Pete C. wrote:
Wes wrote:

Ignoramus7071 wrote:


Interesting. With X, Y and Z, spindle on and off, and feed
hold/resume, this joypad pretty much does what I want. I am already
happy. If I add a 4th axis, I will add functions to jog the rotary
table too.

Be careful with that spindle on button. Consider the situation where you are doing a tool
change and the spindle starts due to the joy stick falling, something falling on the
joystick, or hardware malfunction.

The machines I deal with are enclosed with a door interlock system, your machine is open.


Yes, the cat or the kid pressing the button which you're wrenching the
QC lock wouldn't be good. I'd suggest that spindle start and stop should
be done with "hard" buttons mounted to the panel under the monitor, and
preferably the buttons with the raised collar around them so they are
bump resistant.

I'm following Iggys input with interest as I'm a bit behind him in
refitting a smaller stepper driven mill with EMC2. I like the idea of
the game controller and in the case of my mill it has a full rising
front shroud with safety interlock which will be kept and that'll be
linked in with the estop to prevent such issues with the motor or
anything else being inadvertently started when the shroud is raised.