Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Testing the waters...

Tom you weren't the one who built the tachometer where you for the
Sherline? If it was you, or anyone else reading this, please reply to me off
list with a massive title like 'JOHN! READ THIS!'. The tachometer I saw was
on the files page of the group and enclosed in a small black box.

Thanks in advance,
John H

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Kulaga" <tkulaga@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 2:26 AM
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Testing the waters...


> Hi all,
>
> For those of you who don't know me, I'm the guy who
> designed the DRO board that Dan Mauch sells. I've
> been very inactive on the group (and otherwise) for
> better than a year now. Well, my son is now just
> over a year old, and I'm getting the itch to get
> back to the hobby. Anyway...
>
> I've been casting around for a small project to work
> on, and I've decided to try to take the DRO board to
> the next level. Rewriting the interface is on the
> list, but I've got to teach myself Visual C++ first,
> so that's off in the future somewhat. Instead, I
> was thinking about adding either some DAC output or
> step/direction generation capability to the board.
> Does this interest anyone?
>
> TI/Burr-Brown makes a really sweet 4 channel, 12 bit
> DAC with an 8 bit parallel interface and integral
> voltage reference, which makes it nearly a drop-in
> to the DRO board. Even better, Digikey sells 'em
> for around $30. It's even a 28 pin DIP, so
> depending on the exact pinout, it might be a perfect
> replacement. Still, I'd rather add it to the 4-axis
> board and add appropriate isolation. Quad
> output/input turns the DRO board into a dirt cheap
> servo controller, assuming we can get EMC talking to
> the board.
>
> OTOH, most folks use steppers. Maybe step/direction
> is the way to go. I haven't yet investigated this
> route, but maybe a simple 8255 chip would work. I'd
> have to hook the output up to a scope to be certain.
> No matter what, I'm sure I could implement this just
> as easily as DAC output.
>
> I'll warn you at the outset, this isn't something
> that's going to happen overnight. My time is still
> limited. But I'm hell-bent to get active again, and
> this project seems small enough, and also something
> I could do without spending too much money. And for
> those of you helping Marty with his Series I BP
> upgrade, you can blame him for getting me moving
> again. The day he told me about the mill, my mind
> wouldn't let me stop thinking about getting myself
> involved with the group again. Thanks, Marty. :)
>
> So, what do you guys think? It makes no difference
> to me, as my interest is more in the building than
> in the use of the board. Either way, I'm still
> having fun.
>
> -Tom Kulaga
>
> P.S. I just had a thought: 4 DAC channels means 3
> servo axes, and a spare signal that could be used to
> control a VFD. Does that seem more valuable/useful?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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