total beginner - run stepper motor at continuous speed to drive lathe leadscrew

Rodw that link for the electronic leadscrew looks just the job, but it appears to be a lot of lines of code fit for an expert programmer and not much else!! I would not know where to begin - is it LinuxCNC programming? Do i just copy the code into somewhere and if so where do i copy it? Sorry to be so ignorant

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationIts always best to start at the beginning

If you know where that is!

This MPG will do the job. Get 2 so you can do the second axis later. (4 wire 5 volt is what you need to look for)


So start by installing the correct ISO on this link as that includes the PREMPT_RT kernel that the mesa ethernet cards require.
www.linuxcnc.org/testing-stretch-rtpreempt/

I posted a complete working example of a gantry machine based on the 7i76e that uses master branch here
forum.linuxcnc.org/47-hal-examples/34072...ranch-gantry-example
This will not work for version 2.7 which is the release version.

There is a program called pncconf included with LinuxCNC that allows you to build a 7i76e configuration in a graphical environment. I ended up copying someone else's and wrote my configs by hand. Take your pick.

You will need to hand code your MPG wheel and I posted a complete example of a single axis MPG for a 7i76e here. It is exactly what you need as it does not have any axis selection switches as I was planning on using 1 MPG per axis like you.
forum.linuxcnc.org/show-your-stuff/32029...utter-build?start=20

Thank you rodw - really that is fantastic help! You are very kind. Adam

Stormbird wrote: . I am wondering, before trying to master CNC type programming, if there is a possibility of very simple programming just to use one of the motors to continuously drive the leadscrew (at variable speeds) so that I can get smoother finishes to cutting as one does with a regular manual lathe.

Yes. You can actually do it with a few commands at the command-line, But it might be a bit inconvenient to start/stop the feed.

setp stepgen,0.velocity-command 10
to start
and then
setp stepgen.0.velocity-command 0
to stop.

A very simple HAL script could connect the output of an MPG to the step generator speed.

Do you have the 7i76 configured and working?

For lathe work I almost never use CAD or G-code. I have this set of macros that I use for nearly everything.

forum.linuxcnc.org/41-guis/26550-lathe-macros?limitstart=0

I used them to make a D1-4 spindle nose (with tapers and chamfers) last week. (The "turning" macro has an optional taper and radius run-out option)

Hi Andy, no my 7i76e and drivers and motors are not connected to the lathe yet and configured. Hopefully next fortnight...very many thanks for your help. Will revert when connected and configured. Adam

Would JT's stepper winder do what you want ?

gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/examples.html

gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/examples/winder.zip