Superpid
 

removing speed control from router is easy. my friend helicopter johns made a video on how to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3QK9R7my_s
There are several other videos. All the speed control is the speed selection button or knob. Al they want you to do is get it out of the way so the superpid can have a full range of speed. the other issue is steeling your wifes black and white nail polish and painting the end of the armature. you will also need to glue the led in place. epoxy or the putty that you form and then it hardens will do the trick. Good luck.

If you can't afford a spindle, the SuperPID is really a great alternative. I've been running a pre-release test version for quite a few years now.

Thanks for the info, guys.
I pulled the trigger last night on a SuperPID....
Should be fun to play with til the MM buys itself a spindle.
I'll keep everyone updated as usual..:)

I have a question, Ger...
I'm wanting to add a pushbutton on my y-car to start the simple zero routine (single chevron button) on my Mach2010 screeenset. Can you point me to a how-to or offer any pointers?

I would be interested in that one as well Ger.

Me three...

There are at least 3 ways to do it, none are terribly easy.

The easiest way is to wire the button to a keyboard emulator, and assign a shortcut key to the button in the screenset.

Another way is to use the macropump to monitor the input and call the macro. To do this safely, though, you need to add in some safeties to prevent Mach3 from detecting the button press multiple times. You may need to add LEDs or DRO's to the screen to use this method. Examples in this thread:

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/ind...ic,5912.0.html

The last way is actually the easiest without a keyboard emulator, and involves the SetTriggerMacro command in Mach3 macros.
There are a few threads at the machsupport forum explaining how to do it, but they're all a little vague.

Basically, you do this:

In Config >Hotkeys, set OEM Trigger #1 to 301

Create a macro named M1919.m1s and save it with the other 2010 macros in MAch3\macros\yourprofile\

The contents of M1919 should be:
SetTriggerMacro(889)

In General Config, add M1919 to the Initialization String.

Setup up your button in ports and pins, Input pins, assigned to OEMTrigger #1.

Simple, huh? ;)

Here's how this works.

The initialization string calls M1919, which tells Mach3 to assign M889 as the Trigger Macro. The 301 in Config Hotkeys tells Mach3 to run the macro assigned with SetTriggerMacro when the OEMTrigger is activated (your button).

Ummmm,.....Yeah....Simple.....:o

I've saved this thread as a reference. Could you comment on how its being done here?
Looks similar to your second option?
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/ind...c,14938.0.html

A quick look seems to be the same as the link I gave, with the same posters and same examples.

If you're wiring this to a breakout board, use my option #3. It's really quite simple. I'll post the macro here, and I'll give more specific directions tomorrow. I'm already up too late.

Continuing the hijack :) ..... thanks Gerry. I was going to try and do this with the MachMad plugin but will follow your lead instead.....

Darren

I have just had the same issue that I needed to solve for a client.
I used a game controller and attached a key press to the simple auto zero button in the 2010 screen set.

Gerry did it for me initially as the Mach screen editor was doing weird stuff.
Later I managed to attach a simple "p" to the button then map that "p" to a game controller button.
Either way I now can just press a button on the wireless controller and the probe routine starts.
I also have mapped an 'Esc" key to the button right next to the probe button to stop it if anything goes wrong.

To jog your memory it is the xpadder app that I was using to do the keymapping to the game controller. To edit the 2010 screen set I would highly recommend using a windows xp install as the app plays up big time under win7.

Ross

Not a Hijack, Bruce.

Ger, thank you for the help, Having used your screenset for close to a year, I can say it makes using the machine much better. The support you give it is great.

Ross, I thought about a Rumblepad, but all I need is a button next to where I plug in the zero-plate, to save a walk back to the console. Walking 5-6 steps didn't seem like a big deal, but the better I make things, the greedier I get....:)

if you have some arduino experience you can built one. its really easy
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ardu...rcuit/?lang=es

just use another triac if you need more power.
i have done some light dimmers and works great up to 2000W

Just to follow up.

To call the simple auto zero from a button.

1) Assign the button pin to OEMTrigger #1 in Ports and Pins > Input pins.

2) Go to Config > System Hotkeys and enter 301 in the first box for OEM Trigger #1

3) Go to Config > General Config and add M1919 in the Initialization String. You can include it with other codes. I set a default feedrate and spindle speed this way, so my Initialization string would be:
S10000 F150 M1919

4) Copy the macro I posted above into Mach3\macros\yourprofilename\



That's it. After closing and restarting Mach3, the button becomes active after pressing reset each time you start Mach3.

Note that you can only do this for one macro and one button. If you want multiple buttons starting multiple macros, you need to use one of the more complex methods.

I believe I have my weekend project ahead of me now. Thank you very much, Ger.

Well, had a snow day today, so I spent it in the shop, and all I can say is:

Ger, you sir are a genius. I installed a momentary contact button on the side of my button box on the Y-car, wired it to pin 12, blindly followed your instructions to the letter, and now I can run the simple zero routine without walking back to the keyboard.

All I had to figure on my own was to toggle the Enable button for OEM trigger 1.

For anyone following, works a champ, and Gers 2010 screenset is a tremendous value for what it does.

Excellent Darren, will set that up when I ready to go. Would love to figure out how to do both touch off function on one button as well, might have to be the guinea pig for that one :)

My new favorite button. Used it 3 times today.
Seems the little things can make the most difference.

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...pssewqjyjv.jpg

Spending some time learning about Mach and the additions that can be made are worth while. While I don't use a touch off plate but rather a digital touch probe with a plate for Z zero with an offset, I made a lot of modifications to the code to fit my needs. It is nice to have the people here and at Mach support with the knowledge and kindness to share. Using MachScreen is a great tool also for forming your screen to your needs as well. Hood posted at Mach forum a very useful macro for disabling the toolpath at the start of Mach after you press the reset which was very helpful for me because of the toolpath preview causing the problems it was for me.

This is great information that you all shared for others to learn and grow from.

Thank you all for your information and hopefully someday we will be able to return the favor to you.

A little inlay work....
I was brought a section of white oak truck flooring cut into a bench 18"x120" and asked to inlay some 1/4" Walnut into it for a local duck club.
I used Aspire and factored in a .015" offset allowance for the inlays, but they still required a little persuasion with a hammer and block of wood.
Tight. It will get dropped off tomorrow.
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...psmtm0nugb.jpg

Very nice. I am looking forward to when I can do some projects like that as well.

Thanks, DB... won't be long now.

Way Cool :cool:, how much persuasion? should there be a little more offset? just trying to get a feeling of the inlay feature of aspire.

A little light tapping. I did a sample of the duck head in scrap 3/4 and 1/4 ply, before I committed to the real stuff. I only had enough walnut for 1 shot. First trial was .030, which seemed a little loose. At .015 I didn't fear it not going in, or breaking the walnut, but it was tight. You have to be careful with brushing your glue, as there is little room for squeeze out, and too much will hydraulic, and actually push the inlay back out.

superPID came yesterday, so I'll try to work on that this weekend.

I've been thinking about a new dust foot for a while, even though the old one works OK.

I cut these out of scrap Corian, the solid-er one will attach to the machine and the 3 others will have strip brushes in 1,2, and three inch lengths and wil be held on with 2 alignment pins and rare earth magnets epoxied into the bored holes.
In theory, I'll choose the strip brush length by bit size, and snap it onto the base.
Bit changes should get quicker too.
We'll see.
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1wcpt770.jpg

Nice idea on using the magnets. I will remember that when I make my dust foot.

I keep a bunch of neodymium magnets around my shop. I am always finding uses for them. To make them easier to handle, I embedded several into pieces of wooden dowel.

I used a dust foot similar to that on my previous (much less rigid than MechMate) router. If the brushes actually contacted the work, going one direction, then reversed direction, the Z-axis would flex up a bit from the pole-vaulting action of the bristles. If you were V-carving, it was enough you could tell it in the "width" of the letters...if pocketing something, the bottom of the pocket wouldn't be true.

Mechmate might be rigid enough to resist it, but with the MechMate being held down by basically spring pressure through the motor mounts...I would be interested to see how it does.

I intend to make something similar to this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj65opfmses

Think there was a similar design done (Dave?) that I saw on this forum somewhere, but can't find it now. Bit changes are easy since the spindle lifts out of the shoe...My $.02 worth anyway.

Doesn't that depend on the type of brush used? Coming from another type of CNC machine I know there are alot of satisfied people using KentCNC dust shoes, he uses a really soft brush that seems to conform to most shapes on the table.

Of course finding soft brush material long enough for our dust shoes is a bit of a hit and miss affair.

The one I have was a KentCNC shoe.

I have the same shape shoe on my machine now with a 3" strip brush I got from Grainger and have never had the issue you speak of.
The only downside is the longer length really splays out and doesn't return to shape, and occasionally blocks my laser zero pointer.
And, 3 lengths to choose from with a quick changeover ups the cool factor.
Obviously a plus....lol.:cool: