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You say LinuxCNC is way way better than Mach 3.

How so?

As far as I could research, Mach3 is not able to do fully closed loop operation with feedback between motor axis and rotary or linear encoders.

• feed rate based on spindle power (cutter breakage detection)
• EDM with reverse movements or slow down based on electrical values
• a hobbing machine that slows down workpiece spindle and tool spindle in case something reaches the limits.
• Turning excenters or augers on a lathe
• cam shaft grinding
  
  These are examples I can think of. Things that Mach3 could not provide, according to my understanding of the available information.
  Of course those items go bejond the average DIY user and will not be easy to do. Not easy to do in any system, unless available as turnkey in exchange for $$$
  
  Linux CNC seems to be in the gap between, "very basic good enough" and "just pay money to one of the usual suspects"
  
  I see a lot of misconception that Linux CNC ist "Parallelport technology" for 3-axis open loop stepper machines. Which is actually only the lower end of the spectrum.

cool.

downside to the ethercat is its ONLY ethercat. i wish it has pulse as well. would be more versatile.

The spindle driver is some weird (undocumented) BLDC unit with a motor using hall sensor feedback.
This benchtop mill has the tool spinde parallel to the motor and a short 1:1 toothed belt transmission. Amplifier works I can spin it up connecting 5V to signal wires.
How to connect wires, power supply and HAL components is another story.
Probably similar to a frequency inverter.

I am using the old transformer, which includes a AC to DC rectifier board.

Hello,

Got the drive working again today, the parameters for Control Mode and Pulse Type were indeed wrong (so you were both right

Turns out that my backup parameters file was not good at all, I ended up just copying the working parameters from one of the X drives to the new Y drive. Both axis have the same mechanical setup, gear reduction ratio etc...

@ihavenofish : you are right, these drives have CAN bus capability. I made this choice at the time as I was not quite clear about the various options. Now, I wish I had chosen the E version that offers EtherCat...

I'm thinking about upgrading the whole setup to EtherCat, possibly running LinuxCNC from a RaspBerry. Pi. That would allow me to get rid of the PC/Parallel Port limitations, move all the hardware inside the control cabinet, and have more I/O to finally add some extras to the machine.

Thank you all for your help, great to see this community thriving !

Is there a GitHub tracking thread (or something else) for those patches?

I would be really interested in following that thread.