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Hi, long time no see! It's about time I converted my ex school Boxford VMC and I am wondering if there is a "kit" or at least a comprehensive list of everything I'd need.
Failing that, is there a guide or a thread somewhere I haven't seen? I'm in a position now where I can throw some money at this machine which is taking up expensive space in my (motorcycle) workshop.
http://i.imgur.com/JTj3qda.jpg
Cheers,
Screwdriver.
Hi
I have converted two Boxford machines to run on Mach3 Boxford 125 tcl and a mill, boxford HMC 160 both of them were relatively easy to convert but the electronics in side were different so may be able to help if you can post some pics of the electronics in side or are they in a separate control box?
Best regards
Paul H
Now that I am retired (!) it's probably about time to get around to doing something with this (these!) machine(s).
Enough with the brackets. In the intervening years, has a known good, simple conversion for this machine become available?
I have the funds now and an infinite amount of time. I really ought to crack on and get this done. I have both the Boxford and Denfold machines just sitting there waiting and gently rusting.
I don't know if you ever came across the late great John Stevenson? He was a brilliant practical engineer with a business in Nottingham IIRC - one of his activities was refitting university CNC machines with modern controllers, as the mechanics of things like Boxfords and Denfords are generally excellent but the controllers outdated. He recommended packaged controllers like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275171431...Bk9SR5a8ytmAYg
I believe they are available either as complete packages like that or just the controller, or probably anywhere in between. The motors on your machines are probably OK but definitely worth upgrading to modern drivers with microstepping etc. This thread:
https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/for...?th=120519&p=1
...over on the ME forum contained a lot of discussion and good advice from Sir John.
If you go the PC route I suggest you avoid Mach3, it hasn't been maintained for something like 10 years and any bugs will never be fixed (even though you still have to pay for it!). Mach4 is reputedly much better and is actively maintained. Other packages that are highly regarded are UCCNC (from CNCDrive) and LinuxCNC but the latter has a steep learing curve! A good supplier in the UK (if you are in the UK) is CNC4YOU in Milton Keynes.
Having said that I converted a Denford Novamill using Mach3 and built my own control box, also a Myford Super7. But that was 10 years back, I wouldn't choose Mach3 again.
Awesome thanks. Will have a good look at that this evening.