The Home Machinist!

SORRY.

Manual Data Input - is where you treat the controller as a big calculator.

G1 X10.0 F200.0

linear move, 10 mm in +X at Feedrate 200 mm / minute

you can walk the tool around the part, one line at a time without actually 'writing' an official program.

Some controls (like my FAGOR), allow you to hit a series of buttons... X-> and the table will just move in the X+ direction, feedrate controlled by the feedrate override knob.

Very handy for just simple stuff, including drilling holes (but you have to know when to STOP!).

Sounds like a 10 ton power feed...you'd never leave that feeding and walk away, huh?

Anyway, hope this sideline is not boring the OP...

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Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
Logan 10x24 Lathe, RF-30 Mill, 20 Ton Press
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...

Perhaps my questions came in bursts that were too long. Anyone have suggestions for DIY sites or elementary books?

Thanks!

Bob

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--Bob

Gorton NC mill converted to manual to be converted to CNC.

Such projects abound over on cnczone.com

To solve that riddle, BP used to sell a quick change holder that uses #30 taper adapters. Seems to work pretty well. Adapters are changed using a chuck key similar to one used for Jacobs drill chucks.

Harold

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Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.

Bob

My first project was a CNC router/plasma table from scratch. I learned several things from it.
My second project was converting a Harbor Freight X2 mini-mill. I learned a lot from that one.

Do a search for X2 CNC conversion and lots of sites come up. Many have videos that show
conversions from beginning to end. Even though it is a mini-mill all mills will have similar requirements.

John B

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http://www.ngshay.com/
Shay drawings and castings

Hoss is active at CNCZone, same guy with the G0602.com and G0704.com websites, also has extensive info on the X2.
http://www.hossmachine.info/ and I will not be surprised if he also rips his RF-45 clone.

_________________
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
Logan 10x24 Lathe, RF-30 Mill, 20 Ton Press
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...

Really?

I spent quite a while on that site today, and saw nothing but ads, ads and still more ads. And they weren't the sort of ads that one learns from; they were "fluff." Is there some sort of inner sanctum for initiates or is CNCzone just one big ad scam?

Is there a CNC forum (other than this one) that has some substance?

--Bob

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--Bob

Gorton NC mill converted to manual to be converted to CNC.

RCW, I do not know about the other's here, but it would help me understand what you are interested in accomplishing.

You have not really responded to my suggestions with the Grizzly small machine projects. I assume that is because the machines are too small league for you, and I only assume that because there is such a wealth of information about them and the X2 conversions that have been linked by me.

So what gives there? Please?

I understand the issue with CNCZone, they have way too many forums for the casual observer and I even find it burdensome to navigate their site, but that is the nature of the market. It is quite versatile and there have been ventures in so many different areas by so many different companies.

If you are at all interested, Hoss2006 has posted his CNC projects in extreme detail at CNCZone and on his websites. There are over 100 pages of detailed images, drawings, schematics, and commentary here and in other similar threads: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop_ ... g0704.html

The principles carry almost across the board, but you may be interested in other Bridgeport conversion kits, packages from the likes of CNC Masters, or even from HAAS.

Which ballpark are you playing in? I'm sure someone here can help at least get you moving to the next step

_________________
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
Logan 10x24 Lathe, RF-30 Mill, 20 Ton Press
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...

YES, REALLY! It is a forest, look at the trees while you are there and ignore
the bunny poops, each is there for its own good reasons and each serves a purpose.

Try these for starters, it took me just a few seconds to find them using the SEARCH
function and the key words MILL CONVERSION:

CNCZone - Taig mill conversion to CNC - TONS of pictures

CNCZone - Vertical Mill, Lathe Project Log

CNCZone - Mini Mill to cnc Project log

I'd continue and list many hundreds of potentially useful discussions from CNCZone,
but I have now lead the horse to potable water twice. The choice to drink or not is
beyond my control.

ADS? I run FireFox and have the AdBlockPlus add-on installed, so my opinion is universally:
"WHAT ADS?" My sympathies go out to anyone who browses the web without a decent ad
blocker.

This thread has gotten me excited about CNC again...what am I missing in this bare-bones system?

Thanks to OldVan's post, I was able to discover HobbyCNC, with a complete 3-axis kit starting at just $260, all I'd need to buy in addition is a power supply, box for the control board, and a PC...if I use LinuxCNC? Well, I already have the other items, so I'm into CNCing for under $300 if I go with the stock lead screws on my mill and count in some mounting hardware?

OK, realistically, I'll get the 305 oz/in motors, so that is not too steep!

Here is a basic block diagram.

_________________
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
Logan 10x24 Lathe, RF-30 Mill, 20 Ton Press
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...

other than the problems of a PARALLEL PORT connection to a motherboard.....