That can't do lathe, no spindle encoder input.

You want something like this. LINK

http://www.newkye.com/h-pd-102-0_334_53_-1.html

Chris PM sent

Edited By John Stevenson on 11/09/2016 21:48:13

Price = zero seems a bit of bargain So thought I'll sign up but sadly it then gives me less info than I had before. Maybe website issues?

Is this the total game changer? Something that will really do threading? Something that recreates what we could do with BBC Model B connected to a Boxford TCL 25+ years ago?

I don't know about these "CNC-in-a-box" one-offs.

1) How are the conversational programming features? Spares/replacements?

2) Networking – can you "drag-n-drop" files to them?

My LinuxCNC machines:

1) don't have keyboards (trackball, MPG, numeric keypad only) so are dedicated to running LinuxCNC;

2) even with a Mesa 5i25 card, cost a lot less than these CNC boxes, and perform MUCH better than the current GRBL-based systems for equivalent-ish price;

Lastly, I keep harping on how the relative youngsters (those under, say, 55 now) know a lot about computers and can usually figure out any problems, it's just the old codgers that have difficulty.

Just my (pre-coffee) tuppence on a Monday morning…

Mach3 lathe threading can be very hit and miss and is not in the same league as LinuxCNC. Mach doesn't reliably track tool position per pass, so it won't compensate for a change in spindle speed, however, LinuxCNC does.

Mach might be OK for short threads but probably not for feedscrews.

Martin.

Edited By blowlamp on 12/09/2016 13:01:08

Theres something thats very appealing about the halfway house between CNC and manual, teach lathes as they used to call them.

I think it's definitely got these amazing uses in milling complex shapes or turning strange radii. But other than that i like the ability to control myself whats going on in the simple processes.

Michael W

"Mach3 lathe threading can be very hit and miss and is not in the same league as LinuxCNC. Mach doesn't reliably track tool position per pass, so it won't compensate for a change in spindle speed, however, LinuxCNC does."

After a little practice I've found that Mach does a reasonable job at least on fine-ish threads. What Mach doesn't cope with is significant slowing of the spindle during the cut as it only syncs the tool and the work once per pass, just as each pass begins, then relies on them staying in sync and the spindle speed staying constant. It might not be very good for feed screws but fine for the type of thread I showed above at least on my Super 7. But if I wanted a feed screw I'd probably buy some precision acme rod. There is also an alarming bug in the Mach simple threading wizard that you have to fix in the G-code.

OK short sharp reply.

Everybody here is looking at this from a purely selfish attitude, how does it affect me. Ok nothing wrong with that, we all do it but please look at it from another aspect.

Most who have posted here are probably using CNC and have converted their own but now look at it from the view of someone who can't do all this CNC mumbo Jumbo and just wants a machine to use.

In this case our hero has to rely on third party suppliers and MOST importantly SUPPORT.

Mach 3 was a good system, developed by Art Fenerty and a limited team of testers who were also users and he listened to them.

Linux is possibly a better system but run by a team of developers not users who frankly don't listen to anyone and this has been well documented over the years. With Linux everyone is free to do what they want and return any modified code to the developers but then it falls thru the cracks.

All these systems require hardware like breakout boards, external controllers computers etc.

Everyone tells you Linux is free, technically yes but the time taken to set it up isn't. No two computers whether free, bought or whatever are the same. The result is when a system is shipped out to a customer you can get all sort of problems that have to be supported.

Hardware is a nightmare in that many of the suppliers never sort problems out with their hardware, refuse to answer questions or support, or just disappear off the fact of the earth.

This is a shelf above the bench where I prepare CNC conversions.

In those boxes are multiple versions of breakout boards drivers, external controllers etc.

The total cost of this lot is well over £1,000 possibly close to £2,000 and this is not the only store of crap redundant parts that don't work or that I can't get support for.

So please excuse me if I sound bitter and selfish.

I have had to jump in my truck, travel from Nottingham to Bristol, Darlington and Hull on 4 separate occasions to replace faulty supplied boards for customers as part of the support package.

I could go on and on but suffice to say I see these simple all in one box a total game changer.

Problems with the box ? Could happen but in over 20 years of working with CNC's I have never know a proprietary controller to go down, it's always the ancillary board, encoders etc. The simple controllers being made at the moment are actually less than a decent breakout board, forget the computer and licensing.

Suppliers goes out of business OK can and will happen but the box will carry on running.

OK Mach and Linux will be around for a long while and suit many why can and are able to play but spare a though for the vast majority who just want to own a CNC machine and use it without knowing how it works inside.

These people are not the minority like the posters on here but the Majority.

.

John,

That's a very well-reasoned comment; thank you

My only fears about the one-box approach are to do with its [presumed] "all eggs in one basket" failure mode … But, to be honest, if the price is reasonable, and the build-quality appropriate; why worry ?

I suggest that this controller merits a detailed description, and a thorough review, in MEW.

MichaelG.

Cheapest one is around ?115, next one a bit more market is ?150. These will run 3 or 4 axis milling machines and routers but not lathe if you wish to thread.

So basically you get a controller for the price of a new PC.

Setting up is very easy on these cheaper ones and as they become more popular people will share their setup files as is the way of the internet.

And yes I have brought 4 controllers into the country and of the 3 I have looked at I am very pleased with the simplicity