I always use a 10A fuse before supplying AC to the transformer, essentially a short on the secondary will instigate a surge on the primary which will cause a short circuit, usually a fuse or a cb will work in this condition .

Back running
 

Heres the latest version of my machine. The plasma torch machine is only mounted when needed and its water pan isn't shown in the picture.
Cheers

You forgot to put a toilet bowl on the y-car... :D

Wouldn't that be a kitchen sink, Ken?? :)

The grand experiment continues!
 

You cant see the kitchen sink or the toilet cause its on the other side! :)
Also added, a video camera, xbox kinect heads, led gantry lights and a 3d printer head just because. In the works, a panel saw, drill head and full arduino control with wifi. and a partridge in a pear tree. . . .
I find its a faster setup with all the extra stuff added on top. It takes longer for me to install the water pan than the plasma torch. Spindle cooling tank and radiator works well up top to keep the cooling lines shorter.
To me this is the grand experiment, always something to learn and apply. Best yet it pays for us to jump on a boat and go cruising :)
Cheers all



its all b.s. until its built and running!

good idea
 

lol good job, I'll do the same thing good idea thanks

If the darn thing only had arms to set itself up.

Well its been awhile. . . . . .
Time to replace the gearboxes and the old computer. So that got me thinking, what's the latest and greatest control system nowadays? Very happy with my 203's or my Arduino setups. So far this seems to be a step in the right direction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOohypDWiSk
Whatever I end up with it has to handle a 6 axis setup (multiple machine setups).
Any other ideas out there?

Cheers all
Tim

Interesting

This is the one that I'm thinking about getting with a newer computer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6Axis-MACH3-...AAAOSw8-tWVr5-

I would stay away from these chinese boards.

Instead you can go with Linuxcnc and Mesa boards, either pci or pci-e 5i25 and maybe some addon card for io or 7i76E ethernet card with lots of IO and 5 axis output.
I see lots of converts to linuxcnc these days including me.

I would like to try the CSMIO/IP-S actually

I installed couple of them and can't see any reason for IP-S on a mechmate, IP-M has sufficient number of IO and 125khz output is more than enough

This isn't on topic but I want one for Christmas!

https://miterset.myshopify.com/produ...et-package-set

I am curious Danilo with your statement about the IP-M. What was your impression of the unit? I don't believe IP-M would support a 4th axis or can you tie X and B together on it?

All CSMIO are pretty much the same, all the IO circuits are same except maybe CPU.

Step/dir is differential on all units

as noted on the CSLabs website:

Well thanks for all the input. For the record I haven't had any problems with Chinese chipped boards so far.
The adventure continues...
Cheers
Tim

I'm moving away from Mach to UCCNC. They just released their new UC300 Ethernet controller, and for a limited time are giving away a free software license with it.
It has 5 ports of IO.
I got mine the other day, with a CNC4PC M44 motherboard.
I plan on using a CNC4PC C62 breakout board on two ports, and if I need more I/O, an M27 and M28 board, which will add an additional 12 inputs and 12 outputs, all at 24V.

http://www.cncdrive.com/UCCNC.html
http://cncdrive.com/UC300ETH.html
http://cnc4pc.com/motion-control/mot...therboard.html

UCCNC has a better trajectory planner than Mach3, which gives smoother, faster, and more accurate motion.
I'm working on a new screenset now.
I'm working on a new screenset for UCCNC now.

Ger,
I started a thread in CNC software http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...41&postcount=1

Would you share some of your experience and information about UCCNC there for us and others?

The upgrade is at a snails pace
I'm sorta leaning towards this system :
https://www.teknic.com/model-info/CPM-SDSK-2310S-RLN/
Its arduino based so its easy to scale up.
Lately Ive been making rubber gaskets out of nija flex on the mechmate. (Sorry didn't take any pictures)
Cheers
Tim

Ooo, those Clearpath servos are nice and are definitely in my future at some point.....

To answer a few questions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...s-CNC-machine/
Scalable and cheap.

I must warn you about noise problems on arduino running cnc firmware (like grbl)
it can pose a problem running along VFD and other drives and transformers. Also connected via USB which has a number of noise problems (like usb smoothstepper)

I dont use any of the shields but normal Breakout boards to connect arduino boards to other equipment.

But it does not stop anyone from using it along with me, for some machines like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0tdxahzODU

Did you ever get the tool ch ager working?

Hi Mark
I haven't spent much time on the tool changer. I've been building other machines for folks. I hope to get to it sooner than later.

Cheers
Tim