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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    8

    Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    I just purchased (very reasonably priced) a 17" X 40" Romi Bridgeport EZ Path lathe that has major control issues. Can anyone recommend a conversion kit that I can buy that won't break the bank? I have talked with Centroid and their 1st rough estimate was $18K. WOW- I can buy a whole CNC lathe in perfect condition for that!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    4

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    4

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Posts
    23
    I spoke with them also about a retro fit on my jet mill (bridgeport clone) and after researching I found a few other companies who were much cheaper and imo just as good. One company I found was Ajax in Pennsylvania. Not sure the cost but seemed to have more options price wise. Your servos and drivers might be fine so a controller upgrade is all you would need. I wound up buying a cnc masters baron mill and boy what a mistake. Not only is the controller crap and the build very poor quality the software is just horrible. But I got it so cheap that I am trying to find someone to build me a new controller to run mach3.a system I know and understand. Good luck with your lathe.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    22

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    If your Romi Lathe has Brushed DC servo's you can do a Centroid Kit for cheap. The DC All-In-One board can run 3 Brushed DC servo's up to 15 amps. The boards costs $2300. You can do the whole build for under 5 grand if you can do the work yourself, that should include a computer as well.
    There's also the Oak Board that can run four 3rd party servo's, its around $1800.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    28

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    The EZpath is already PC based. It uses brushed DC servo's with quadrature encoders. Any Pentium based PC ,smooth stepper interface and 2 Gecko G320x servo drives will do the job. The smooth stepper will give you the USB or Ethernet interface to fit any computer including laptops. It will also allow the spindle speed input to be used in Mach. You would spend less than $1000 to make the conversion, all the connection info comes with the hardware, the Gecko's are very accurate and stable.
    Good luck with your project.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    9

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    Your analysis of the situation seems spot on MH57, except for one thing, the Geckos have a maximum voltage input of 80vdc, while the BP servo supply is about 100vdc. Have you ever done one of this conversions? I only ask because I have one that I'm about to as you suggest, and get rid of the old, expensive stuff.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    28

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    Quote Originally Posted by dstep View Post
    Your analysis of the situation seems spot on MH57, except for one thing, the Geckos have a maximum voltage input of 80vdc, while the BP servo supply is about 100vdc. Have you ever done one of this conversions? I only ask because I have one that I'm about to as you suggest, and get rid of the old, expensive stuff.
    No I haven't done the EZ path yet but it's in the plans. I did convert the diskette drive to USB and use a thumb drive to load programs into it. The EZ path will accept standard .txt gcode in this manner so I'm not in a rush to tear into this thing. I made the conversion on a RB1 bed mill a few years back and it works great. I haven't measured the servo voltage of the ez path yet but if its to high for the Gecko you can put a 80 volt transformer in it to suit. The servo's being DC can run on different voltages with no real problem.
    I don't know what the actual voltage rating on the EZ path is but the open voltage on the RB1 is 100 volts but the transformer says 80vac. The Gecko's have no problem with this. I will look at my EZ path and see what it's rated for.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    9

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    I was looking at the BP/Romi manual the other day, and in it they made a statement that if the DC voltage for the drives was too high, to use another tap, so there may be lower voltage taps available. I haven't been able to get mine to wake up yet after a HD failure, and sitting for five years, so I may dig out the transformer and have a look. I figured that the only down side to running the servos at 80 VDC, as opposed the the original 100 VDC would be a slower rapid feed rate, but that may or may not be true. What software are you using on your bed mill?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    28

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    I use the Mach3 CNC software. The servo transformer is in the tail-stock leg and does have many taps on it. Should be able to get a lower setting. Do you have the software to run the control card for the servo's?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    9

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    Good ol' Mach3. I did a conversion on a BP mill that runs great, and was cheap, about a grand. I'll have to plead ignorance about the software you are asking about, I only have a copy of the original EZ path Ver 2.08, and I haven't been able to get it to load yet. Get a sector missing error??

    Sorry CPatten, didn't mean to hijack your thread. I looked at the All-in-one Centroid conversion, and it looked pretty easy. My problem with it is that you retain your old servo drives that are expensive to repair if they go down ($700) and if the all in one board quits, then more big bucks. I am a hobbyist so it must be cheap, you on the other hand may be using it for business and can justify the expense. I think I will try and do a conversion using Mach3, Geckos, and hobby type hardware where no single component in the system costs more than $175 to replace.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    28

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    Quote Originally Posted by dstep View Post
    Good ol' Mach3. I did a conversion on a BP mill that runs great, and was cheap, about a grand. I'll have to plead ignorance about the software you are asking about, I only have a copy of the original EZ path Ver 2.08, and I haven't been able to get it to load yet. Get a sector missing error??

    Sorry CPatten, didn't mean to hijack your thread. I looked at the All-in-one Centroid conversion, and it looked pretty easy. My problem with it is that you retain your old servo drives that are expensive to repair if they go down ($700) and if the all in one board quits, then more big bucks. I am a hobbyist so it must be cheap, you on the other hand may be using it for business and can justify the expense. I think I will try and do a conversion using Mach3, Geckos, and hobby type hardware where no single component in the system costs more than $175 to replace.
    Missing sector sounds like your missing some system files. In order to install a new hard drive you must format the new drive with dos 6 with the /s switch so it becomes a bootable
    drive. Then install the dos software and Bridgeport software. An autoexec.bat file has to be made to load the .bin file for the servo drive card so the Bridgeport program can find it when it starts. If not the Bridgeport software will display drive not found running in desk mode. This mode is for making files on a desktop computer where its more practical.
    I have all the software for this if you need any.

    Steve

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    9

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    Thanks for the offer of the software, which I may take advantage of if my version won't load. Disks were laying in the chip pan when I bought the lathe so I am hoping they aren't corrupted.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Posts
    1

    Re: Best CNC Lathe Conversion ??

    I realize this thread is a bit old. But since BP software was mentioned....
    We have an old BP EZ-Path at a student shop. Some genius just managed to wipe the hard drive (brilliant!), and while we DID have an original BP install disk, someone else managed to delete 4 critical files off of it during a failed attempt to reinstall software.

    We've dealt with EMI in the past - got a stack of corrupt disks from them, and never really got the software we wanted in the end. Anybody know a way to get a specific version of the old BP software again? Disk was version 2.08...

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