Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: DeskNC Windows version

I'll jump in here as well, but first some quotes to establish the context:

kleinbauer@... wrote:

> Yea! someone might learn something building their own controller!
> Trivial! Why not just buy a brand new Bridgeport!!! Why play with
> anything? Just sit in front of the tube learning nothing!

kleinbauer@... wrote:

> Save money in this hobby? Your attitude is what I am talking
> about. Hobbies cost money. You forgot about the experence you gained
> by building it yourself from scratch. You have to crawl before you
> walk. This hobby has three levels period! To pick and any of the
> three levels is unfair. Tell me you had no fun at all tinkering. I
> don't believe it!

mariss92705@... wrote:

> I have been following this thread with some dismay. The writer's
> assumption is one should do everything themselves if one is to keep
> the hobby pure. If electronics are needed then one should educate
> themselves in it enough to build their own drives; somehow that
> experience would make someone more self sufficient and whole.

I'd like to take a stab at identifying the three levels John refers

to in his comments, except I like to think of them as three separate

groups rather than levels as I have equal respect for each of them:

1. _The Machinists_
These folks want to make chips, not screw around building machines, IOW
they want the results of CNC (in fact many of these folks have said this
right in their posts). They desire a nearly prepackaged solution and ask
questions like, "Should I get a Sherline or a Grizzly?", and, "Which is
better, CNCPro or DeskNC?". Although I could make a good case that they
should really outsource their production to commercial shops, these
folks would rather own their own machine for one or both of the
following reasons:

a. The desire for vertical integration whether for quality control, cost
savings or convenience (Midnight Engineering) reasons.

b. The need for unconventional processes such as hot wire foam cutting
and various cut-to-length type operations.

Whether they sell their work, or build steam engine models for their own
satisfaction, The Machinists are interested in the end result. For
reference, I started out in this group.

2. _The Flutterwumper Hobbyists_
(See http://www.tinaja.com/flut01.html )
I'm borrowing Don Lancaster's term here to describe the folks that build
low cost computer controlled machines as a hobby, mainly for their own
satisfaction/education. These folks spend time salvaging printer parts,
combing eBay for automation bargains, identifying stepper motors, and
building their own stepper drives. When the machine is done, it will
typically be used for artistic work, or more commonly, to make parts for
the next bigger, better, faster machine! While it's tempting to say that
_the machine_ is the end result for this group, it's really _the
process_ of building the machine that floats their boat. Again, for
reference, I'm not in this group now, but when I get rich and retire (or
just retire...), this is what I'm going to do.

3. _The Gear Heads_
I really couldn't come up with a catchy name for this group, so if
anyone has a suggestion, please speak up! The only way I can define this
group is to enumerate the ways that it differs from #2 above:

a. _The machine_ is the focus, not _the process_.
b. Machines are usually sold when complete, rather than retained by the
builder.
c. Low cost is desirable, but not an absolute requirement, and is
secondary to performance.
d. The machine is expected not just to work, but to work better than
it's original configuration (if it's a retrofit), or to advance the
state of the art in some way.
e. Since almost no salvaged, or one-of-a-kind materials are used, it's
possible to replicate these machines.

This is where I'm trying to be now, but time will tell whether I can
really live up to this ideal.

I'd like to add a fourth group:

4. _The OEMs_
These are the folks who have taken one component, made a specialty of
it, and supply their product (commercially or free) to others for
incorporation into other projects. Examples are software writers, drive
makers, motor manufacturers & sellers, kit builders, pc boards, etc.

Obviously, most folks have some membership in more than one of these
groups depending on what sort of projects they've got in the works. This
is just my attempt at segmenting our group in a way that will help us to
understand the different perspectives that lead to divergent opinons on
things like stepper drives. Group #1 wants a drive that is reliable, a
good value and easy to hook up, group #2 wants to build their own, group
#3 wants one that will give them 200ipm rapids (!), and group #4 has to
figure out how to give at least one of these groups what they want and
also turn a profit!

Matt