Usb cnc controller

H

HoskenCues

Custom Cuemaker
Silver Member
UI'm currently doing research on CNC and I came across this.
Anyone tried their hands on this and would it work for cuebuilding?

Thanks
 
The only one I've used is the Smooth Stepper. If that's the one you're referring to, your machine better have 0 backlash as the backlash compensation in Mach3 doesn't work.

You can buy this from Newegg to put in your computer if it doesn't have a printer port. It's a bit tricky to get working in Mach 3, but I can help you if you need it.
 
I don't know. You need to be able to calibrate your machine some way. I don't see any menus for that in the photos on their website. I'm not sure I would trust it.

Most of the people here use Mach3, so getting help with configuring it wouldn't be difficult. I don't know of anybody who uses this so you would more than likely be on your own.

It also looks like it costs about $90 and another $90 for the software license. Mach3 is less than that.
 
Tony Zinzola said:
I don't know. You need to be able to calibrate your machine some way. I don't see any menus for that in the photos on their website. I'm not sure I would trust it.

Most of the people here use Mach3, so getting help with configuring it wouldn't be difficult. I don't know of anybody who uses this so you would more than likely be on your own.

It also looks like it costs about $90 and another $90 for the software license. Mach3 is less than that.
Click to expand...

http://www.planet-cnc.com/cnc_3axes/index.asp

Checking on this, I could see that it seems pretty capable of doing inlays and pockets. As for calibration, there must be some way for sure, to come up with a finished product like this. But then again, I'm not pretty sure how to.

I'll try to get in touch with them and maybe they'll provide more info.
 
With work like that, you do not need the accuracy that you do for inlays. I'm not saying this isn't capable of it, I'm just saying that if you don't know anything about CNC, it would probably be easier to use a program that would enable you to get some help.
 
Tony Zinzola said:
With work like that, you do not need the accuracy that you do for inlays. I'm not saying this isn't capable of it, I'm just saying that if you don't know anything about CNC, it would probably be easier to use a program that would enable you to get some help.
Click to expand...



Oh I have MACH3. I have not started dabbling in it but once I get my feet wet I'll give you a call Tony. Thanks
 
Could you elaborate?

Tony Zinzola said:
.....
...as the backlash compensation in Mach3 doesn't work.

.....
Click to expand...

I agree that you should work to remove any unneccesary backlash, but it's virtually impossible to eliminate "all" the backlash in any mechanical system.

I just don't understand your statement. It did take a little tweaking, but the backlash compensation in Mach3 works fine for me.
 
Because you're not using a smooth stepper Bill. What I was saying is the smooth stepper drivers are still in beta and the backlash compensation is not working. It ignores any settings you enter into Mach3.

My machine has 0 Backlash on the Y Axis. I can move it 1000 times and move back to a digital indicator and it will read .0000. It is supposed to have 0 backlash on the X axis as well, but the best I could get it to is .0014". With that adjustment in Mach3, I can also move 1000 different directions, 30+ inches away from my indicator and when I tell the machine to go to 0, the indicator will read .0000.

I have put silver boarders around inlays as small as .003". Looking at them under a 300x microscope, they are concentric all the way around. If I was using the smooth stepper, they would be off. The boarder would not be the same thickness all the way around.
 
My bad!

Sorry Tony! Poor reading comprehension on my part:o I didn't realize your statement only refered to Mach3 when using the Smooth Stepper. I've heard of the Smooth Stepper, but don't really know anything about it.
 
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