On Mon, 2011-05-02 at 13:26 -0700, Speaker To-Dirt wrote: > > Hi All: > > I have a friend who just got a nicely working > Shizuoka with an old Bandit controller. Now I want to help > him retrofit from the 80's to today, but he's pretty leery > of losing his machine for a 6 month project. ... Not an > outrageous fear. > > Does anybody know how of a way for EMC2 or another > package like Mach3 to spoon feed modern g-code files to the > Bandit controller? I'm looking for a minimal intrusion to > allow my friend to have the ability to use a computer from > the 21st cent to run his mill. > > Thanks. > Andrew
If the Shizuoka mill uses steppers for the axes, like mine: http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/Shizuoka/ and all of the parts are at hand before you start, then it shouldn't take more than a day or two to get the axes working and a usable machine. For my first pass I mounted everything to a piece of OSB (oriented strand board) and once everything is sorted out, I will make a proper housing, but I am using the machine just fine with the jury rig. If the machine uses servos, there will be more issues to work out before you start the conversion. My Bandit worked well when I got the mill, but I after trying to use it, I found a number of issues that I could no overcome. As far as I could tell my Bandit could not do coordinated moves so arcs and certainly 3D was out. The serial port was the only means to transfer files and file names could not be used so you had to remember which file number had which file. The memory was very limited so three or four files was the limit. After a couple of days fiddling with the Bandit, I just removed it and never looked back. -- Kirk Wallace http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ http://www.wallacecompany.com/E45/index.html California, USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
