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Mach3 is a single in-focus application so to get it displaying on two screens you have to create an extended screenset. I used Screen4 which is in the Mach3 directory and developed an additional...

Hi Daniel
They are 8 inch touchscreens made to fit into headrests in a car. Native resolution is 800 by 600 but will display 1024 by 768 with clarity which is what I am running them at.

Russell,
Have to agree with you that running 240v around the machine is not something I would do. Good idea about using the computer power supply for Estops. Steppers would get very hot if the...

Hi Russell,
Good to ramble as your thoughts can be followed by others - well that is my excuse.

To be honest I don't think I could hit an Estop quick enough to stop an unexpected event. Closest I...

Much worse than that I am afraid. The Estop is assigned in Mach3 to an input pin (Port 10 pin 39 a Pokeys address) and then an output pin will be assigned through the BOB to a relay. There are four...

Reviving this thread as it might create some interest and someone might make a console.

The photos are the console of 6B4 and while the making of the console has been finished for a while this...

Hi Row,
It will make a good interface to the CNC machine. :2tsup:

I have used a hagstrom keyboard emulator and it has been running faultless for four or five years on my mill.

Another Pokeys console but different enough to post as it might spark an idea for somebodies build.

The console slides into the machine base when not in use.

If you want to see more then...

Your going to hate yourself for asking (don't worry I miss the obvious all the time). :)

At the bottom of the first post on that link is a file called "JoyPad Plugin 2.0.rar"
Instructions for...

Tim,
You may want to try this.

Great to hear :2tsup:

Hi Tim,
I have doubts now and you might have to have keygrabber running in Mach3 for it to work the joystick. It was six years ago when I was playing with this feature so my memory is a bit grey....

Hi Tim,
No I don't think you need keygrabber running in mach3 to make your custom buttons work. All keygrabber is doing is tellig you what signal to use in your custom screen.

I use both a...

Screen4 has a few quirks. Make sure you set your monitor resolution to higher than the screen set you are using otherwise it does some really strange things. You should be able to re-assign hotkeys...

Youi have a couple of options for a pendant.

Open Keygrabber in the Mach3 directory and press your buttons on your joystick to see what code is generated. From there modify a screenset for your...

The last post must have happened after having a few burbs - sorry about that but it looks like I was enjoying myself.

OK another console with a Pokeys and a second hand touchscreen - hense no...

Well this thread works for me. I followed it to make a new console (see photos) and it worked.
Thanks Rod glad you posted this so I could build another console. :rolleyes::D Now where did I put my...

Hi Geoff,
I got caught the same way. Ended up having to flip the front panel but got away with it.

This is more for my reference but it might help somebody. I have been looking for a way to...

Came up a treat Geoff.

Hi Geoff,
Good to see another console happening. At least all my ramblings are being put to use.

You must have got a good piece of ally as I never get the engraving to be as crisp as yours. Did...

Hi Denis,
Greolt did the original post on the touchplate and it is now quite long but it has lots of happy customers. I would say the touchplate is a must as it does two things - zeros the tool but...

Triden,
Attached is the brain for the new switch in the console above - cont, step then 3 step increments.
Just attach the Pokeys switch to OEM triggers 4 to 8 in Mach3 as the interface. All this...

Yeah I have been following the thread on limit switches.

The Jog Mode switch will be done with a brain through pokeys and I can put up the details here - I'm rusty on it now so need to brush up...

I wanted a better look to the consoles and the thing that is hindering that is engraving on the ally face. I think I have found a cure and the photo sequence will show that.

First mount and cut...

I have an XBox360 wireless that has an interface written for Mach3. It talks direct with Mach3 so no need for any fiddling at all and you can configure the buttons.

They will not handle analogue...

To add to the collection of components for a console here is a rectangular switch I sourced for only $3.00 each. I have shown the triangular ones before and square are also avaialble. They are from...

I have found a couple of items that should be suitable for a console. A mini keyboard and micro trackball mouse that could be mounted on the facia of a console. The mouse is always a problem and in...

Good to see Denis :2tsup:
Ally is fickle but you hung in there and it looks the part.
I hope more join in making a console as it is a great project and it extends the electrickery knowledge. Very...

Hi Chris,
Like your sense of humor.

Wish I did own a laser capable of cutting 10mm steel plate.

I am sort of over doing consoles for the moment so no hurry but keen to have a play with the...

Hi Grunto,
I'm fairly sure they would work - if both switches operate then no reason why they shouldn't.


Hi Chris,
Thanks for the offer. I have to get some motors in the next month or so and...

Thanks John,
It's a preference thing. Joysticks work exactly the same as they have the same microswitches on each side. Advantage of the buttons are you can move two axes at the same time - you can...

Things were getting messy trying to keep track of the switches and the wiring was getting tangled on my desk.
Decided to make a quick mock up of the panel to test the layout. Used 3mm whitecoat MDF...

Hi Triden,
Good to hear you are going to have a crack at it. My experience is not to over crowd the console and to group buttons according to functions - eg Jogging Set, Machine Run Set, etc

My...

Hi Noel,
No biggy as it serves as a reference for me as well. I will forget how to do this by next week so if I can follow my instructions I might have a fighting chance.

Assuming everything is working you should note the following. When the On/off switch is off you can change the value in the FRO by turning the pot.

If you switch the on/off switch on it...

The next part of the Brain will combine the original FRO Brain with the Pokey On/off switch on Pin 5 which is now assigned to OEMTrigger #1 in Mach3. If you are following this then you well on the...

It will be easier to construct a totally new Brain than try to edit our first Brain.
So we don’t get any interference from out first Brain go to the Top menu in Mach3 and select “Operator” then...

Now we need to interface those switches and make them perform an action in Mach3.

First lets assign them an input.

Open Mach3 and using the top menu select “Config”, “Ports and Pins” and the...

Once you have your wiring connected as per previous post open the Pokeys software and assign Pin 5 and Pin 6 as a digital inputs and tick the “Invert Pin” box for both. Notice that the background...

After fitting up the pot I noticed it had a slight amount of variation in the reading. It was pulsing and depending on the pot used (Homann's was much more stable) it would vary almost 1% but...

It is worth noting here that if you want to fit up the Spindle Speed Override pot as well then the process is almost identical.
Difference being you need a separate Pokeys Analogue Pin and a...

Hi John,
Hope you do have a go - if I can do it anyone can.
I think you brought the hot weather over with you when you came to Perth. :)
We have been copping our fair share since your visit.
...

To make it easier if you are having trouble creating the brain I have attached the brains file and all you have to do is unzip it to the Brains folder in Mach3 then follow the next instructions.
...

To continue on - the next screen pops up - see picture 1
In the formula box enter a/4 – see picture 2

What you have just done is add some scaling to the signal coming through from Pokeys. Later...

Getting the pot to interface to Mach3 is the next trick. I spent hours learning Brains in Mach3 when it should have only taken a short time but you get that. :-

Brains are a way of giving...

Solder or otherwise connect your three wires to the pot - read this whole post before you get too worried about the connections..

You take the 3.3 volts from the Pokeys board (top left pin) and a...

The next addition we will do is fit up an analogue potentiometer and interface this to the FRO in Mach3 – ie the "feed rate override" function.

Some background on analogue verses digital first –...

Hi Greg,
It is probably the only thing you haven't done and a great little project to do. With a CNC machine to cut and engrave the panel it should look half decent as well. I find it very good for...

Download the Mach3 Pokeys plug-in and extract it to Mach3.

In the top menu in Mach3 go to “Config” , “Config Plugins” and when the box in Picture 1 pops up enable the “Pokeys-Pokey-IO-USB” and...

The component that gave me the most grief was the MPG but with some trial and error I have it working.
MPG is a manual pulse generator and the purpose is to send signals to Mach3 to move an axis a...