conect 121 / cadet lathe manual/user's guide anyone?

Hi Everyone,

I have just acquired a Conect Cadet Plus, which is in excellent condition. I have downloaded the original software from the link in John S's reply above.

I am currently organising an old PC capable of running DOS. My intention is to try and get it running with the original software. One of the ICs (I'm guessing an EPROM) has a label on it with 'CONECT LTD V1.08 L 2/93'

I would be interested to find out how x-rayman got on with getting his lathe up and running. I would also be grateful for information from anyone who has got one of these lathes.

Hi Smithy50,
My Conect Cadet Plus is now up an running thanks to the info and software from John S.
I found that the cable required was a straight serial lead 9 pin female to 9 pin male ie wired pin for pin.
Only 4 wires are used but the complete cable is readily available and cheap.
Mine is 9800 baud but I think some of the earlier ones may have been different.
I also found that the software will run on modern computers with Windows XP, 7 ,8 and 10 32 and 64 bit using DOSbox which is a freeware DOS emulator.
Running this way allows you to use a modern cad programme like QCad which is also freeware.
The designs in the conect software are DXF files as are the templates and seem to work OK in QCad .
When the Conect software is running if you press ALT P it asks for a password which is conectl.
I am currently writing up what I did and how I set the software up, when its done I can email it if you wish.
The setup also works with modern laptops using USB to serial adaptors.

Regards,
Keith

x-rayman thanks for the prompt and helpful response.

I had a 9-pin serial cable and tried to install the software on an old laptop running DOS7 and Windows 98, but I kept getting a MetaWINDOW graphic shell missing error.

I will try it on a new PC with DOSbox as you suggest and see how it goes; and report back.

I would be very interested in how you set up the software.

Thanks Again

I have recently gutted a brand new Conect 121 and think the boards, less spindle board which was reused may be kicking about still.

Hi Smithy50,

I found that the METASHEL (various versions and spellings) are in the downloaded software.
If you run the METASHEL.exe file it tell you how to install it.
I seem to remember using the Turning P 1.2 version of the conect software.
Best of luck,
Keith

Hi John S,

Are the circuit boards the same on the Conect Cadet as the Conect 121? I haven't got the software side fully sorted yet, so haven't been able to test the lathe, but I would be interested in the boards if they are the same as those in my lathe. I will take some photos of the boards tomorrow and get back to you.

Thanks

Hi x-rayman,

Thanks for that info. I've found the metashel.exe file and installed it as a TSR and can now load and apparently run the Conect software within DOSbox on a Windows 10 PC. I just need to get a USB to Serial cable, or adapter, so that I can connect it to the lathe.

Thanks again.

Hi Smithy50,
Glad you have had some success.
I tried it with a USB to serial connector and it worked OK.
My PC has a serial port so I use that.
You can set up the serial port in DOSbox config file and also make it run the conect software automatically.
Kind regards,
x-rayman

Hi John S,

I've attached some photos of the boards in my Conect Cadet lathe. Are these the same, or similar, to those you removed from the Conect 121?

Regards

Smithy50

Hi x-rayman,

I got a USB-Serial cable, and got it set up OK on Windows 10, but had some difficulty configuring it in DOSbox. Consequently, I used an old Win98 laptop with one serial port (COM1) and configured it using 'MODE COM1: 96,n,7,1' in the autoexec.bat file.

I initially installed the Turning 1.2 software, but it gave a 'Runtime Error 200 at 0003:363D' message. I then installed the V2.7 conectl in the conectl simulations folder. I was able to run the program, but not connect to the lathe. I tried different baud rates, etc without success. Sometimes in showed an incremental counter of the number of connection tries and other times it showed 'on' next to connect machine, but the program hung and I had to reset each time.

Can you please advise what configuration you used for the serial port.

I assume that the software needs to be in communication with the lathe control board, before the front panel keys will move the cross carriage. I noticed that there were two large relays that appear to control the DC power to the spindle motor and stepper motors, so I assume that whatever needs to operate them is not happening.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks