My setup: LinuxCNC + Gmoccapy + Optiplex 9010 + Intel I35O + Mesa 7i96s + Meanwel RS- 25-5
"---------- Původní zpráva ---------- Od: John Dammeyer <[email protected]> Datum: 15.08.2026 09:46:56 Předmět: Re: [Emc-users] [E-Leadscrew] CNC recommendations Hi Jerry, Those are all good questions. When I developed the ELS I tested the CNC side of things with MACH2 and then later MACH3. MACH3 uses a single spindle sensor to determine spindle speed and when to start threading. My ELS uses a similar approach to determine spindle RPM and as long as the spindle is rock solid under cutting load it’s adequate. Now the discontinued MACH3 shows up with Break-Out-Boards from China as a pirated copy and requires a PC with a parallel port or you have to purchase some sort of USB or Ethernet to Parallel I/O Interface. It won’t work with a USB to Printer Port converter. There is zero support for MACH3. OK. So what’s a different approach? I prefer LinuxCNC (free) which runs on all sorts of PC and even a Raspberry Pi4. The interface I like to use is a MESA brand device that communicates via Ethernet from the Computer. The upside is it handles quadrature encoders so accurate spindle speed and positioning is easily accomplished. Support from Peter Wallace the designer is incredibly good. Can’t say enough good things about him. The easiest solution is this 7I96 STEP/IO Step & dir plus I/O card. https://store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=product/product &path=69_62& product_id=311 With the MESA card you don’t need any sort of Break-out-Board (BoB) but that also means it won’t swap easily to my ELS. The MESA 7i92 series has a DB-25 which then needs to go to a BoB. But the cable from the 7i92 to the BOB can be moved between my ELS and the 7i92 like from a MACH3 parallel port to my ELS. https://store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=product/product &product_id=306& search=7i92 If you want a quadrature encoder for LinuxCNC and threading etc. then at this point the least expensive and easiest solution is the 7i96. Then running the Lathe Version of AXIS user interface allows you to load G-Code generated from any CAM system and do your turning. IF an ELS is a must have then the solution looks more like the attached photo. That’s a setup for a mill. The Pi4 is fastened to the back of the LCD touch screen. Two cheap BoBs that interface with parallel printer port DB-25 s. It can be wired in a way that one of the parallel ports can go to a PC and work with MACH3 or my ELS. But forget about my ELS. Just go for the 7i96 board from MESA. Attach via toothed belt and pulleys an inexpensive encoder to the spindle Put a stepper motor and driver onto the X cross slide and the Z carriage. You can add a home switch for the cross slide with it all the way out. Some sort of movable home switch on the ways to set home for the carriage. That’s harder because depending on what is mounted for a tool the home position can vary dramatically. I’ve copied this reply to the EMC Linux group because there are some really brilliant people who can better answer LinuxCNC questions. John Dammeyer From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jerry Durand via groups.io Sent: August 14, 2026 11:55 PM To: 7x12 Mini Lathe; minilathe; 9x20 Lathe; E-Leadscrew Subject: [E-Leadscrew] CNC recommendations A friend has asked me to help him put together a simple CNC wood lathe to make one specific product (sort of a bowl, not overly large). My experience with CNC has been 3D printers and small mills, my lathe and big mill are manual. So, what software is recommended? I assume standard stepping motor drives for the cross-slide and lead screw. Other recommendations? Does the spindle need speed control or just an angle sensor? He will probably use FreeCAD to draw the model. _._,_._,_ _____ Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#9361) | Reply to Group | Reply to Sender | Mute This Topic | New Topic Your Subscription | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [johnd@autoartisans. com] _._,_._,_ " _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
