Re: Sorting out the options for a CNC mill system

My opinion, for what it's worth.

From Taig buy the 2019ER-CR. It is CNC ready and includes the
spindle motor upgrade, ER-16 spindle and longer table. Don't be
tempted to save a few bucks buying the shorter table, you'll need the
extra travel someday. Don't forget to order a couple of extra
spindle motor belts. You'll need them someday and belts seem to
break at 9:00pm on a Friday evening.

For controller and motors - hobbycnc.com

If you are comfortable building printed circuit boards, buy
hobbycnc.com. These are the best low price controllers on the
market. And here, low price doesn't mean low quality. Buy one of
their CNC Packages. If you think you will ever need the 4th axis &
motor, buy it now. There's a bit of savings by buying it in the
package. Also, buy the 305 oz motors.

Buying one of their packages, you only need the case and
transformer. My web site, www.mypage.net/HobbyParts.html has sources
and prices for everything needed to build a hobbycnc.com controller.
The only thing you will need is the case and transformer if you buy a
hobbycnc.com package. MPJA.com is typically the cheapest for the
transformer and Allied is usually the cheapest on the case.

By the way, if you decide to buy a 3 axis package, buy the 4th axis
upgrade kit for the board. Chances are you'll need it someday and
it's a lot easier to install while you are building the board then
tearing everything apart to add it later.

If you are not into kit building you have (in my opinion) two other
options.

Mikebeck.com sells the hobbycnc kits fully assembled and tested.
Mike has been around for quite a while and does a great job.

A second option is kelinginc.net. He sells things a bit more
piecemeal than the others, but he has good equipment and prices. He
is also very helpful in deciding what you should buy. And you can
actually talk to him on the phone.

Some people like the Gecko controllers, but they are a bit pricey for
me. I don't think you get the extra value for the money spent.

For controller software, Mach3 is the best for the dollars. They
have a fully functioning free version. The only restriction is the
number of lines of g-code you can process at one time. I think the
limit is 300. I know lots of people just divide their code into
small blocks and run the blocks separately to avoid the 300 line
limit. If you decide to buy the "full" version, be sure to buy the
package that includes Mach3 and the NewFangled widgets.

There is also an open source (free) controller software that runs on
Linux. It's called EMC and can be found at linuxcnc.org. There are
a lot of people that feel it is really good controller software. I
haven't used it. I discovered Mach3 before I found out about EMC or
I might be using it. They have a configuration that allows you to
boot Linux and run EMC from a CD. This allows you to use a Linux
program on your Windows machine.

OK, that's the end of my lecture. Hope it helps. Feel free to send
me a privare message if you want to discuss this off group.

Regards,
Gary

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Douglas Vogt <dbvogt@...>
wrote:

>
> I'm planning to get a desktop mill in the next few months and even

deciding on a Taig, for example, find the combinations of motors,
controllers and software a bit overwhelming. A turnkey system is a
bit pricy. It would be more fun to build the system myself but I
don't want to get parts only to find out they aren't compatible.

>
> I need an "electronics/hardware version" of a book like David

Benson's "Beginner's Guide to CNC."

>
> In other words, what goes between the CNC ready mill and the PC?

Most of the books I see deal with large commercial-industrial
machines.

>