Micro cnc lathe and LinuxCNC

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26 May 2014 19:26 - 26 May 2014 19:28 #47343 by micoudic
Hello
I'm new and I introduce myself.
I do not read English, I do not speak English. I use a translator. Forgive me my bad English.
I am retired and I restored an old car. I have to Remanufacture some pieces cannot be found.
I have several machine tools, including a tour 18 x 60 and a drill-milling machine.
I am considering the purchase of a micro cnc lathe.














The parts are small sizes (Ø30 Maxi) and very small series (5 to 20 pieces).
The metal can be of brass, aluminum, steel or stainless steel.
Questions:
(1) can someone tell me if these parts are feasible on this type of machine. It is possible to order it with the stepper motors, or with a servo motor.
(2) if I order the machine with servo motors, the machine comes with a controller GSK or BBF. This causes me a problem, because it is not translated into French. Do you think it is possible to adapt LinuxCNC with these controllers?
Or is it possible to buy this machine without controller, buy the cards controller adapted to this type of machine, then to work the with LinuxCNC machine?

I have found no answer to these questions.

Thanks.
Last edit: 26 May 2014 19:28 by micoudic.

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26 May 2014 20:06 #47345 by ArcEye
Replied by ArcEye on topic Micro cnc lathe and LinuxCNC
Hi

I have no knowledge of these machines per se.

The manufacturers web site shows 3 options, a stepper powered machine with manual tool post suitable for control by Mach 3
That one could be controlled by linuxcnc as easily

The stepper and servo powered ones with dedicated controllers are complete units and it would make no sense to buy one and convert it.
You would just use the supplied controller.

The things that might make me baulk at these are the price, which is high for such a small lathe and what if any after purchase support and warranty there is.
Unless you have a local supplier (re-seller), with spares and repair facilities for these machines, you might as well buy from someone on the moon, as try to deal direct with a firm in China.

For the same price you could buy a used industrial machine (probably too big for you though) and for far less you could buy a good ex-college CNC training machine that could be converted to Linuxcnc

Depends if you are interested in restoring your cars mainly and just want something that works out of the box, or if the prospect of a conversion interests you

Just my thoughts

regards

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27 May 2014 02:23 #47366 by micoudic
Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions and relevant remarks.

The French suppliers take exorbitant margins and the schools no longer have the right to sell to individuals (or companies). They must sell their machine by the administration "Domaines". This administration resells machinery auction. But sales are not permitted to individuals. Only professionals can buy. The biggest opportunity lathes require special tools that I don't own. And I no longer have much space in my workshop.
That is why I want to buy directly there.

I bought all my machines (5) directly in China. I am very satisfied.
It is of conventional machines.
I would like to discover the CNC. There are many examples on the internet from small conventional tours transformed into digital tour. I wanted to do this. But I'm too old and i must reserve some time to the restoration of my car.

If I have understood correctly:
either: I buy the lathe with its controllers and the software that comes with
either: I buy the lathe without the controllers and I should buy controllers and install.
Thanks
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jerre122

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27 May 2014 08:14 #47376 by andypugh

The French suppliers take exorbitant margins and the schools no longer have the right to sell to individuals (or companies). They must sell their machine by the administration "Domaines". This administration resells machinery auction. But sales are not permitted to individuals. Only professionals can buy.


You might find that the machines end up on eBay afterwards.

If there are none on eBay.fr, you could look on eBay.uk
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221445563907
Is a typical example, though you might want to look for ones closer to the channel ports.

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28 May 2014 18:06 #47448 by micoudic
Thanks for the info.
I looked, and then query the BoxFord site. I asked them for information on their lathes. I have no answer :(

I have a few questions regarding LinuxCNC:

1) If the proposed machine is intended for work with MACH3, is it possible not to use MACH3 and use instead LinuxCNC?

2) a- And If the machine is equipped with servo motors, is LinuxCNC can work axes, in this case?
b- LinuxCNC knows manage the automatic turrets (auto control tool post)?

Thanks for your replys.

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28 May 2014 18:26 #47451 by ArcEye
Replied by ArcEye on topic Micro cnc lathe and LinuxCNC

I looked, and then query the BoxFord site. I asked them for information on their lathes. I have no answer :(


Boxford only deal with educational establishments, selling new machines at huge cost with training and maintainence packages, they are not interested in individuals.
You don't need anything from them to convert a 160, all the info is on the web.

The one Andy pointed you to was already converted I think.

1) If the proposed machine is intended for work with MACH3, is it possible not to use MACH3 and use instead LinuxCNC?


Yes, it is quite simple to convert the config they supply to a Linuxcnc one

2) a- And If the machine is equipped with servo motors, is LinuxCNC can work axes, in this case?
b- LinuxCNC knows manage the automatic turrets (auto control tool post)?


Yes Linuxcnc can control them, but there is absolutely no point in buying a servo machine or one with an ATC and converting it.

It already comes with a dedicated controller, which you have just paid through the nose for, you should use that.

regards

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28 May 2014 18:28 #47452 by andypugh

I looked, and then query the BoxFord site. I asked them for information on their lathes. I have no answer :(

Boxford themselves are famously unhelpful. They are only interested in selling systems to schools and charging support contracts to the same schools.
However, there are user forums with good info to be found on the web, other than on the Boxford site.

1) If the proposed machine is intended for work with MACH3, is it possible not to use MACH3 and use instead LinuxCNC?

Yes. Anything Mach3 can do, LinuxCNC can do (with the exception of the USB-based controllers such as Smoothstepper, which arguably isn't still using Mach3)

2) a- And If the machine is equipped with servo motors, is LinuxCNC can work axes, in this case?

Yes. I have a mill driven by AC brushless servos, with Resolver feedback, all controlled by LinuxCNC. That's pretty much as far from a stepper system as you can get.

b- LinuxCNC knows manage the automatic turrets (auto control tool post)?

Yes: wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Contri...oolchanger_component

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28 May 2014 19:35 #47454 by micoudic
Thanks your for your replies.
What I would like on my machine:



What I do not want:



The seller told me that when the cnc lathe is controlled by a microcomputer, it cannot control the turret.
To fly the turret, he need a controller BBF or GSK, Siemens etc..
What do you think?
Attachments:

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28 May 2014 20:03 #47457 by ArcEye
Replied by ArcEye on topic Micro cnc lathe and LinuxCNC

The seller told me that when the cnc lathe is controlled by a microcomputer, it cannot control the turret.
To fly the turret, he need a controller BBF or GSK, Siemens etc..
What do you think?


It is rubbish, but since they do not sell a lathe with a ATC that does not already have a controller, completely irrelevant.

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28 May 2014 22:47 #47462 by ArcEye
Replied by ArcEye on topic Micro cnc lathe and LinuxCNC
You might also want to look at these and make enquiries with the seller

Axminster have a very good reputation here.
They are on the south coast and export to EU

They are probably made in the same factory as the ones you posted, but do not seem to have a dedicted controller, but rather are supplied with windows software.
Axminster will be able to tell you exactly what that is and it looks like the ATC is standard.

www.axminster.co.uk/metal-working/cnc-machinery/cnc-lathes

regards

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