Emco PC Turn 55

[Threedj16]

Well, finally mounted all the components on the DIN rails. Just got in the cable trays today. So will be a fun weekend of wiring (at least it's a long weekend upcoming).

Before:

Supports and first Rail Mounted:

Electronics mounted, but still undecided on placement. Waiting to see the cable tray configuration. Plus need to mount the terminal blocks and motor controller.

[Threedj16]

Having a 3D printer when doing builds like this is absolutely invaluable.

Before:

After: I also have a sheet of HDPE that will run in slotted channels to cover the back opening. Still working on that part.

Don't really have a before shot of this, but there were two large open holes on the Z stepper end. No clue what used to go there. But looked like great vent holes for the large fan going in this cabinet.

After:

[martyscncgarage]

Nice layout of your control cabinet. You have a number of power supplies in there.
I just got a 3D printer myself. IIIP. Now if I can just find the time to learn to use it!

Marty

[Threedj16]

Nice layout of your control cabinet. You have a number of power supplies in there.
I just got a 3D printer myself. IIIP. Now if I can just find the time to learn to use it!

Marty

Thanks. Yeah, I went a little over board with the power supplies. Originally I was planning on steppers, which the one 48V supply should have handled just fine. But when I switched to the closed loop steppers and saw a peak current of 8A (didn't see continuous current rating), thought better be safe that sorry. Plus the 24v and the 5 v makes 4. But since everything I had read told me the turret operated at 12v, I bought a 12v not knowing the turret board had a voltage divider circuit built in (found out a little late). So my thoughts are to keep it as a back up (in case the turret board ever dies), and it will be a great supply for my LED track lighting going under the clear lathe hood. Also added a relay board, a duplex DIN rail outlet, signal converter, the turret board, two closed loop drivers and the Acorn. Haven't decided whether to space out the terminal strips where they are needed or keep them as a block. For certain, all the power supplies will be on bottom (line in is at the bottom), that way I can run all 120v through the bottom cable tray. The 48v can run up the side cable tray, and I'm not too worried about segregating the 24v and 5v too much. Got a plan in my head.....now to get it in the machine....LOL.

[Threedj16]

Quick couple of pics of my Emco to Consew motor adapter hub. Remembered tonight I still had a 3D printed prototype in there while making up my spindle encoder mounts. Turned out pretty cool for a 3D printed temp version until I can switch it all over to timing belts and pulleys. The gear encoder setup is two dual helical gears which mesh really nice and tight. Especially considering I did them fast in lower quality mode since it was really just a test. Made a spring loaded pressure plate to go with it, but ended up not really needing it.

[ScotY]

Hi Jasen,

I’ve been just quietly enjoying your build thread...thanks for posting all the pics and info! I sure wish I could find an older good machine here locally rather than dealing with my little cheap Chinese junk machines. Finding anything here locally is all but impossible though.

Wanted to say that I agree with you re. the Pro vs Ultimate software upgrades. Digitizing is of no interest to me but the probe routines are. The price jump is too much to justify for me so I have to live with what I have unless they break it down into smaller bits (fingers crossed!).

Also agreed about the 3D printer advice. PETG is the way to go and Simplify3D as well. S3D made a HUGE difference for me...pricey but worth it. If (and that’s a big IF) you know what you’re doing, you can get away with the various free slicers but otherwise, it reduces the headaches a lot. I use Edge PETG from the E3D guys and have good luck with it...easy to print decent and I don’t pay too much attention to the moisture absorption issues. And I live in a very humid location.

Funny thing is I first got the 3D printer thinking it would help me figure out CAD and all that stuff. It’s helped a little but I find now that it helps a lot when making parts. I tend to not, let’s just say plan well when designing stuff so it’s easy to print out the part and see where I messed up.

[Threedj16]

Hi,

I’ve been just quietly enjoying your build thread...thanks for posting all the pics and info! I sure wish I could find an older good machine here locally rather than dealing with my little cheap Chinese junk machines. Finding anything here locally is all but impossible though.

Wanted to say that I agree with you re. the Pro vs Ultimate software upgrades. Digitizing is of no interest to me but the probe routines are. The price jump is too much to justify for me so I have to live with what I have unless they break it down into smaller bits (fingers crossed!).

Also agreed about the 3D printer advice. PETG is the way to go and Simplify3D as well. S3D made a HUGE difference for me...pricey but worth it. If (and that’s a big IF) you know what you’re doing, you can get away with the various free slicers but otherwise, it reduces the headaches a lot. I use Edge PETG from the E3D guys and have good luck with it...easy to print decent and I don’t pay too much attention to the moisture absorption issues. And I live in a very humid location.

Funny thing is I first got the 3D printer thinking it would help me figure out CAD and all that stuff. It’s helped a little but I find now that it helps a lot when making parts. I tend to not, let’s just say plan well when designing stuff so it’s easy to print out the part and see where I messed up.

Hey, nice of you to post. I enjoy it when folks drop by and post on my thread. This is one of the few things I like about Facebook (ThreeDJ Smith if anyone wants to look me up), is the sharing of knowledge in a social environment. I've learned so much in the last few years about CAD/CAM/CNC/3D printing and I try to always pay forward what I've learned plus my years of working as an E&I tech. But mostly, I love to continue learning every single day form everyone in which I interact. So thank you.

Also, I live in Ga, extremely humid. My PETG went to the next level after moving to dry boxes (it was crappy before except on a new roll). Wish I could find the article and the differences from just a small amount of moisture absorption to a print totally sealed from moisture (it's very noticeable, even if you don't think there is an issue). For a few bucks, it's a great way to improve printing. I'm printing at low res and fast now (something impossible before) and they still turn out great. I can't imagine how they would look if I slowed it down and used a higher res...LOL....but I'm always in a hurry for my parts. This is a super cheap brand I buy from Amazon, but it works fantastic. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075M ... UTF8&psc=1

Good luck on your search for a small Emco. Join our Facebook group, as people post deals they find there and you can ask around. I see them on Ebay quite often too. There is one guy in particular on Ebay who just seems to deal in all Emco stuff. Might take him a few months, but he will get what you want. He also travels the country and if you are willing to wait, will delivery on his trips. (Edit...just realized you live in Hawaii...LOL...don't think he's be driving there).

Anyway, I'll have some more pics up soon. Realized this weekend that I had forgot to hook up the new closed look steppers to the pulley and belts. The Emco stepper pulleys are pinned and also 6mm (and steel). So I literally lost half a day getting those worked out, as the lengths worked out different (new plates were thicker) and the old motors had a recess in which the pulley collar slipped down in (new steppers did not). So had to turn down the pulley collars, bore them out, do a lot of measuring, say a prayer, toss some salt over my shoulder and git R dun....LOL. Luckily it all worked out great. Between that, replacing the prototype spindle motor plate and getting a temporary encoder setup going, I lost a day or so. But had to be done before the wiring. I'm currently about 1/3rd done with the wiring now. Took tomorrow off from work in hopes of finally finishing this up (at least get it running). Still have my back cover plate and fan to deal with next weekend. But finally see a light at the end of the tunnel....LOL.

As soon as I finish up this project, I have several new mill upgrade project lined up. Never ending cycle, but I love it!

[Threedj16]

Wanted to say that I agree with you re. the Pro vs Ultimate software upgrades. Digitizing is of no interest to me but the probe routines are. The price jump is too much to justify for me so I have to live with what I have unless they break it down into smaller bits (fingers crossed!).

Thought this should be quoted on it's own. I honestly think this is costing Centroid money (in the hobby community). To buy a pro version and not get simple probe routines (other than single edge probe and hole center find) is ridiculous. How can they call that a Pro version? I could care less about digitizing, but writing a few custom macros and having the standard probe routines absolutely should be in a Pro version. I'll be sticking with UCCNC for this very reason on my mill. No way it's worth $400 bucks just to get what should come in a Pro version. I know several other people who are in the same boat as me. They would love to switch, but $50 for UCCNC and $400 for CNC12, there just isn't enough of an advantage to justify the price (UCCNC also has digitizing for that price). The boards costs are about the same and I'm using a UC300ETH (Ethernet based), which also has a quadrature encoder input (and I might add PID spindle control built in). I'd love to switch out and have all CNC12 and Acorns, but until they address this issue, myself and a lot of other folks I know will be staying away from the Mill Pro. This is supposed to be a hobby level venture, there needs to be some better middle ground.

[ScotY]

I totally agree with what you’re saying...hopefully they see this and give it some consideration. I wanted to get some automated probe setup going as it seems super cool but I honestly don’t make much of anything and can live without it for now. I ended up buying a Haimer 3D Taster (Taster??? WTF? ) and it works great for what I need. Edge finders and all are just too much confusion for my lazy butt!

[Threedj16]

I totally agree with what you’re saying...hopefully they see this and give it some consideration. I wanted to get some automated probe setup going as it seems super cool but I honestly don’t make much of anything and can live without it for now. I ended up buying a Haimer 3D Taster (Taster??? WTF? ) and it works great for what I need. Edge finders and all are just too much confusion for my lazy butt!

This is one of the biggest reason's I will not swap over with my mill. I have all those auto probe routines already setup (I use Screenset 2017 with UCCNC). I can click a button and do corner probing, angle edge finding, hole center, single edge (pretty much any probe routine you could ever need). Click another button and it will set the work Z zero and then move over to my touch off point on my table and set the offset for that tool. Then for each tool change during an Op, it prompts me to change tool, I click ok and it goes over and touches off with the new tool to the table and adds/subtracts the offset value automatically and continues on with the operation using the next tool. While I'd love to setup the Acorn on my mill and have consistency between my two major machines, no way I'm giving up all my probe routines for a Pro version that really isn't a Pro version. Funny part is UCCNC comes with everything the $400 package has for $50. So someone at Centroid needs to see they are missing out of a lot of potential customers by trying to push off the Digitizing bundle to people who just want the probe routines and macro abilities.

FYI, all I did was isolate my mill table by anodizing the work plate and T-nuts. So my spindle and work plate are electrically isolated. So one probe wire is hard wired to the work plate and another to the spindle via my mist/air nozzle mount. So i don't even have to clip on probe wires. If I can't use this on CNC12, then I see no point of upgrading, much as I'd love to ($400 isn't worth it when the $140 Pro should have it already).

I did contact technical support and voice my compliant about wanting probe routines and not digitizing. I've also requested several friends to do the same. The way I look at it, if enough people voice their issue with not wanting a digitizing bundle, just add the probe routines and macros, maybe they will get the message. If a company doesn't listen to customer feedback (within reason, which I think this is), then it really isn't a company I want to do future business with.