Controller box from PC case
Hi Everyone,
This is the controller box I've put together from a Sun Micro tower server case, bought from fleabay for 20 quid.
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
As you can see there is a little battle damage at the bottom, combination of poor packing and brutal postman but as I am a sheetmetal worker by trade, that little dent will soon be gone :). I knew Sun Micro cases were nice but this thing is built like a Rolls Royce, I can't beleive I got it for 20 quid :beer:
Anyway, once you take off the side, just press two catches down and it pulls off, you have a perspex window covering the inside, this is lockable so you can display the gubbins of the control equipment but keep little and not so little fingers out :)
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
This too just slides off when you move the catches (everything is QD).
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
Another unexpected bonus were the three 120mm fans in a removable pod just where you need them most. The drivers are Motion Control Products MDS 542's, the PSU's are MCP PS407's. Should provide enough power for a 4th axis. The breakout board (bottom left) is by DIYCNC (Optoport). It's fully opto-isolated, has a charge pump and spindle and coolant/extractor relays built in. The charge pump is also gated into these so they cannot switch if the PC crashes or another error occurs, IMPORTANT!
Above the BOB is the Smoothstepper and yes I am in love with it :D
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
These are the connectors I am using for the steppers. They are military type bayonet fix. I bought them from fleabay from a Hong Kong seller. He does them up to 14 contacts on each connector. They are not quite as good as a true NATO Mil connector but at 2 quid a pair (socket and plug) I 'aint complaining. They are certainly more robust than the XLR types I was planning to use.
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
This is my laptop running Mach3 with the blue screenset modified for the touch probe I refered to in my router build log. The laptop is a DELL C640, Pentium 4 mobile @ 2.4 GHz, 1 gig ram and 150 quid from the bay.
Finally for now is my E-Stop Switch.
http://blairvoyach-farm.co.uk/cnc/ph...800x600%5D.jpg
As you can see it not only contains the E-Stop which is connected to the BOB, it is also the main on/off switch for the electronics in the case. This means that when the router returns to 0,0,0 for a tool change, I can also turn off power to the case ensuring doubly that both no axis can move and neither can the spindle while I'm changing the bit.
<EDIT> Re: the above, the E-Stop is not wired to mach through the BOB. The E-stop is wired to a contactor which shuts off ALL POWER to the stepper drives and router. It also switches off a relay that is outputting 5v to the BOB's chargepump circuit. Mach only enters software E-Stop when it detects the chargepump circuit has gone dead (which should be the instant I push the E-stop). Just thought I'd make it clear as on second reading it is ambiguous
Hope these pics came out ok. I still have to wire up the spindle relay and I'll post more when I've done that.
Re: Controller box from PC case
That's impressive. I like your attention to detail, well engineered.
I had a quick look for one of those but nothing to be found. Still looking for something suitable...
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
irving2008
That's impressive. I like your attention to detail, well engineered.
I had a quick look for one of those but nothing to be found. Still looking for something suitable...
This is where I got mine......
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUN-MICROSYSTEMS-LARGE-PC-SERVER-TOWER-CASE-w-PSU_W0QQitemZ250302595189QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 50302595189&_trkparms=72%3A1350|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3 A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Still have some left.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Smiler
Ah yes, I found that a few minutes ago.. I was also looking at this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=250302820843 which is smaller. The one you found includes the PSU - did you use that at all. As far as I can make out it is a Sun Ultra40 workstation case (the top of the range one has 3 fans and a 1000W PSU, the others in the range only have one fan and a 400W PSU). Does your have an ID, part # etc on it?
Re: Controller box from PC case
Jeff the images dont seem to be loading mate any ideas?
Re: Controller box from PC case
Should be back on now Lee.
I had been experimenting with changing our own website (just a site for family to keep up with what we are doing since we are so far away from them) and had started to muck about with Joomla! Well, the inevitable happened, I got the CNC bug and forgot all about our site until SWMBO asked what I was doing about it. So I thought I'd better re-install the latest Joomla! and go from there, forgot one of the subdirectories had my linked photos in it and deleted them by mistake. Sorry.
I suppose I could upload them to your site now and edit my original messsage?
Regards, Jeff.
Re: Controller box from PC case
You could do, i have reinstalled the photo system but all the images are still hosted so yours would never be lost if i had to do that again.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Any chance of a link to the Ebay seller of the plugs ?
John S.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John S
Any chance of a link to the Ebay seller of the plugs ?
John S.
These are the ones I use, I think they are the same or similar... 4-pin (for bipolar motors but they do 6 and 8 pin too)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-4-Pin-Male-F...mZ270316694740
Arrived in 8 days!
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
irving2008
Thats the guy I bought from Irving. Very fast delivery considering the distance.
The ones I used are these:
Nato style Mil connectors
Rather than a screw down locking ring, these are a bayonet type that pulls the pins into the socket as you twist the outer shell. They are a bit on the chunky side but then so am I. Very pleased with mine and yours look the dogs danglers too :beer:
Regards, and Merry Christmas to you and yours, Jeff.
Re: Controller box from PC case
A bit on the pricey side i would say !, theres that Military Green again.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Ahem,
The item I listed was just an example.
The item I listed was for a 14!! pin socket and connector (you could have all your axes on 1 plug!)
The Item I listed was for 10 off not 1
£5.60 for a 14!!!! pin plug and socket is cheap in my book.
;) The above is in jest for the humour challenged ;)
THESE are the ones I bought, 10 off for 39 quid so thats £3.90 for a plug and socket.
You could buy 10, use 5 and sell the others here, they really are decent plugs, like I say, not Nato quality but more than adequate for the job.
regards, Jeff.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Smiler
Ahem,
The item I listed was just an example.
The item I listed was for a 14!! pin socket and connector (you could have all your axes on 1 plug!)
The Item I listed was for
10 off not 1
£5.60 for a
14!!!! pin plug and socket is cheap in my book.
;) The above is in jest for the humour challenged ;)
....
regards, Jeff.
Its these young'ns Jeff, they always leap in without thinking.. ;):D
PC disclaimer - said in jest, no offence intended. I admit nothing and take no blame for anyone's inability to see the funny side... OK?
Re: Controller box from PC case
Thats a really nice job there Jeff. You've inspired me a little.
Got a sort of similar case from my old work station that I'm gonna use. Although I was thinking of maybe getting myself like an mini-ITX board or something smallish, and having the computer built into the case?
Dave.
Re: Controller box from PC case
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lateAtNight
Thats a really nice job there Jeff. You've inspired me a little.
Got a sort of similar case from my old work station that I'm gonna use. Although I was thinking of maybe getting myself like an mini-ITX board or something smallish, and having the computer built into the case?
Dave.
Thanks for the compliment Dave, it is appreciated.
One of my distant plans (2nd half next year) is to do exactly that, a mini ITX board in the case and a touch screen LCD. At the moment I have to use a laptop simply because a PC wouldn't survive permanently in our damp workshop. However, I have now had permission from SWMBO to convert our stable block into a workshop:beer: This should give me a shop about 30ft x 12 ft just for my router and as it's a nice dry warm building I should be able to keep the controller (ITX powered) in there with the machine permanently.
Regards, Jeff.
Re: Controller box from PC case
pack of 10 ROGER ! lol sorry next time ill read it !
