General Category > Chatterbox
sherline, cnc, and masso
zeeprogrammer:
Another wild hair has sprung. I intend to get a Sherline workshop going (lathe and mill).
I've been struggling with the notion of getting a CNC system.
I thought I had it all figured out (i.e. what to get) but I called Sherline and they suggested their MASSO CNC box.
It gets rid of their Linux based computer system.
This has now started me down another road.
I've only started looking into it. So far, the MASSO box seems to be a g-code translator for Sherline's driver box.
You can use any operating system (Linux, Windows, etc.) with a program to generate the g-code.
Many questions though. A simple one is how do I jog an axis? Write a g-code program?! That wouldn't be right.
Does anyone here have any experience/thoughts about MASSO? Or Sherline with CNC?
To answer some questions you all might come with...
Why CNC? Partly because there are things I'd like to make where CNC is either necessary or much simpler. Example might be a set of identical bowling pins. There are a number of you here that can do that manually...but I'm not you. Another reason is that I've been a programmer for 50 years and this would help satisfy that urge.
What about my larger equipment? A good buddy is interested in them and that means a good home. But if he doesn't bite...I can keep them (and may anyway). The issue here is shop space.
What do I intend to make? Well that's a list of possible projects and many wild hairs...
But they're all small. Engines, spinning wheel (a gift), old style cranking movie camera (a gift), I've even played with the idea of a miniature bowling alley.
One thing that bothered me about Sherline's CNC solution was the computer system. Who knows how long that system (computer) would be supported? Same issue with MASSO.
I'm hoping to make the purchase in the next couple of weeks. It will be a while before I can do anything with them though. Next week is shoulder surgery (pretty minor but the wing will be out for a little while). Once I do though, I'll start a thread showing setup, successes, and failures.
I've thought about going manual and adding CNC later. But wifey keeps asking why not go for it? I think that's in part because she knows I miss programming. Or she loves me.
stevehuckss396:
My pal Ron has both the mill and lathe. He had the sureline controls and struggled for years. I helped him convert over to mach3 and instantly he had hundreds of thousands of people that could help. He wished he had converted years earlier. If it were me purchasing the mill or lathe or both I would just get the machines pre-motored and build my own controller using Gecko's, a smoothstepper, and mach4. If you ever have trouble there are thousands of Mach users to ask for help.
zeeprogrammer:
--- Quote from: stevehuckss396 on January 22, 2020, 11:43:16 PM ---If it were me purchasing the mill or lathe or both I would just get the machines pre-motored and build my own controller using Gecko's, a smoothstepper, and mach4. If you ever have trouble there are thousands of Mach users to ask for help.
--- End quote ---
Not a bad idea. I think I'll enjoy exploring that road.
Thanks!
Dave Otto:
Hi Zee
PMDX makes nice stuff as well as Gecko, if you decide to go this route there are lots of options.
When I converted my mill I decided to use the above products and have been quite happy. MACH4 wasn't available at the time so I'm still running MACH3 but I get by with it just fine.
Someday I may change to a different machine control software. I am running servos but the software is the same.
https://www.pmdx.com/
The Sherline is a turnkey setup that you will most likely be paying a premium for. I'm not an electronics guru but managed to build and configure my own control.
Just a couple of thoughts,
Dave
Flyboy Jim:
Zee..............did Sherline happen to say if the CNC servos add much drag when using the controls manually?
Jim
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