Progress Peek
I am spending a lot on mental energy and linear time developing what will be a really cool controller for the Taig Micro-mill. I want it to be a solid option for my customers who buy a Taig CNC ready mill from me and want a complete system. Read “Sneak Peek” previously.
I don’t plan to make a nickel on this controller. I can personally build an even better one if I wanted to but there is no need for a “better” one. The new one is top notch. I also do not want to be in the business of supporting electronic devices I built myself (as a manufacturer). My own homebuilt controllers have been wonderful but I do not desire to sell and support them.
What it comes down to is where do I want to be spending most of my time, building controllers or making jewelry with my excellent performing mill?
What I want to do is use my tools. The controller just becomes a transparent device that hides in the shadows and gets the job done. I don’t want to keep fooling with it. It’s just a reliable tool I don’t need to constantly upgrade and maintain. I may “tweak” a setting in MACH 3 once in awhile but I don’t want to go in under the lid into the hardware.
I am nearly there. The refining process is fun but I do not want the development period to last forever. I know when to freeze a design. I really want to get back to using my time and my machine for creative work.
I have two Taig machines so I will eventually have the new one available for local sale. I am not looking forward to trying to repack the mill for… Continue reading
Sneak Peek
Here is a sneak peek at a brand new Taig CNC ready mill running some 185 oz/in steppers with a new control I am testing and evaluating. There will be a few updates before I can discuss the new features. Here it is running a 3D carving program at 50 IPM. Short micro moves on the Z axis are creating the crunching sound. Sweet music to a CNCer.
Here is the complete test layout.
Taig CNC Ready Mill
Taig Mill #2
I have a fresh new Taig CNC ready mill as seen in this picture coming into the shop for awhile. I will use it for testing CNC controls. I need to experience setting it up as a new machine owner would.
Most followers of this blog don’t know my original Taig CNC mill is now 30 days from being nine years old! It is still running like new. Maybe better. It’s hard for ME to believe I have been using it for that long.
This new Taig CNC mill should behave exactly like my nine year old Taig mill. I do not expect any surprises. The mill is exactly the same as it was nine years ago. The exception is originally my machine did not have the high speed continuous duty ¼ hp motor.
This is a serious investment in inventory dollars but I sold three Taig mills last month. Sales are good. I also don’t want to tear apart “Old Faithfull” just to test new control systems. I did consider doing that (in a different blog) but I totally like what I have. I have a Smoothstepper built into my home built controller and I was fussing about losing that nice feature. It won’t be included in my recommended package simply for cost reasons, but is highly recommended, even necessary if you don’t have a parallel port on your PC. There will be a different serial adapter available.
So I will have a fully setup and well tested new Taig mill and a functional CNC system I can sell to recoup my investment. Everyone wins!
I could promote the Taig CNC factory package and I may still do that but I am considering something a bit different and I think with more… Continue reading
DRO Error Fix
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- Getting Error Code
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- Fixed – Normal Screen
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- Installed on X3 mill
This is my DROpros DRO that I installed on my X3 manual mill back in February of 2010. There is also a complete install article in The Hobbyist Machine Shop. Go visit both links.
This is the best addition I made to my manual mill. I use the DRO on everything I make on the X3 Who needs dials anymore?
Well, I did. I was about to run a few cuts and when I flipped the DRPpros on it did its little display dance as I call it the gave me an error seen in the first picture. The X REF kind of hinted to me it was looking for a reference and didn’t find it. I figured there may be a battery inside for a reference voltage.
I sent this first picture to DROpros and explained the problem. They agreed it could be a battery or perhaps a diode that failed.
About a week later I shipped the control head back to them. I did peek inside and there IS a battery on the main board. I checked the voltage and under no load it was only half of the voltage indicated on the battery label. Ta-ta…
Just got it back and as you see it is working perfectly again. I didn’t get a bill for repair or return shipping yet. I paid for for sending. I may not get a bill.
The DroPros owner is a veteran and proud of his customer service. As a veteran brother… Continue reading
TEDEX Forum Phoenix
UPDATE 4/26/14 Registration Fixed (see comments)
Here I go again… (enter TEDEX in the search key word box)
I like some forums. I like the ones that feel more like a club membership than a forum that wants to dominate my life. Well, actually being the administrator or a moderator of a forum can dominate one’s life, if you let it.
The forums I am attracted to are the ones that stand alone and are not associated with one of the big mega forum providers. The big boys fill their forums with advertising and sell my viewing habits to product vendors in order to pay and make a profit from providing the service. That’s bad Karma for me.
I don’t run any of my websites to make money from views. Maybe I am foolish but it is the way I like it.
Once again I have resurrected the (hobbyist) TEDEX forum from the ashes of cold storage. All the old files are still intact. I left the door open for 24 hours and almost immediately it was attacked by a swarm of Botflies pumping commercial spam into my forum in various forms, mostly pill pushers, with about 25 new posts.
I immediately tightened up the registration and it is still open, but registration now needs more effort. New members need Admin permission and must wait for it. Posts are limited for the newbie to prevent flooding. The latest update of the forum software added some nice tools for spam blocking. Unfortunately spam is a fact of life in today’s reality. If a request looks like spam, I won’t even open the door. Post spam in my house and I will knock you out. I have the can of RAID at the ready! Ha!
I am considering several options for adding… Continue reading