[krymis]

Where are the guys that have CNCed their IH Mills. I need to know if your kit came with a NEMA Enclosure, and if not where did you get yours? What is the box that i need? If you could please post pictures of your setup. I just got everything except for my plastic covers and my extra y axis spacer. I did all the modifications Aaron has listed on his sight (that i could do). Any help would be appreciated.

[krymis]

hey guys i really need some help. I need to know where to get an enclosure or how i should go about making one. I also need a wiring schematic for the wiring of the geckos and power supply. Please post I need help.

[Runner4404spd]

send me an email to jczub and i can email you a wiring schematic. also you can get NEMA enclosures at Mcmaster Carr as well as Grainger. they aren't Cheap but they are certified.

[krymis]

I need a full e-mail addy to send to you. I did send you an e-mail through your cnczone profile

[Ron111]

Krymis,

Like you, I would like to see some threads concerning the cnc of these machines. Since you are in the process, you can contribute what you know and have experienced so far, and post some pictures, and this can help others planning to convert this mill and are monitoring this thread.

First off, what gecko's are you using and are you using steppers or servo's? What is the target voltage of your power supply and have you all the components necessary or are you in the process of designing the electronics? Do you need any sources for components?

Plenty of folks ready to lend an opinion, just need to know where you are at in your project. What do you need to know specifically?

I'll post a pdf on power supplies, and that will show everything except the bleed resister that you may want to use across the filtering capacitor. I look around to find the calculation for the value for this resistor. (My power supply had a final voltage of 36 VDC and the resistor was a 2 watt 500 ohm, and the purpose is to safely drain the capacitor fairly quickly in order to remove the voltage from the drivers when you turn off the power to supply).

Post some pics and you will usually get a good bit of input!!

Ron

[krymis]

I already have all the cnc stuff. Aaron has helped out so much already. I feel that the kit Aaron's kit is one of the best things you can buy for the price. I had to purchase a few things as listed: brake cleaner (to clean shipping grease from ballscrews), Locktite Red, Locktite Blue, Ultra Black RTV (high temp, oil resistant), Sodering iron (old one blew) and soder, Mineral spirits (way lapping), Rags, WD40 (rust inhibitor), box for the drives and power supply, extra relays for spindle on/off coolant on/off, 25' male to male DB25 parallel cord, wiring for the drives and powersupply, and a case of Corona (hey my machine likes the good stuff).

[krymis]

:wee:

[krymis]

well here are some specs: the geckos are 320 the power supply is a 65v 20a set and there are 2 24v heatsink fans. and everything is pictured except for the mill and computer and 2 extra cooling fans for the case. I also sent in the z slide for the bushing modification.

[Runner4404spd]

send it to

[email protected]

[krymis]

well i just stripped the end off of my 25 pin connector. Once i got it off i noticed that i could not just look at the connector to see the wire to pins. I had to use the digital multimeter set to 2 ohms and check each pin and find the corosponding colored wire. I wrote them down on a sheet and now I have the wire colors that would need to go to the geckos. Now, I have to know how all the spindle and coolant stuff comes into play? I only have my power supply(65v/20a), 3 geckos(soon to be four for a rotory table) mounted on heatsinks with 2 fans(24v/0.12A). What do i need for the auto spindle on/off speed control and auto flood coolant on/off? I will not be doing the conversion for the extra stuff right now but want to know how to do it for later. Any other extras i would want to think about doing? Where do i get the power for the geckos(5v regulated) and the fans (4 all together 24v/0.12A) ? how do i do an e-stop set up on the out side of the box?Do i need two more power supplies or how do i do this tapping into the computer power for the geckos? I need this info so i can make my box to put this stuff in.

[BobWarfield]

Power supply is easy. You can follow Ron111's doc (looks like the Campbell Design?). Here are my notes:

http://www.thewarfields.com/MTLatheCNCDrivers.htm

I recommend the Ajax CNC board that goes on top of your electrolytic capacitor:



They're cheap, have everything but the fuses wired up, and they clean up your install considerably. I got my toroidal transformer from Parts Express, also very cheap.

I have seen a lot of posts say the discharge resistor isn't really necessary--the Geckos themselves will discharge your cap. With that said, the Ajax board has one built in.

I am running 70V in my power supply, which is max for the Geckos. They spec 80V, but you want some leeway according to Mariss. The voltage you get is really a function of what your transformer puts out * 1.414 when rectified. Anyway, for ideal stepper performance, you want a motor rated to 1/20 of what your supply has going (yep, sounds wrong, but it isn't, the Gecko will make sure your motor doesn't burn up). You can deal with less, but it won't accelerate as well.

On servos, you are on your own, but I urge you to read Mariss' recent post about the Kelling tech motors over on the Yahoo Gecko board.

On Geckos, I'm running 202's--they're less prone to blowing up when idiots like me use them and don't do it quite right. (chair)

What else? You want some shielded cable, yada, yada, read a lot of posts here and on the Gecko and Mach Yahoo boards, lotsa people ready to help, yada, yada, and, Oh Yeah! If it helps any, my CNC Dictionary is here:

http://www.thewarfields.com/MTCNCDictionary.htm

Welcome, and as one of the other fellas here says, "May the cutting force be with you."

Best,

BW

[krymis]

bob,
the power end is 65v/20a. It was already built from IH.
how do i get power to my power supply? How do i connect the wiring from the outlet to the supply and where do they get connected? What do i use as a switch to turn it on and off? Where do i get the switch? Do I have to add any more fuses to the power supply going to the geckos?

[Ron111]

krymis,

You are asking the right questions, first I would recommend using a breakout board which you plug in your parallel port into and then you have a good arrangement to solder your wires to. I seen them on ebay and on the ebay seller's stores for anywhere from $15 to $150 for the optical isolated variety.

As far as your input power, you need a power switch which you can buy at anywhere from radioshack, or go to the mouser website and wade through the numerous choices.

You will want to fuse the input power( the black wire) from the 3 prong power cord cord, and you will also want to fuse the DC power going to each of your drivers.

The size of your fuse is determined by the power drawn by your power supply.

So, the green wire (Ground) of your 3 wire power input will screwed to your chassis (assuming your box is metal). The black wire through the switch, the fuse and then the to the primary contact on the transformer. The white wire goes to the second contact of the transformer. This is assuming that you are using a single pole single throw switch. If you're using a double pole double through you can also connect the white wire (Neutral).

As far as the five volt and the 24 volt for the fan power there are small power available with these combinations, and you will want to use a relay to control your coolant pump. If you are wanting to turn on and off the larger spindle motor you may need to use a contactor type switch.

But for now I would suggest looking into using the 25 pin break out board, it will keep things a lot neater in your control box.

Press on!!

Ron

[Randall]

Ron is absolutely right. A breakout board is a must and you have less chance to goof up.
Randy

[krymis]

Guys thanks for the info. I am taking consideration to the breakout board but at this time I am concentrating on the powersupply wiring with the switch and plug in. What switch do i get at radioshack? I searched the whole rack and found to have a choice of 54 different ones. Do i just use a household light switch or a pushbutton or a rocker switch? And what ratings should it have? I do not know how to pick the switch. As for wiring if I understand correctly a 3 pronge extension cord can be cut and used for the powersupply plug in. The black cord gets the switch put inline and goes to one side of the powersupply, but is there a certain side? The white goes to the other side and the ground goes to the case that everything is getting put in. Is this correct so far? Where do i get the power for the fans and geckos? Is that what is incooperated in the breakoutboard? And what is a breakoutboard for?

[Ron111]

The break out board will have all the signals from the computer, step and dir for each of the up to four axis, and commands to turn on (and off) coolant pumps and spindle. The board also interfaces the input signals such as limit switches and homing switches and also spindle speed.

For more information look at the Mach3 manuel and read through the section about setting up for your machine configuration and you will begin to see how every thing is integrated.

VA for switch selection, I believe that you said that you were using a 65 VDC power supply, and I assume you are using servo's, determine what the current draw is for the servo's and if the total current is say 15 amps (I'm just picking a number) the volt amps would just under 975VAMPS.

So, at 975VAMPS / 120VAC = 8.125 amps So for this example, you would want a switch to could handle 8.125 Amps @ 120VAC. (a 10 Amp - 120 VAC switch)

Some of the guys will tell you that using stepper motors that you will never exceed 2/3 of the total current which would be 10 amps @ 65VDC, but I don't know if this is true with servos.

I'm not sure whether you can pick off the 5vdc from an USB port to use as the 5vdc reference signal, but call gecko and see what they say.



Either of the primary taps you can use for black wire connection, just make sure you are on the primary side.

Hope this helps,


Ron

[krymis]

I have found 3 different ways to control the coolant pump and spindle on and off from the pc. I am thinking the Al the Man has the best method. Now, I am really wondering how to control the spindle speed from the pc. I think after I get that squred away the wiring will be done and I will be ready to fab the box. I am going to build a box out of 16gage sheet metal. I am going to apply an Aluminum plate to mount everything to. All wires will be fed through the bottom in stain relievers and then siliconed. The fans will have filter material applied over them to protect the inside from any swarf and dust. The whole thing should be sealed against any incoming contaminates.

[krymis]

ron,

you are opening my eyes to so many things. Ok if you look at my pictures of the power supply I would assume the two open tabs are the primary side? I would want to have a wall plug black cord go through a switch to a fuse to the tab correct? Then the white to the opposite tab? The servos have no markings on them to identify their ratings. But the power supply is rated at 20A so could i use this for the switch choice?

[Ron111]

If the power supply was wired by Aaron at IH, the the two open taps are the primary side. You are right, the black goes through the switch, through the fuse, and connects to either of the taps. The white can go directly to the other tap or can go through a double pole switch if you buy a DPDT (double throw/double pole).

Seriously start studying the Mach3 setup portion of the mach3 manuel.


I would recommend using a 14 gage Power cord which is rated for 15A of 120VDC.

Press on!!

Ron

[krymis]

ok now what fuse do you use after the switch?