RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] EMC, freqmod.o, A-axis, .ini settings, oh my!

On Mon, 19 Aug 2002, Carol & Jerry Jankura wrote:

> |I can get a translator board that'll do what I need for about $100 or so.
> |Even that's stretching my price tag at the moment. Otherwise Camtronics
> |or Gecko both look attractive.
>
> Other than cost, is there any redeeming feature of the phase drivers?

Nope, not really. Years ago, before I got into home shop machining, I did
some stuff with steppers for instrumentation work. Everything I did was
step/dir. So I was a little suprised when I saw the pinouts for this
controller.

> If the price were that close, I think that I'd opt to minimize the
> number of components in the system and go with the Camtronics
> (assuming that the two amp limit of the board were sufficient to drive
> the motors) Otherwise, I fully understand the difference between the
> cost of the Gecko's and the translator.

Not sure if two amps would do it. They're 200 oz-in motors, and suck
a lot of current. I'd have to look at it a little more closlely before
buying or building a new controller.

> |Which raises an OT question: I either seem to be in a position where I
> |have zero operating funds for my shop, or I wind up in a position where
> |I've got a fair amount, but only for a short while (use it or lose it).
> |Is this typical of the home shop?
>
> Yes, and there's also a corollary to that rule - The availability of
> items suitable for purchase is inversely proportional to the amount of
> money in the wallet.

Hehahaha...ouch. Yeah, that sounds familiar, too.

Tom