Hello all,
Yes, I've read the several year old posts about using Linux CNC wiht a G540 but they don't really address the pressing problem I have now.
I bought (like way too many others have done) a Chinese 6040 4 axis router with 800 water cooled spindle. It was originally a USB version. What a crock that was! USB to Parallel. Nothing but a load of trouble. I bit the bullet so to speak and sent the controller box to Aus Gecko distributor for modification to a G540 controller and "anything else that needs doing". That anything else was 2 new power supplies and some tricky wiring to get the 9 pin Gecko stepper outlets to the round original ones. It was tested for functionality (by the distributor of Gecko) to function with Mach3 which I did not have.
I needed to use LinuxCNC version 2.7 which does not have any pre-configured setting for this machine. None of those pre-configured setting will drive the stepper motors. The moment I switch the PC or the controller on, Spindle accelerates to max rpm and the pump starts circulating. Nothing I do software wise will have any effect. I can switch off the spindle but the pump I have to disconnect to stop it. The steppers are locked so there is connection between the controller and the machine but I can't find any setting to get Linux CNC to drive the router.
Can anyone help me please? I could go to more expense and learning buying Mach3 but its up to Mach4 now and no way to control the G540 via USB that I know of anyway. A functional HAL file would be a great start. Even better would be someone using LinuxCNC with one of these beasts on parallel port mode to send me data. Any help is going to be better than none. I'll be hugely grateful for help.
Ryadia