Author Topic: Cheap Cnc Controls.  (Read 18939 times)

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Cheap Cnc Controls.
« on: August 10, 2014, 08:43:34 PM »
I purchased a Sainsmart TB6560 3 axis 3.5 amp drive board off Amazon, $52.
I purchased a Uno Arduino micro-controller off another site, $17.
Headers pins, $3
I purchased a 24vdc power supply from another source, $35.

Downloading "GRBL" firmware- software for the Arduino off Github (free)
Using a "wire wrap tool" to make inter-connections, see pin-out for Grbl, make sure you are creating a positive step pulse.

A couple of cheap stepper motors I removed from a plotter years ago, suddenly you have a "full blown cnc control" for a tad over a hundred dollars. 

Mechanical, Doing the "3d printer" method of "toothed belt", about another $25-30.. and you have most the mechanics. Slides are 8mm chrome cnc axis rods from Amazon, sliders are ball bearings costing about $2 each.

Now all parts are "here" to complete the "cnc plasma" I started 10 or so years ago. Those servo motors-gearboxes I have near a thousand in thou.

To use GRBL arduino firmware, you simply connect the usb cable and "drip" gcode statements-movements to the arduino from a laptop, the arduino takes care of all the co-ordination & Interpolation of movements. It is not as fast as a real "computer and Mach3" so if you want, wire off the 3 axis drive with a parallel port cable, so you can connect a pc if you want to go faster. I found the speed on my unit is around sixty ipm or so.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2014, 09:35:29 PM »
Excellent Dawai!

That would be way more than fast enough for a hot wire cutter for foam by the way -- to anyone interested in the lost foam casting process I've been writing about lately. While it is only three axis, it could still be set up to cut untapered cores -- actually you really only need two axes for that.

You can control a hot wire cutter with the free JediCut program -- probably would work with the sainsmart -- I'm guessing without the arduino -- not sure.

Anyway, thanks for posting! :thumbup: :clap:

I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2014, 10:58:41 PM »
I bought some nichrome wire for a Hot foam cutter, a SSCV (rheostat voltage control SSR)  I plan on doing some cnc cutting.

Unit is running flawlessly. I installed it on a back panel, two Gecko 203 Stepper drives for two 5 amp 400oz motors. A TB6560 3 stepper driver (sainsmart) running two 280 oz motors, and the third axis running a stepper printer extruder. It screams like a lil girl running off MACH3 (same computer that runs my bridgeport cnc)  Sound gave me a all day headache.. really annoying, so I predict insulation will be in the enclosure when I build it.

Now doing the mechanical work, bought a box of 25 chain, sprockets, cam belts, gear sprockets.

To Run from one Parallel port, I split a db25 cable, identified the wires by meter, connected both the tb6560 and the gecko drives to one port via a terminal strip.  Two of the drives on the TB6560 are tied together, Siamese to run together.

I have Grbl running on a Mega2560 arduino, It will be tied in with jumpers to a parallel port cable where it can be moved in and out in case I don't like it.. I have had some trouble with the Chinglish translation.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2014, 11:24:29 PM »
It would be great to see some pics Dawai, if you get a chance.

You inspired me to get another single driver board, just received. Haven't tried it out yet. Amazing how prices have come down.
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline ieezitin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 662
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2014, 09:04:06 AM »
Hi.

I am more than interested in making my mill a cnc but I have never made electrical boards or connected computer parts together, but I am more than capable of reading schematics, any chance someone could make a detailed thread on building such equipment to make the brains of this system.

Many thanks.

Anthony.
If you cant fix it, get another hobby.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2014, 12:26:35 PM »
THE video of what I have stuck together so far.. a large format Wax 3d printer for my aluminum casting shop.

     


Anthony.. I have a communication problem, Sometimes I type-or talk and nobody has a clue.  The best educational thing you can find on cnc's how "home made" ones work is the "mach3" manual, download the pdf and read.

I can do you a drawing on "how this one works", almost the same as how my 1976 bridgeport cnc works, the parallel cable pins pulse the drives, one pin for each function, ie: pins 2 is the x step, pin 3 is the x directional pin, 3 is y step, 4 is y direction, 5 is z step, 6 is z direction.  THE inputs, pins 10, 11, 12, 13 are normally used for home limits and a estop.

THE tb6560 board has limit input places, supplies 5 volts for them, has opto-isolated inputs on the parallel cable. Only has 3 amps of output, so you are limited to about 280 oz motors thou.. for larger motors than a table top mill you will need gecko drives or similar ones.. some gecko drive require a "negative" pulse, not a positive one.. that is where things get complicated.. you are required a break-out board to invert the signal pulse.. THE gecko 203's I am using here are one of the most expensive drives they sell.. the 201's like I have in the bridgeport cnc are cheaper.

I recently redid the controls on the Bridgeport, my old bulldog Butch pulled the cables out the side and tore them in two.. I think he was after a mouse??  He was quite a character to have around the shop, he'd steal every screwdriver he could get his teeth on, I have not found them in the 8 years he has been deceased.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2014, 11:17:29 PM by dsquire »
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2014, 01:50:57 PM »
So.. new stuff.. A RASberry Pi, small micro-computer running a Arm processor. Does run in debian Linux, Java, Python, QTmaker software.  Loaded Grbl controller by Zapmaker, he has instructions on how to do this, it came from github software repository.

THE Pi can be loaded with a usb memory stick, dump to the arduino running grbl line by line of gcode, freeing up the computer to continue to monitor the wax burnout and smelter preheat, stl file cleanup, meshlab, slic3r and of course run the Bridgeport cnc .

Not as complicated as it all sounds, really..   That big bridgeport would probably run fine on a grbl Arduino, it has a cross slide that weighs about 350lbs and is slow as hell with the geckos just throwing 7 amps at the 1200oz steppers. BUT then all the great wizards Art put in there would not be at my disposal. (polar holes, hole arrays, text engraving, etc)

I am fixing to wire that mega to a parallel cable.. choosing to use jumper wires going to a terminal strip, or wire wrap, heat shrink and solder to the tiny wires in the cable. THOSE db25 cable wires are so small when you tighten a screw, it cuts them in two and they fall out.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2014, 06:45:43 AM »
Comparing the Grbl code ran arduino-stepper to a 10 year old computer running Mach3 is like trying to fly side by side with a 1900s biplane versus a SR71 blackbird. (old skunkworks but still a badass plane)

Question is , do you need all the speed? A cnc really messes things up "fast" and makes good metal into scrap.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2014, 09:05:04 AM »
Hi.

I am more than interested in making my mill a cnc but I have never made electrical boards or connected computer parts together, but I am more than capable of reading schematics, any chance someone could make a detailed thread on building such equipment to make the brains of this system.

Many thanks.

Anthony.

Your question deserves an answer, Anthony. Let me think about how to do a thread on it. In the meantime let me just give you some basics of what I have and use (but not everything in the world possible re CNC by a long shot!).

I use steppers, not servos. If I had a financial choice for adapting a heavy mill table, I'd probably have servos. Servos move smoothly, steppers move in steps. Presently a stepper system is cheaper and easier (I believe -- not being totally up on latest developments) to put together yourself,

Steppers can be controlled in 2 ways, the first is by having the controller output the proper number of steps to get a tool to move to a particular position. This is the commonest method for stepper drivers

The second is by having a feedback system where sensors (scales) continuously monitor the position of the tool and the controller uses that information to output steps and rates to the stepper motor. It is the same method a DRO -- operates on essentially it is a digital read, with the positional data being fed to the stepper controller rather than a readout. Naturally there is often an integrated physical DRO with this type. This is the only type of control method used with servos.

My CNC systems are stepper systems with counted steps. I use older computers as well, and tend to use free software throughout.

One system uses an integrated combination stepper controller board (HobbyCNC) which can output directly to stepper motors all the drive signals they need at the power they need.

Another system I have uses separate individual components to do the same thing. That means that each stepper motor has its own driver component, and there is also a breakout board -- which is what the computer cable and various driver boards and power supply all attach to.

Both systems are set up for older computers and connect to them with a parallel printer cord. Newer computers do not have a parallel port, so must use other methods of connection.

That's about it, in general for what you need, if you want a similar system:

1.) a computer to read G-code and run the CNC program
2.) standard printer (or other input) cable to connect the computer to the driver(s)
3.) either an all-in-one multi axis driver board with built in connector and a power supply -or-
4.) separate drivers for each axis, and a breakout board to connect them all together with a power supply and a cable socket.
5.) stepper motors adequate for the speed and torque required for the job (a somewhat deep subject of discussion)
6.) mechanical drive method (ie ways, bearings, screws or racks) that will optimize the characteristics of your mill AND the stepper motor specs and type.

That's a start, anyway.








I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline ieezitin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 662
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2014, 06:19:03 PM »
VT..

That was to me a very useful, simplified explanation of the total mechanical / electrical needs of a cnc. Most of which I understood, i have used and owned stepper machinery in the past so I really relate to it. but at the time of ownership of the equipment I got a bit lost in the G code thing, but! i know software today interfaces all that.

i know parts are more than available( stepper motors and screws etc) are cheap on the market.

Thank you for your time in the explanation, a detailed thread on a build on the brains of it would be more than welcome by allot of people, its a tease to me that for a small investment i can achieve a fully automated machine.

thanks again.

Anthony.
If you cant fix it, get another hobby.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2014, 09:47:05 PM »
Glad it helped Anthony. Since then I've thought of a couple more things.

First, the reason Dawai's system seems complicated in description is because he is building some of the basic components I listed from scratch. Essentially he's building a replacement for the computer, in fact.

You don't have to do that. you can just go with pre-built black boxes and a regular older computer. In his system one of the main building blocks uses a microprocessor which also needs control programming. It's very cool, and interesting to hardware hackers (me included), but again, not something you would have to do at all.

As far as operating your machine, G-code shouldn't be frightening. It is actually very simple, but yes usually a program writes the G-code for you nowadays. Usually it is CAM software which translates what you draw in CAD to the G-code needed to do the work by the machine.

Just briefly, G-code is a simple list of commands, like "move to point x,y z". On your mill, without CNC, you would do the same thing by cranking handles to get to a position you want to plunge in at.

That's all it is. simple list of mechanical instructions. It may then say "move to Z - 3.000" That would mean lower the mill head 3mm (and presumably start cutting).

Say you wanted to move to x=1, Y=2 and Z=4. And then plunge into the material to Z= -3. Here's what the actual G-code for those two instructions might  look like:

G00 X1.000 Y2.000 Z4.000
G01 Z-3.000

G00 means "move as fast as you can to this position"
G01 means "move at the feed rate to this position"
X, Y and Z just tell what axis to move
The feed rate was set earlier in your program by a different G-code -- not shown. You can change it at any time.

That's the basics. Obviously there are a LOT of available G-codes. Some for cutting circles, or peck drilling, or tapping, or changing tools, or changing feed rates or changing from metric to imperial units, etc, etc. But all undertandable if you just look at it this way -- it's just a list of commands. Of all the kinds of things you want to do.

Sometimes I think the easiest way to learn it is NOT to try to follow a course of study, but just to have your CAM program generate a simple G-code program for a simple part, and just read through the program, and look up the G-codes as you go along. Just as if you were the mill and you needed to know what way to move. You will quickly pick up the basics and probably have some of the most common G-codes memorized in a day. And that's probably all you'll need for quite some time -- the rest you'll pick up along the way. Don't let giant dictionaries of G-codes snow you -- you don't need to know every command and a lot of the jargon for an exam. You just want to learn how to use your machine for practical personal uses -- the rest will follow.


PS, if you want a simple free CAD program linked with a simple free CAM G-code output capability, try SketchUp with Sketch-U-Cam installed.

Best to first go to the Sketchucam website, http://sketchucam.jimdo.com/   before getting Sketchup from Trimble -- that way you will have enough info to know what you want and how to install and configure it.
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline geoff_p

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 49
  • Country: th
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2014, 02:45:59 PM »
Some years ago, I built CNC router from scratch - balanced on top of an old twin-tub washing-machine, it used 5/8 UNC threaded rod for axis-movement, each driven by a 200 oz-inch stepper, and controlled by Mach 2 (prior to Mach 3 coming out.)  It cut wood and some plastics quite well - though the noise of the router-motor was appalling.

Nowadays my PC doesn't have a printer-port and I can't justify the cost of bits-n-bobs to go USB from Mach 3, so I use GRBL -> Arduino (Uno) -> A4988 stepper motor driver (2Amps max) -> 200 Oz-inch steppers.

G-code is fed down a USB-cable from grbl-controller, on the PC, to GRBL on the Arduino.

G-code is written by hand in a text-editor: as VT says, it is not complicated - there are only four "codes" you will use most of the time,  Plus a couple for set-up and called just once per file.  Everything within () brackets is ignored, but it does help Me follow what I have written.
Thus:

File name: extra-base-with-bolt-lugs.O-R.nc

(Extra base for Twiss-engine, with bolt-lugs)
(Drg: "extra-base-with-bolt-lugs.xar")
(This file cuts around the OUTSIDE)
(same file-name + .I.nc for the INSIDE)
G21 G90

(drawing assumes 1/2" ~ 1/4" taper cutter at 1/2-depth i.e. 9mm)

(Start at "A")  (A label on my drawing)
G92 x9.9 y0  (G92 sets the machine starting point.  Normally you would use X0 Y0)

F150  (Feed-rate or cutting speed.) (This is "remembered" until YOU change it.)

(Go To "B")
G3 x9.8 y19.2 R9.61  (An anti-clockwise arc, ending at X9.8, Y19.2, with a radius of 9.61)

(Go To "C")
G1 x10 y19.2 (go to x10 y18,2 at cutting speed - that F150 we saw earlier)

(Go To "D")
G1 x10 y50.5

And So On .....

By the way, ALL CAM files are merely TEXT-files but often with deliberately confusing file-extensions - .nc; .tap; etc etc

The .xar file referred to is a 2D vector-drawing package.  It does NOT output CAD/CAM stuff.

And if I need to check my G-codes, I simply load the file into Mach 3 for viewing.  It will often show-up the error(s) of my ways!

Geoff
Thailand.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2014, 11:18:22 PM »
Nice touch Geoff adding comments to your code throughout with parenthesis ().  :thumbup:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2014, 04:07:03 PM »
PLUS, timing, as the "micro seconds" tick off stepping a motor in Windows, Microslop decides to "go off" and check to see if there  are new Adobe updates it can install or?? what ever it does..

In your ears.. you can hear the bridgeport "stutter", the high pitched scream of a stepper (not on the bp) hiccups..

THE arduino is not saddled with so many issues to tend to at once, Look in your system monitor and see how many processes are running at once, in this machine is 72. To make Mach3 efficient you have to "strip it" down to minimal functions.  Fine unless you use the computer for design and other functions too.. as I do.

3.1 Dos was better for somethings.. old turbocnc was written in Turbo Pascal, you lose the wizards of mach3, and the mouse, and ...     I ran mixer machines running off computers for "weeks without turning them off".. now the blue screen of death will show up long before that.  I'd like to find one of them 50lb At Dos computers that still worked..  I've tried Qdos, the linux imitator dos, etc..

MY newest creation here is a cnc plasma table, servos, gearboxes, chain drive.. running on "plastic trolley wheels" on inverted angle iron.. I started out big, now have shrunk it down to 7'6" x 5" x 10".. it may get a router, drill, tapper, and eventually laser.  Stepper motors are much easier to "tune" in.. servos "hunt" all around where you want them to go. It really needs a dual trace  o-scope to make them right where you can see input and response waves.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline philf

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1106
  • Country: gb
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2014, 04:59:26 PM »
PLUS, timing, as the "micro seconds" tick off stepping a motor in Windows, Microslop decides to "go off" and check to see if there  are new Adobe updates it can install or?? what ever it does........ To make Mach3 efficient you have to "strip it" down to minimal functions.  Fine unless you use the computer for design and other functions too.. as I do.

My CNC runs fine on a Shuttle PC with a minimum install of XP and Mach3. It cost all of £23 delivered + a cheap 64Mb Video card. (Video with shared memory can cause problems.) There's no internet connection and no network connection - I transfer Gcode files from my laptop where I have my CAD and CAM programs with a USB memory stick.

I've got rid of Adobe Reader on all my computers primarily for the reason you state. A much better reader for me is Nitro Reader - it will even write pdfs from any program that has a print function. e.g. It works perfectly with Autocad. It also reads pdfs which point-blank refuse to open with Adobe Reader!

CCleaner from Piriform is one thing I couldn't do without. It allows you to easily see what Windows wants to Start Up and you can disable anything you deem to be unnecessary (which, in fact, is nearly everything).

You also need to disable screensavers and any auto sleep functions.

Phil.
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #15 on: September 03, 2014, 09:56:30 PM »
I still use TurboCNC in DOS. I run it on a 1998 Thinkpad 600E laptop that I hacked up to a Pent 3 and overclocked to 800 mhz.

Not necessary for TurboCNC, since it will run happily on an even slower computer, but hey it was what I had in the "retired" bin. It has a parallel port. I also transfer my G-code to it via USB thumb drive -- booting the lappie briefly into, uhhhh ahem Win98SE.

My normal OS flavor on my more recent lappie is Puppy Linux, and I run SketchUP and SKetchUCam in WINE on that to draw and generate G-code.

ps. Libre Office Write will write pdfs, and Inkscape will hack the vector graphics right out of pdf's and rewrite it into any format you want.
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #16 on: September 04, 2014, 02:41:42 AM »
I found TurboCNC very easy to customise and used it for PC upgrades on a Denford ORAC CNC lathe and also a TRIAC mill. Previously they had proprietary hardware.  Having  access to it at code level made things easy integrating a tool turret on the lathe and probing on the mill.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #17 on: September 04, 2014, 06:53:28 AM »
Off topic a second? SketchUcam??? I can not download it.  It says download unavailable.

I need a simple near like autocad 14 drafting program too. I know autocad 14 since I worked as a engineer (1990s) and they had a license, I had a ebay purchased copy, but it "quit" and Norton informed it had a worm.  (after I used it for a year or more)

I have sketchup on this machine. Not learned how to use it yet.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #18 on: September 04, 2014, 07:10:18 AM »
Off topic a second? SketchUcam??? I can not download it.  It says download unavailable.

The proper download link for ver 1.1d (latest release) is here

http://www.phlatforum.com/xenforo/attachments/sketchucam-1_1d-rbz.519/

You may have to join the phlatforum to access it at that link -- not sure, since I already belong.

Definitely worthwhile joining the forum to get info on installing, tutorials, example projects, etc. All documentation is there.

Explanation of "phlatforum" and "phlatboyz": This software was originally written for a proprietary machine called the "phlatprinter" a mill that cuts out 2D foam sheet parts for R/C model airplanes. Phlatboyz have always made the software free and open source, and over the years it has been extended to include competing gantry style mills, and multipass pocketing. not just 2D on the phlatprinter. It's a good outfit, with a good philosophy. And the forum is very interesting.

There are many Sketchup video tutorials there as well as sketch-ucam tutorials. So, both CAD and CAM instruction.

It's not the best organized info in the world -- hence your earlier problem finding the proper download link. But hey whaddya want, egg in yer beer?
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline MetalMagus

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 43
  • Country: gb
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #19 on: September 04, 2014, 07:26:28 AM »
I have always found A9CAD a good free substitute for AutoCAD when creating 2D drawings.

Regards

Sean

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #20 on: September 04, 2014, 11:57:59 AM »
 <quote>egg in yer beer?</quote> No, I poured over 5 gallons of beer out this morning, when I brewed it, I used fresh hops.. way too hoppy.. like having a green pine cone in your mouth.. (As a kid I was hit in the mouth with pine cones a lot playing army)  Pouring out beer is alcohol abuse.. some people like it hoppy, not me.

NOW the scotch eggs the wife makes.. hell yeah, gimme a few of them with my homebrew. I don't know how she gets that sausage so thin, crumbs just right..

I'll research a9cad right after my nap.. My damn cnc was drilling crooked holes today... probably from not using a center drill, and a wore crappy bit.. but nothing matched up...  had to oversize half the holes.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #21 on: September 04, 2014, 12:20:06 PM »
Maybe the egg would have helped it?  :lol: :lol:

I kinda remember from the movie "Mcabe and Mrs. Miller" somebody drinking egg in a shot of whiskey. Wonder if either was improved by it?
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline awemawson

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8966
  • Country: gb
  • East Sussex, UK
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #22 on: September 04, 2014, 01:10:02 PM »
Isn't that supposed to be a cure for a hang-over?
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Dawai

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 124
  • Country: us
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2014, 01:35:36 PM »
Well when I was in intensive Martial arts training, raw eggs for breakfast.. NOW they say that will kill ya.  That was a very very long time ago.  Beer is liquid bread. I drank all through training.

I got about five or six gallons of the over-done hops beer left.. The scott & german in my blood cries out as I pour it out.  I tried mixing it with tomato, salt, lemon, lime.. Neighbor mixed a few 50/50 with a cheap storebought beer.

Had a bad day today, maybe going to become a hermit.
Nothing has worked right.  THE download point I chose for a9cad tried to install a toolbar on my browser, would not let me exit the install.. Pissed me off to a reboot.. there are hundreds of places to download that software. I chose the wrong place.

I did remount my model3 bender horizontally on a roll around table. I need a valve to control retract, am using air.  I blew one cylinder out on this homemade rig years ago, it pumped hydraulic fluid into my air lines all in the shop. 3500vs150psi.. The air lost. The pump was empty when I noticed. I also splattered it with black paint.
I Hung a 24 foot Ibeam this morning in the ceiling by myself, programmed a Arduino this afternoon for a solar project, Helped a buddy out with a electrical motor connection issue on the phone, then cut up a chicken for Hotwings. I'd say it has been a "blessed day" for myself and all those around me.

Offline vtsteam

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6463
  • Country: us
  • Republic of Vermont
Re: Cheap Cnc Controls.
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2014, 02:16:03 PM »
Well I'm sure it's good for trapping slugs in the garden. Just place some shallow tins in the ground and fill it with your brew.

In fact bottle it as Dr. Dawai's Organic Slug Poison and make your fortune!  :D

Bad year for slugs here......
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg