in the hal file for the estop and its a movin

Cool!

[samco]

Does the spindle turn on? Swapping those lines in the hal makes me think your estop loop isn't right in the lathe. Again - check the plug labled chip guard - if you do have the chip guard there should be a cable plugged in. If not there should be a cheater plug that loops the signal back in.

[dertsap]

thats what that freaking wire was for , it's been hanging all along and i thought that it may be for a tool changer or something of the sort . Unfortunately thats not the cause , i used the cheater plug . i set the estop back in the hal , the estop in the software is once again pressed and the spindle switch is still the same . I'm much closer though and the axis are running great

[dertsap]

I'm not sure if I'll figure out the switch for the spindle and if not then I'll cheat it one way or another . Otherwise the little lathe works awesome , I left the set rapids as were and it moves along great at 42ipm .
I bought this thing more or less blindly and I expected to probably strip it down . This saved a lot of time and hardware and I think this is going to work out great . Thanks a bunch for your help and the work you shared , this is awesome !!

[samco]

maybe this would help?

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/emco/GEDC0145.JPG

sam

[dertsap]

that will help . I followed the wire that was hanging and I realized that it wasn't for the chip guard switch but that it is for the spindle encoder . I just need to hack the chip guard wiring

[samco]

one of ours sockets has short wires jumpered in...

Looks like jumper pins 7 to 5 and 1 to 3 (from the schematic)

- - - Updated - - -

also - you should be able to spin the spindle and see the rpm blip up on the screen. (if the lathe is powered up)

sam

[dertsap]

that jump did it . I swapped the # back around in the hal file and all is perfect and working as it should . Spindle switch works fine

I am seeing the spindle speed up on the screen . This was actually what provoked me to track that wire to its source , (which was a short distance away ) , because last nite I wasn't seeing the rpm registering on the screen .
One thing that I noticed was that the rpm on the screen was very jumpy , it fluctuated in between the 2 hundreds into the 7 hundreds . I put my hand tach to it and it's solid at 1224 rpm . I gave a slight cleaning to the disc and the encoder and it's much better . There is a slight fluctuation which is maybe 10 rpm but a solid cleaning will do the job .

This is just too cool , and this lil lathe seems pretty decent . Hopefully my tooling will arrive this week so I can go at it over the weekend .
I'm curious if you've taken the time to add home switches to yours .

[samco]

I have not added home switches yet.. But it is on the to-do list. We have 2 non working cnc versions that I will probably convert first using the existing steppers/drives and spindle controller. Those will get home switches for sure.

Glad it is coming together. almost painless

sam

[dertsap]

almost painless

I'd say it was painless , couple of hiccups but pretty much painless . You've made it really easy to get one of these ol lathes running without butchery . I haven't looked too far as to where I can go with connecting switches . My computer doesnt have expansion slots to add another port and bob . Its got enough oomph to it but nothing for expansion . I've been toying with the idea of double switching that jumper , home switch opens that loop and a secondary finger button closes the loop so that I can jog .1 off the switch then set it as home position . Not a clean way of doing things but I've got to add my butchery somehow

[samco]

Seems it is only using 3 of the 5 inputs..

[dertsap]

yeah , your right , hmm I'll have to check it out . That would be easy

[dertsap]

after looking at the schematic again , there are actually a lot of open pins . I've got a db splitter on the way now . I can spice in one of my bobs and add a number of things , switches and a light coolant pump to start with . A splash guard for the spindle motor is a must do