[RunForrestRun]

Hi,

I'm a newb with a 3040 router. I was hoping to drive it over USB with this hack, but it doesn't work for me.

Adventures in DIY Engineering: Chinese CNC 3040T Router/Mill through USB Easily

I tried tying pin 10 (the e-stop pin in the Mach 3 set up instructions) high but still no good. Has anybody got something like this to work or should I give up and get a USB controller? Any advice would be appreciated

[alan_3301]

what's wrong with parallel port? is it not able to output steps fast enough or you just want a smaller connector size?

[RunForrestRun]

Hi alan, I don't have one on my PC. From what I've gathered I'd need to install Win XP to run Mach3 properly. I've read some people dedicate an old PC as a controller and that's an option if I can't get the arduino / Grbl working. But I'd rather get it working via USB on my current PC

[alan_3301]

you can get a pci parallel port card if you don't have one.
I haven't tried mach3 in a long time, but I think as long as you have a 32bit OS it will work. dual boot is an option if you want to do that.

I have heard of grbl before many times, maybe it is time for me to learn about it.
It seems like usb connection for cnc stuff is the top of a lot of peoples list since the usb 3d printer stuff started not too long ago.

[jalessi]

RunForrestRun,

Please post a image of the stepper driver / breakout board so we can determine exactly what you have.

There are hundreds of 3040 providers and the hardware / electronics are not all the same.

Jeff...

[RunForrestRun]

Bingo! On the 3d printing - I got a Printrbot Simple a year ago. It's cool but I wanted to try some woodwork.

The other way to go would be to replace the controller. Reading the forums a lot of people don't rate them.

[RunForrestRun]

Hi Jeff,

Here's the front panel and the insides. The emergency stop button is flakey

[jalessi]

RunForrestRun,

Pin 14 requires +5 volts (active high) it is the enable pin for the drivers.

Jeff...

[RunForrestRun]

Thanks Jeff, I saw your post on Sat morning and I'd been waiting all weekend to try it out. Sadly I was unable to get anything moving - I tried it high low, via grbl and writing to the pins from my own arduino code. All that happens is the motors lock when I turn the power on. To go much further I think I'd need an oscilloscope.

Plan B is to replace the driver board in the controller with an arduino+shield with some Pololu A4988 drivers. I got a motor moving the first time I powered it up, which was a nice change from banging my head against a wall for the past week. I think it could work out well - the controller has a power supply and a cooling fan. My main concern is the A4988 might be bit under-powered. I measured the locking current from the controller at 1.4A. The A4988 will deliver up to 2A if cooled but they look a lot less substantial than the TB6650s I'm replacing.

I'll post a pic if I get it working

[jalessi]

RunForrestRun,


Instead of the A4988, take a closer look at the drv8825.

It may be a better match with the steppers your machine is equipped with.

Complete Kits, Stepper Motor Drive items in DRV8825 store on eBay!

No doubt heatsinks will be required.

Jeff...

[RunForrestRun]

I finally got it working!

Shortly after my last post, I shorted something and fried an arduino, the shield and the drivers. The replacements took a while to arrive - the post isn't the best here.

I upgraded to the DRV8825 drivers. Good call jalessi.

I added a relay to control the spindle. You can see it at the top of the pic. The arduino is to the right where the original drivers and heatsink were. I'm also trying to hook up some limit switches to the socket on the left, but I haven't fastened them to the mill yet.

Overall I wouldn't call the project a success, because my mill was out of action for 3 months. Nonetheless, I'm pleased with it. The cost of parts for the arduino, shield and drivers was under $40. When I was pricing the machines on ebay a USB controlled package was around $200-$250 more than the parallel port. So I saved money even though I ended up buying everything twice

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