--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Lez <lez.briddon@...> wrote:
>
> > Anybody mind if we call the simple unit the MotorSpinners-CNC ?
> >
> > Maybe even start a Yahoo-group for that ?
> >
> > Heck, we could even get T-Shirts !
> >
> > Dave
> > (oh, and hats too)
> >
>
> And then use it to engrave keyrings.............
>
> Go for it guys!
>
> I'm behind anyone that wants to build anything, I think I would like
> to mill/cut/grind my simple pcbs save using acids etc.
>
> Hell I've not even graduated to motor spinner, I cant work out why I
> need to build a printer port breakout box, I mean what dark age is
> this that you need something even called a breakout box ?
>
> Why is none of these things USB with pics etc?
>
> The more I look at these plans and designs and online resources I keep
> getting a mental image of a cooter from dukes of hazard building one,
> with the soldering being done by Mr T.
>
> Innovation these things are not.
>
>
>
> Lez
Well Lez, it's more like the path of least resistance.
Since you lay out your schematic and then do a parts layout, then run
the autorouter, then tweek the traces for what you like, you wind up
with a computer file.
That file needs to be converted to a file that can be used by a
machine to cut with.
So, now you wind up with a text file, called G-code.
You need to download that into your controller. The controller will
read each line and then send out pulses and wait for inputs like
keyboard inputs to tell it which point to use and how fast to go and
how to jog and such.
It also needs to see the end switches and if you are using encoders,
it needs to see the encoder feedback (I think)
so, having a keyboard input (USB ?) and then 6 switch inputs, 6 high
speed outputs and maybe 4 or so low speed outputs, you can easily see
the size PIC to use.
It would need to download from the PC, so a USB ThumbDrive would be
good, or if your unit were small, you could just move it to the PC to
download the files directly.
I guess you would need to program the PIC to receive the file, then
output the pulses and read the keyboard and all that. Pretty easy if
you are any good with a PIC, no ?
Of course, for those of us who are not good at programming, we just
take a db25 cable, run that to a pcb board and 'break-out' the lines
to screw terminals. then connect the motors and switches and stuff to
that.
Nothing nearly as slick as your PIC version, and since many of us use
a Pentium 233 or so, out investment of time is more like picking stuff
out of the trash.
Dave