Ignoramus15653 wrote:

On 2012-02-18, Pete C. wrote:

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote:

Ignoramus23204 wrote:

On 2012-02-18, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Ignoramus23626 wrote:

If I bought it, I would junk the old control even if it was not yet
broken.

First, electronics that is that old would not be reliable. Second,
this is a very old and obsolete control, compared to the PC based
controls (Mach3 and especially EMC2).


That is your choice, but you can't repair the electronics without
step by step instructions. There are 80 year old pieces of electronics
still in use, and a good tech can keep them working.


It may make sense for other types of devices, but old CNC controls, I
think, are not worth the effort. I am beyond happy with my EMC2 setup.

Good for you, but not everyone gives up that easy. Some take pride
in workmanship and their ability to do 'what can't be done'.

It's not a function of "giving up", and it is indeed a function of
knowing "what can be done". Old CNC controls were good in their day, but
a modern PC based control is vastly better in performance and function.

Old controls had very limited memory that can't keep up with modern CAD
generated G-code, had user interfaces that are atrocious by today's
standards, and lack the modern featured for quick at-the-control
programming of simple jobs. They also usually can't handle a 4th axis,
rigid tapping, or many other features of modern PC based controls.

If the old iron is good, it deserves a new productive life with a better
control.

Exactly. I can edit G code with XEmacs, priceless.

i

I don't edit much G-code, what comes out of my CAD/CAM is just fine
generally. With a modern control it makes no practical difference if a
feature is composed of a couple lines of G-code or 5,000 individual
G-code lines of segments, it cuts the same and at the same speeds.