[phatfred8]

Hello All,

I have been reading here off and on for the past year. I found this site last year when I traded a guy for an old CNC Knee mill. I gave him a Wells Index 555, 2hp motor (step pulley), 9x42 table, power feed on the x. I got a Tri-onics Handyman CNC Mill. It has a 3hp Motor (variable speed), 10x54 table, ball screws, one shot oilier, and junk electrical control. I moved the mill to my house and have not done much to it over the last 10 months. I am getting caught up and now am getting ready to start.
I will try to document this the best I can but I am going to have a hard time keeping up with some of the others on the forum. So this is what I am thinking so far. I got an enclosure off of a Bridgeport that was being trashed. So I have mounted this on the rear of the machine and am planning on using this for all my electronics. The power supply is OK on the old Tri-onics control and I will move this into the enclosure and use it. The machine has stepper’s (680oz, 2-1 reduction) with linear scales on each axis. I do not know if Tri-onics used these for position feed back or readout.
I am looking very hard at Gecko’s 202, Larkin cobra’s. As for the breakout board it may be one of the following: Campbell’s, PMDX, or the Grex100. Mach 3 as the software. I am thinking of using one of the first (2) breakout boards because I am not planning on using encoders for the time being. I want to get this mill running and see what doors it opens and then I will probably get a different machine in the future, but I still want a functional machine. I am willing to spend the money and the control wiring and machining will be no big problem. I have wired and programmed many PLC’s, and may other types of industrial equipment.
So this is the start of my progress and I will post pictures of the machine in the next few days.

Thanks all in advance, Brian

The mill I have looks like the picture attached.