Introduction along with some questions regarding LinuxCNC

Hi everyone, I am Arijit from India. I do have a small 7x mini lathe for which I intend to install ballscrews and steppers for each axis and try to CNC it. I make some small plastic parts which are quite simple but has threading on each of them. I was looking up on internet regarding CNC controllers till I found Centroid acorn and LinuxCNC which are quite robust and has a good community behind them. I looked up on some videos regarding Centroid acorn, they seem to me almost plug and play but comes at a hefty price. Whereas LinuxCNC with a Mesa board is almost half the cost of that of Acorn but is expandable.

Now, coming to myself, this is my first CNC conversion. I dont have any CNC experience or associated electronics. Seeing Acorn, I am pretty sure I will be able to hook it up according to the schematics and videos that are up on youtube and also the software is pretty straightforward which is pretty easy for a newbie like me. I was looking into LinuxCNC and mesa board schematics as well for the last few days. It feels intimidating when it comes to things like 'HAL' and similar stuffs where I have to troubleshoot myself if things like the encoder dont work. Its not like that I am not willing to learn but it feels there is a hell lot to know. Does LinuxCNC have a steep learning curve or am I overthinking too much?

You are overthinking.
Find an old PC with parallel port, download the Wheezy ISO from the downloads page > old images/ISO, write it to USB, boot the PC from it, attach some cheap stepper drives and motors and make the machine work.
After you get some experience, then you will know exactly what you need to make it better, if you actually do need to make it better as it works perfectly well with parallel port.

There's simply no substitute to Linuxcnc in the customizable-ANY-hardware arena - second to none - hands down - five stars. 
However, and to be honest, it is not tailored for beginners at all. That's where it fails dramatically. 
You are not overthinking this; a significant amount of knowledge of HAL and Python will eventually be required.

I'm entering my 4th month of learning, research, config, tweaking this & that, and yet made a single part - just tests.
Lots of fun though. Zero complaints and no regrets.
Good luck

a significant amount of knowledge of HAL and Python will eventually be required.

I don't agree, you can get a simple machine up and running with very little extra effort.
It is usually the desire for more advanced features that will lure you into the steeper learning curve.

Tempting to share how much of a struggle it was just to get the spindle to spin let alone pid modbus lincurve cw/ccw m3/m4 swapped offset bugs screw comp what not mpg probe tool setter debouncing... ... ... the hal & python debug and rebug list is just f n endless /kb_on_fire

Lcnc is for geeks (which I am luckily), and for dudes/dettes who dream and think like electrical engineers for some weird reason. Not for machinists and even less for beginners. There, some constructive criticism!!

Then to the control hardware and enclosure; motor induction vs volts, dedicated current for that, shielded forthis, twistedpair forthat, ground for here, separate ground for that... oh good god. Haven't yet ranted on the x86 and network interface hardware randomness and latency tweaks...

For beginners, sure. Worldsss and Universesss distant rather. Lots of work for the X and Z to move. Be warned lol

Mecanix wrote:

There's simply no substitute to Linuxcnc in the customizable-ANY-hardware arena - second to none - hands down - five stars. 

Although there is nothing absolute, That statement is absolutely true!

Aciera wrote:

a significant amount of knowledge of HAL and Python will eventually be required.

I don't agree, you can get a simple machine up and running with very little extra effort.
It is usually the desire for more advanced features that will lure you into the steeper learning curve.

I absolutely agree with Aciera, LinuxCNC took 3 minutes flat to have a working simple stepper machine with parallel port, 15 years ago or more. Back then it was called EMC2.
Now takes 3 minutes to have a working "not simple" cnc plasma machine.
I also agree with Mecanix as the info found on the net can easily steer you in the wrong direction and waste a lot of time "chasing rabbit footprints while the rabbit is watching you from behind a nearby tree"
And the main reason why it may seem hard or easy is the preexisting experience with related stuff.

3min for stepping via parport. Sure, I'll give you this, that's very true. Now go hook up a spindle motor and tune it beginner - see you next week, be mindful of that coffee abuse.

More disagreement:

'modbus' , 'lincurve', 'screw comp', 'mpg probe': You don't need any of this for a 'simple' machine. I've refitted several production machines before I even considered any of that.
Why you would _need_ python for a simple lathe or mill I really don't know.

As for the wiring aspects, what do you expect? That LinuxCNC does that for you?
Have a look through all the posted refits and home built machines. Many of those wiring jobs will make anybody with even moderate knowledge in electrics/electronics cringe. Yet surprisingly most of them work just fine.

Don't get me wrong, refitting a CNC machine IS a complex task but if you keep your 'needs' and 'maybe nice to haves' separated then it really does not need to be anywhere near as complicated as you make it out to be.
 

I'd hate for anyone to take it wrong or misunderstand; I build, destroy & rebuild ever since I was able to lift a hammer with one hand (4 years old?). Retrofitting dumb and static machine-tools and empowering them with Linuxcnc is and forever will be ranking top of the best & most fun built I've carried out. Invaluable knowledge acquired - No Regrets. Thanks to YOU all for that btw.

I'm just saying. It is so NOT for beginners and I'll stick with that. Personally, that HAL thingy drives me absolutely nuts. Hated it. Traumatized For Life in fact.

(ps thanks for listening everyone, feeling so much better now lool)