Home CNC philosophy, was a little of Re: Can I make a XYZ CNC?

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "turbulatordude"
<dave_mucha@y...> wrote:

> > > I have a third reason.
> > >
> > > A veriest tyro does not know it is easier to use a PC parallel
> > port
> > > than any other method.
> > >
> >
> > That may depend on your view point, and what you are trying to
> > accomplish.
> >
> > If you have a lap top, parallel port interfacing can be
> frustrating
> > and not "easy".
> >
> > In my opinion, a plug and play DeskCNC serial controller is

easier

> > than any parallel port interface.
> >
> > Fred Smith - IMService
> > http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/hobby
>
> That may well be true, but for a beginner (he said he was new)

that

> is just learning the termonology, I would assume he has some
> preconceived notions that will be disabused once he learns about

what

> is fast and easy and cheap.

And as a more experienced user, you have advised him that parallel
port is easier. It may be easier to write a VB controller program
from scratch and get lights to light or motors to spin from the
parallel port, but if he is using the DeskCNC api, it will be easier
to use VB to send G-code to the DeskCNC controller and make parts(if
that is what he actually wants to do).

> Our friend Cranky (crankorgan) had stated more than a few times

that

> something over 90% of the people who spin motors never build

anything

> past that point.

Your friend, maybe, and I seem to remember that he wrote that it
was the people that purchase his plans and then go on to build a
machine (1/1000), not the general home/hobby cnc individuals. Maybe
I missed his comment worded the way you said. I would be glad to
dispute that again if you are saying that the above statement is
true.

> His point being that if you spin motors right away, you never

build

> the machine.

There is no correlation, and I think you have misquoted him.

> Whereas if you build the machine, the last thing you do is spin
> motors. so, the last thing you do is spin motors. it's just were

in

> the process you do that.

Not at all. My opinion is that if you invest $50-$100 in a motor
and a set of plans, you will probably not finish a machine, whether
you spin the motors or not. If you invest $500-$2000 in the
process, you have a more serious interest in making a machine, and
your success rate will be in the 65-85% range, not .1%. ( we are
working on getting that up over 90%)

It has nothing to do with motor spinners or not, just the
seriousness of the desire to actually make a machine. Most home CNC
builders buy a machine frame and fit motors and electronics to it.
Hence the popularity of the Sherline and Taig CNC ready machines,
and prebuilt machine frames like the KT, Blacklab, and Shopbot, and
even the number of kits and plans for retrofitting the lo-grade
import machines. Even a bridgeport is usually a retrofit of a CNC
machine.

Very few people build a cnc machine from scratch because it is very
hard to make a usable, useful machine for less than you can buy one
already made and ready to go.

> If someone thinks they are going to write a CNC controller for a
> microcontroller, they may take months, then spin motors and

realize

> they only took a baby step and there is lots of work ahead.

Again no correlation. It is unlikely that a private individual will
be able to write a complete CNC controller software for a
microcontroller. I know of only two individuals that can make that
claim. One wrote DeskCNC.

There are a couple more that are the result of group efforts.

> I was trying to point out that the poster does not need software
> until the machine is nearly built. And then if he is writing for
> serial input, there are very few options. And.. if I am not
> mistaken, Fred, you are the only one to offer what he asked for.

a

> serial option.

That's not what you said. You said parallel port machines were
easier than serial port machines as if to suggest that he should use
a parllel port machine instead of a serial. This may be the case if
he is trying to write a serial port controller software in DOS, but
not if he is trying to build/retrofit a CNC machine in his basement
or garage, which is the list topic of discussion.


Fred Smith - IMService