Hi All,?
Warning///CLUELESS///Warning
I own a Boxford VMC 190 which I would like to convert to Mach 3 or 4. I am a complete CNC novice so please be patient!! I have been a manual machinist for many years but completely new to CNC.?
Could someone please point me In the right direction of a good instructional guide or blog post etc about building a CNC machine? Id like to use Mach 3/4 as this seems to be the software with the most info out there.?
I'm getting my head wrapped around the basics, such as? motion controllers, breakout boards, drivers etc etc but I'm struggling to navigate the minefield and am at the bottom of the steep learning curve.?
If anyone could offer any advice or links to a 'how to' guide that could help me convert my Mill that would be great.?
I'm not sure which version of the software would be best for my needs. I'll be mostly doing fairly basic '2D' curved shapes from steel plate that are complex to do on my manual machines. I may use it for more complex 3D parts as my skills improve.?
My extremely basic understanding so far is I need to source a control board that works with Mach 3/4, Stepper motors (if i decide to replace the old ones), drivers, breakout board and/or control board, power supplies and Mach software. I'm struggling to understand what components are necessary and what works with what. Some of the wiring diagrams I have seen show controllers while other show breakout boards. Am I right in thinking that the control board essentially takes over from the PC and sends the signals to the stepper Drivers?
The mechanical side of the build is second nature to me but the electrical and software side is very confusing. I use Fusion 360 on a regular basis for design work so I'm focusing on the next steps of setting up the mill with the correct hardware and learning the Mach Software and would like to avoid making mistakes by purchasing the incorrect components.?
Any guidance whatsoever on a starting point for a clueless cnc noob would be greatly received.?
My budget is ?500
Many thanks in advance and all the best,
Paul.?
