Router Table to Plasma Conversion

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JayWal
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Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by JayWal »

I got these Router table for a steal from a friend. The company went belly up so he had no more support or parts for it. I got a hold of it and want to make it into a plasma table. I realize router tables are built for side loads and the gantry is probably too heavy for the speed and fast direction changes of plasma. However I'd rather have a slow and steady gantry than a fast and flimsy one.

So problem numero uno is the PC and software. Its ancient and total garbage. But they used a 37 pin parallel port cable from the BOB to the PC and I cannot find a card with that same port to stick into a newer PC. I'm really new to CNC and I don't think I can rewire a new breakout board and standard parallel port or USB. None ok the wires are labeled and I have no idea what pin does what.

Ideally I would like a USB connection so I can run the table off a laptop, rather than keep a bulky PC in my dusty shop.

I have no experience wiring CNC machines and components, aside from about 100 YouTube clips, if that counts. So I'd prefer buying a complete kit, drivers, power supply, break out board whatever else I need, rather than scavenge together all the parts and unknowingly buying something that's not compatible or not needed.

Thanks for any info

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JayWal
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by JayWal »

Oh and i forgot to add this is/was a fully functioning table with the old pc and software. I ran a few saved programs the previous owner had made using the router, all the axis and limits and the hand remote all work. But the software is pretty much useless for what i want to do with it.
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acourtjester
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by acourtjester »

What you want to do is very possible, you may need to buy new drivers and a USB BOB and power supplies. The power supplies needed if the one in the unit is not putting out the correct voltages, like 36 volts DC and 60 voltas DC at about 10 amps each. If not new ones are not that bad to buy. Does that table use proximity sensors or switches for the home and limits.
I reworked a local guys table replacing components above, now you will need to buy new software, Mach 3/4, SheetCam, and some form of CAD unless you have those already. Hard to tell but is the table using rack and spur gears for X and Y axis drive. wiring the new components is not that hard once you see a diagram you can follow. Sounds like you have more then one table, posible renew and sell one to pay for your to be done :Yay
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robertspark
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by robertspark »

Don't waste your money on buying mach3.

If you have a mach3 licence that is great reuse it... If not look at something else. Mach3 was last updated 8-10 years ago... And it still has unresolved issues that will never be fixed.

Mach3 $175 + motion controller
Mach4 $200 + motion controller
UCCNC $60 + motion controller
Linuxcnc free.... + ...... Depends on your pc....

CNC drive have a usb motion controller which plugs straight into a lpt parallel port DB25 connector, the uc100 which has mach3 + mach4 plugins and is 100% compatible with uccnc....$110

However .... I would tend to recommend an ethernet motion controller with plasma as it will offer MUCH better electrical noise immunity plus is immune from ground loops that can plague poor wiring configurations (I've tried to help a lot of people over the years )
The AXBB-E also developed by CNC drive would be a much better solution these days if all you need is the equivalent of 2 lpt ports in inputs and outputs and costs $198 and also has mach3 + mach4 and is 100% compatible with UCCNC.... It is 24V compatible and does not need a separate breakout board.... It also has a second (5v) lpt port available which could be connected to a 26pin IDE <> DB 25 pin cable if you wanted more pins or have a mixture of DB25 and direct wiring.

https://www.cnc4pc.com/axbb-e-ethernet- ... ler-b.html

I know ALOT of people on here use and support mach3, but the fact is it is no longer supported / developed so the issues that it has will never be fixed (I have mach3, mach4 uccnc and linuxcnc..... But I am not active with linuxcnc... I have never used anything else But am aware of planetCNC, centroid, simCNC (cs labs), estlCAM + gbrl, and many others I've looked at)

Linuxcnc with the Plasmac front end is very interesting and attractive if I was starting out again and I highly recommend installing it on a pc (before buying hardware).... As too I would recommend installing uccnc as it will run in demo mode without a licence to see how easy it is for you to use plus setup.

One consideration with mach3+4 is to make sure you choose a motion controller that can do torch height control as this is a function within the motion controller.... As is touchoff / probing (some of the Chinese cheap motion controllers are known to not be able to do THC... And sometimes probing routines)..... One reason why uccnc is recommended as it ONLY works with CNC drive motion controllers (uc100, uc400eth, uc300 or abxx-e) and all of their hardware is compatible with the software and offer THC M10/M11 plus many other THC functions that operate in sync with motion.

Linuxcnc and plasmac is here
https://forum.linuxcnc.org/plasmac
http://linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/pla ... guide.html

The point being.... Whilst stepper and servo drives are (almost) universally compatible with whatever motion controller and software you choose to use.... Don't rush in and buy something that you may not be happy with later... (Or has known issues and is no longer being developed)

For gcode generation.... Sheetcam is the defacto go to software for plasma XYZ 2.5D + rotary plasma ... As it does leadin/out, looped corners, overburn, plus code snippet options to slow down before corners to give to a tighter corner, and slow down for arcs and circles to give an improved (less) taper in the hole, and also automatic gcode insert to turn THC on and off / antidive and has post processors for many CNC softwares and the post processors are very easy to customise.

https://www.sheetcam.com/
JayWal
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by JayWal »

acourtjester wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:37 pm What you want to do is very possible, you may need to buy new drivers and a USB BOB and power supplies. The power supplies needed if the one in the unit is not putting out the correct voltages, like 36 volts DC and 60 voltas DC at about 10 amps each. If not new ones are not that bad to buy. Does that table use proximity sensors or switches for the home and limits.
I reworked a local guys table replacing components above, now you will need to buy new software, Mach 3/4, SheetCam, and some form of CAD unless you have those already. Hard to tell but is the table using rack and spur gears for X and Y axis drive. wiring the new components is not that hard once you see a diagram you can follow. Sounds like you have more then one table, posible renew and sell one to pay for your to be done :Yay
I haven't checked the voltage its supplying yet I'll check that. The table uses physical switches for limits 1 for each axis. Yes all 3 axis are rack and pinion drive. Very little slop in them at all except for the X axis due to the chain being a bit loose. Even that one has very little.

Nope this is the first table I've ever owned I have 0 experience with any CNC machine.
JayWal
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by JayWal »

Thanks for the info Robertsparks I'll look up those parts.

I do have Solidworks for CAD, probably going to get SheetCam and Mach4 for the software side of things
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acourtjester
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by acourtjester »

Here are 2 USB connected BOB boards I have used on table I have built that are easy to wire and setup and have the connections for THC and torch firing. Should work with your Laptop.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CNC-USB-4-Axis ... 1438.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Axis-MACH3-C ... 6zlkY3QQZA
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East German
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by East German »

HELLO;

LOOK THIS:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MyPlasm-CNC-Sy ... Sw2EJcacIp

Caution:If you are from outside the European Union before buying, please contact proma.

Peter
Sorry for my language! The last English class was in 1982.

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Rodw
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by Rodw »

Before you rush in and buy a breakout board, take the time to work out the number of inputs and outputs that are required to return the machine to full functionality. I cringe when I see people who neuter and devalue a machine by tearing out a heap of wiring just becasue they don't have enough I/O.

You can build an awesome machine for $188 in hardware (Mesa 7i96 and THCAD-10) using LinuxCNC and the included Plasmac config. For an extra $90 or so you can get a Mesa 7i76e instead of the 7i96. It has 32 inputs and 16 outputs plus heaps of additional features above the 7i96. Both of these cards use Ethernet not USB so you can still move your PC around.

Please don't buy a Proma. There was a big fan of proma and a LInuxcnc config for it that he had developed but more recently he has converted to Plasmac and Mesa hardware. It has every feature imaginable and keeps getting better and better. See http://linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/pla ... guide.html
JayWal
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Re: Router Table to Plasma Conversion

Post by JayWal »

I do need new stepper drivers too, correct? 4, one for each motor? (Dual drive X axis) any recommendations on which ones or what to look for?

Thanks for the info guys, much appreciated
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