linuxcnc noob

Hello all
I really hate to be that \guy but this forum is a little over whelming. I bought a used sherline mill with cnc kit on it. However no comuter or software. I found an old laptop with a parallel port and installed ubuntu i ran the script to get the linuxcnc iso and it installed debian with the cnc package. No big deal. I tried to set up the basic configuration as per the instructions but all i get is the stepper motors locked and humming when i turn on the driver. I really don't need the actual program to run i need the DRO and the jog features to work as my projects are simple. if i could get some help just to get those tow things running it would be great.

here is a list of what i have
sherline 5400 mill
a2z upgrade kit (3/8 lead screws 8 tpi)
minebea matsushita 23km-k035-62v stepper motors
sherline emc 4 axis driver

Thank you in advance for anyhelp

john

Hello all
I am sorry to do this but i am really get frustrated with this.

I will gladly reimburse someone that can walk me through setting up this mill over the phone. This is not a challenge and i don't think there are any major problems with the computer or the mill.

Thanks for the help.

I am in NJ USA
I have a sherline 5400 with three stepper motors
the motors are minebea-matsushita 23km-k035-62v
the driver is a sherline emc 4 axis unit
the lead screws are 3/8 8 tpi

the parport is 0x278

the motors lock up when connected

i am using the standard sherline 3 axis config that is with linux cnc. i can send the complete file to anyone that needs it.

Thank you so much for the help.

I found an old laptop with a parallel port and installed ubuntu

Probably not a great choice.
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.6/html/common/System_Requirements.html

Have you looked here...
linuxcnc.org/docs/html/

Also here...
linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gui/axis.html

the motors lock up when connected

Well that is a good thing. Sounds like the hardware is working.

Remember when starting linuxcnc you need to Set the power and the E-stop. Top left corner red circle orange square or F1 then F2.

the parport is 0x278

In your .hal file there should be a line such asthat sets the parallel port
You can edit it for the address of your parallel port
If things still are not working, yes post your configuration files here so we can look.

Rick G

The machine is an ibm t42 not something ancient
I will check the other items and report back thanks for the help

The reason it is probably a bad choice has nothing to do with its age, but the fact that it is a laptop.

Lap tops come with all sorts of odd power saving features hardwired into them, and they wreak havoc with the real time system that Linuxcnc relies on.

Since I think he is using a stock Sherline config, on what we have to assume is a stock Sherline mill, my money is on the parallel port address needing to be set correctly.needs changed toor what ever his actual parallel port address is.
Look for the above line in the file:
~/linuxcnc/configs/by_machine.sherline.Sherline3Axis/standard_pinout.hal