GLOAT
I see Camsoft just put my CHNC lathe up on their web site. Likely too much trouble for most because you'll have to register and log in to see it. Scroll down page to CHNC
Karl
Karl, Any chance you can YouTube it for us?
Rob
I tried registering with camsoft but their wizard is blocked from emailing me. go figure. I'll take my business elsewhere.
I don't sound like myself in person.
I don't think it looked or sounded like you, Karl. BOTOH, I don't know what you look or sound like.
I tried registering with camsoft but their wizard is blocked from emailing me. go figure. I'll take my business elsewhere.
I don't sound like myself in person.
I hate sites that want your life history to look around. The Bobcad saleman has finally quit calling me....
Wes
When my son was a teenager, he could have given a strong opinion on what I looked and sounded like. Fortunately, he's 25 now and I've learned teenager is a temporary condition that only lasts ten years or so.
Karl
Hey Karl,
I have a OEM 15" CNC lathe with servos that has eaten something in the controls's, and it is a 1985 system, so it isn't up to today's standards anyways. I haven't done anything about it for 4 years, but I'm getting to the stage of this move to anew house that I just might have an interest.
Did you do the upgrade to Camsoft? If so, would you mind giving me some details, off group if you would prefer.
Was this an OEM NC or CNC lathe originally? How long did it take to do what? Approximately what did it cost?
Appreciate any info your care to part with.
Take care. Happy New Year.
Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The last few years, my metalworking hobby has been more about upgrading old CNC machines to Camsoft than making chips. I've done three machines and helped on others.
The Camsoft software is expensive - $4K. It uses a Galil computer on a card that is expensive - $2K to $4K new. You also need I/O cards and Opto22 boards and modules for all input and output. I've found that all of these items can be purchased on eBay for a tiny fraction of new. For the Hardinge CHNC, I paid $2K for the iron and about $1.5K for the control parts. Then bought the machine again getting it fully tooled. Probably six months of work over a 1 1/2 year period.
This is a higher end control route for professional refits of machines with toolchangers. There is a much lower cost hobby grade CNC control, Mach3, that I would look at first for your needs.
Karl
Doug Higgins? want his cell #?
And if you want to go completely free (at least software wise), there is the open source EMC2 system, which runs a special kernel of Ubuntu Linux. Originally developed by NIST, the EMC project is constantly changing and improving. I use it to drive my CNC Taig milling machine, and I know people who are using it on their CNC'd Bridgeports, Seig X3's, and one guy who uses it to drive his 8'x16' CNC plasma cutter (watching that thing cut 2" steel plate is an interesting experience!).
Sound familiar. Since I work midnights, his calls were particularly annoying.
Hey, I could call him at 4 am from work! ;)
Wes
Galil brings back memories. I used a few DMC 720's years ago to run some contraptions made out of two crossed thompson slides and various other bits to apply hot melt glue to the edge of package trays (that thing in your back window) before folding the carpet over the edge.
I had a few communications with Dr Tal as I managed to find and document a few bugs in their firmware. Galil was pretty quick sending me new roms with the fixes.
Wes
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