CNC Boxford Lathe

[Hood]

....Give them a call /...

Be seated when you do

 

[citizen kane]

Been chatting with a friend who has some experience of NC machines.
As other have mentioned his advice was to scrap everything before the stepper drives and replace with more modern motion control
board and Mach 3.

 

[Spark plug]

Been chatting with a friend who has some experience of NC machines.
As other have mentioned his advice was to scrap everything before the stepper drives and replace with more modern motion control
board and Mach 3.

It’s not as hard as it first sounds once you get your head around it, how is the spindle powered, induction motor?

 

[citizen kane]

Spindle is an induction motor controlled via a VFD which I assume is probably voltage controlled from the existing control board.

 

[Spark plug]

Spindle is an induction motor controlled via a VFD which I assume is probably voltage controlled from the existing control board.

That should make things slightly simpler.

 

[citizen kane]

Contacted Boxford today, looks like the machine is too old to work with their current software and they no longer support the original software, they can update the hardware but I suspect this would be prohibitively expensive.

 

[Ali]

Oh well, worth trying. Did they mention whether it was Windows software they no longer support? If it works on XP for instance it would be easy enough to get hold of an old pc.

 

[northwest]

Did they mention whether it was Windows software they no longer support

This lathe and indeed most all NC kit do not run on Windows, or indeed anything like it.

 

[nick952]

Rather than using the no longer in development Mach3, have a look at UCCNC:- https://www.cncdrive.com/UCCNC.html

If you go for UCCNC, I've got an unused UC400ETH you are welcome to, as I went down the Mach4 and ESS route on my mill

 

[citizen kane]

Many thanks nick952, that's very generous of you. There seem to be so many avenues to go down, this would be an excellent start and means one less decision to make. Would I be correct in thinking that the UC400ETH followed by a suitable breakout board connected up to the step and direction of the current stepper drives is the way to go.

 

[Hood]

Does UCNC fully support all lathe features nowadays?

 

[citizen kane]

Don't know, but I think the motion control board is compatible with Mach 3.

 

[Hood]

Don't know, but I think the motion control board is compatible with Mach 3.

Yes but again does it support all lathe features that Mach3 supports?
I am not trying to say not to go down that route but rather to say to check it can do what you want before you waste time and find out it can't.

 

[citizen kane]

Argh, see what you mean, will try and find out. I know a lot of what I'm reading is aimed at milling machines and other X,Y,Z type machines. One issues that seems to come up a lot is how to control the capstan too lpost.

 

[Hood]

The turret looks to be a simple stepper affair so if it is it should be relatively easy to do.

 

[nick952]

Hmm, thought I'd read that the Lathe function had been added in the UCCNC software, but checking on the forum, it would appear not.

PM if you still need the board, once you've done some digging to see if it's suitable and I'll stick it in the post.

 

[citizen kane]

Would appreciate so guidance on which way to go with this. Its been suggested that an Arduino uno could be the way forward.

 

[Hood]

No idea about the Arduino, do you have experience of them? Is there a good user base to get help?

 

[citizen kane]

Don't have any experience with any of this. I guess I'm looking for the least painful route, I've read a number of articles on forums when individuals have started conversions, hit problems and then the trail goes cold.

 

[Hood]

Probably Mach3 would be your best route, lots of support on their forum. It is not perfect but does work well enough for the most part.

Linux etc will probably require a lot more learning and help may be a bit more scarce. If you know your way around Linux then it would make it easier but still...

One of the board/software combos like UCCNC would likely be fairly easy but as mentioned earlier you would have to check they supported a lathe as most just tend to support mill/router/plasma type machines.