Maybe you could use a dual port printer card in that Dell, This is similar to the one that I use for Mach.
Just a thought.
You would have to disable the onboard lpt port and turn off the power save features.
Tom

http://cgi.ebay.com/PCI-PARALLEL-PRI...1%7C240%3A1318

Progress report: well not much to report other than still having problems with the computers and input 13, tried 4 different computers and the problem keeps raising its head. Busy changing over to the CNCDirect board while waiting for the router mount brackets to come back from the laser cutters. Decided to go with the new (in SA) Bosch 1400 watt round body router (GMF 1400CE) as a proving unit before getting a spindle.

Getting parallel port cards, cables or anything over six months old is proving absolutely impossible in this town, I have managed to find a company that can make up parallel cables for me but any part that fits into a computer is just not available - and the sales staff at the computer suppliers are Sooooo Helpful??? - makes you think they have all only been working in the industry six months because if it doesnt have a USB port or contains the most up to date technology, it doesnt exist :mad:

How can I try and help you Alan? Want to phone me Monday at the office?

Thanks Gerald, will do.

I also looked at that router, can work,what did it cost in CT?

Hi Hennie - Not cheap for its relative size but it does come with a range of good quality accesories that for the most part are not even available for most other brands, in fact not even for other models from the same manufacturer - Price from my friendly industrial supplier R3250.00, listed price is about R3500. It would be great if one were able to just buy the motor from them, but they only bring in the complete kit - warning - it comes with an 8mm and 12mm collet which is useful in our application but you will have to get the 1/4" and 1/2" collets as well (Bosch also has 6mm and 10mm collets available - and these are not reducing adaptors but actual on-size collet and nut combinations, as I said, good accesories)

I designed a holding clamp for this unit, but when I tried to get it made by a friend of mine with an engineering business, the quote to machine it as I wanted was almost as much as the whole kit :eek:. I then sent the drawing for laser cutting, I will do the rest of the engineering work myself and only send out the final bore machining which will be a whole lot cheaper. Laser cutting was not that cheap either R460 for 5 pieces (12mm steel) but as I am not a regular customer, I fall into the minimum charge category, I probably could have had two sets cut for about the same price - if I had known :mad:

How does the cooling air get in and out of that router?

Okay, I can see it in these pics:

http://www.werkzeug-news.de/news6/im...m1400ce-aw.jpg

http://www.ideo.si/nohtek/800/ideo_9968_slika22.jpg

The openings look relatively small - maybe this thing is a bit quieter than the rest?

In American convention, this would be a 2.5 HP router

Not as noisy as my Ryobi or Makita but it sure aint no spindle :)

There is nothing wrong with the Ryobi or Makita which I have 2 Ryobi`s and one Makita but to get them to fit is stil some challenge.My thought on the Bosch was to make a temp clamp for one of the Ryobi`s and use it with the MM and cut a bracket for the Bosch out of aluminium( sorry Gerald I know You dont like aluminium but it would be nice to say that it was made on a MM)
I did get a quote from Hardware Centre in JHB and the price is about the same for the Bosch.

The Ryobi`s are model RE-601 industrial ( 2050 watts with 1/2 inch collets )
must say that the first one gave good service.The second one came at a good price.The only big draw back that i found with them is the collets don`t last that long and to get back up service is like trying to catch fish these days.
That was when the Makita was bought and must say it is a nice router and not as noisy as the Ryobi`s.

OK, I must ad on that once the MM is UP and RUNNING who needs a hand held router.:D

Unfortunately however much we dont want to admit it, we will always need a hend held and table mounted router in the shop, its not always feasible to do everything on the MM (putting a small roundover on the bottom of a cut out piece comes to mind)

EUREKA :D :D :D, its working at last (well at least for now - can you tell my positivity has taken a bit of a dive?)

Changed over to the CNC Direct BOB and there is no more toggeling input, it starts by remote switch and pauses by remote switch. One small problem, the on board relay on pin 17 is not switching the load - the relay is activating as I can see the coil move the contact arm, but the contacts must not be making propper contact, no biggie, moved that line to another relay, changed pin settings and the router output now switches on and off on command (on board relay is only switching a bigger remote relay that actually handles the current to the router)

Thanks to all who came with suggestions and help, especially Greg (Belli) of JHB.

You really are having a bad time with BOBs - both of those you have tried so far seem to have faults on them! Anyway you have learnt more about your machine than you ever wanted to know :D

Where can one download the specs on that CNCdirect BOB?

This is the instruction page that comes with the BOB. - some nice features, especially the 12V out to the inputs and the option of an onboard analogue output for the spindle speed control - it can also control 6 axes (at the expense of general outputs)

see here as well.

A legitimate Mech Mate
 

Whoo hoo, it cuts and produces dust, it can now rightfully call itself a cnc router ;)

Attachment 2904

Happy Xmas! :D

Whoo, hoo hoo

Congratulations :D

Alan,

Sweet!:)

Persistance and hard work pays off! We were feeling for you during those weeks of struggling with the BOB(s).

Congratulations!:)

Regards,
John

Well done Alan. Let the FUN begin. I am very happy with Greg's Bob and help. I like the scorpion. That is my sign.

Nice Alan enjoy and have great fun with your toy.Agree with Kobus , Greg`s help is excellent.Would like to hear what you have to say about the bosch router.

Goodluck!

Great Job Alan!!

Fantastic!

Thanks all

The Bosch router seems like a good fit, there is a large volume of air blowing out at the bottom (enough to keep the area around the bit free of dust) The bottom end however does get quite hot to the touch (been like that from the first time I turned it on) so will have to monitor closely once the serious production starts, too early to give any definitive assesment, although I have spoken to others that have been using it a while and they seem to be happy.

First project to tackle is the dust foot, will have to start stealing ideas from the other great minds here...;)

Alan,
Looking good. :)

Congratulations Alan.

if you can in future make a video of the Bosch working on the mechmate, I would be happy to hear it.

I bought this router as a replacement for my PC, and this one gets pretty hot. I'm not thrilled about that. It shouldn't even get warm.

The bottom end heat is entirely due to friction in the bottom bearing. Brand new bearings will be hotter because they still need to bed/run in. Then they go through a period when they run cooler, and at the end of their life they become hotter again. A graph of temp vs time corresponds to the classic bathtub curve.

Glad you made it Alan!
Congratulations!

But gerald, do you think its normal for a router to get piping hot after 2-3 mins under no load with no tool in the router? Thats the issue I had with my pc. Funny, as it is the cheapest router I ever bought, the hitachi runs not only cool always, but it runs cold.