Again Pokeys57CNC problems, anyone using it?

**John S** · 26-08-2016

Boyan,
I do feel for you. I feel the problem may lie in the Mach3 plugins as from what I can see there is no longer any support for them.
Pokeys has been doing a lot of work recently with Mach 4 and the lathe threading problem and they have brought out at least 6 plug in upgrades recently. So just where this leaves M3 users is a bit of a toss up.

Recently I have taken stock of where I am trying desperately to get a lathe working correctly on whatever is out there.
Mach3 can't and won't thread without an external controller such as Pokeys but Pokeys won't work on the M3 version. They say it can't be done but CS labs can 'nearly' thread under M3 if you are happy with a run off groove at the end of every thread.

Why can't M3 thread with an outside controller to pass over to ? We could thread 15 years ago with DOS but with all the brains and computing technology we have now, we can't ??

Dan Mauch has spent the last 3? months working with Brian at M4 and pokeys to get a lathe to thread and it looks like he's done it but I have to ask myself at what cost ?
Personally I can't even get M4 working. It won't read a g-code generated in M3 that runs every week on production [ fortunately no threading involved ].

I look on my shelves at what is there. Two DeskCNC boards that were as useless as Fred Smith's support. The space where two early smooth steppers used to sit gathering dust whilst the Mounties were looking for the programmer who didn't return any emails or support issues for exactly a year. Nearly forgot the NC-Pod that used to do to sleep and disconnect itself from the system.

A Gecko G-Rex that has got to be the biggest flop in terms of time and money except the 12 yes no typo, twelve, 201 drives that just blew up at switch on and Marriss insisted it was bad motors even though a swap onto a less power drive would carry on running. Made worse 2 years later on CNC zone when he admitted they had a problem with them exploding !!

Goodness knows how many breakout boards by various manufacturers.

So to get a lathe working on M4 and remember anything I build I have to support so please no one mention Linux CNC as no customer would buy a system that looks like etch-a-sketch on acid, I need the following.

A computer £150.00
A windows license £75.00
A Monitor £75.00
Keyboard and mouse £20.00
Mach 4 license £150
Breakout board [ decent one ] £125.00
Pokeys board £120.00

Power supply. steppers and drivers have not been included in this as they will be needed on any system. Above is what is needed for Mach 4.

So I reckon a total of £715 before you start setting up and being an unpaid beta tester.

However times move on and last week this landed on my doorstep.

Not the best shot with reflected light.

A two axis complete CNC system, can control 2 axis to industry standard, spindle, pendant and also a tool changer.
Just add drivers and stepper to complete and stir.

Also available in up to 5 axis on a sliding price scale.

This one landed, all duties declared and paid at £387.00

No contest, we live in interesting times

**Boyan Silyavski** · 27-08-2016

HI John,

i was seriously considering Downgrading to LPT before i read your post. if after 6 years in CNC i can not make a board spin the spindle at speed, cut repeatedly 10 elements, switch on and off the relays when i want to...then maybe is better to go back in stone edge.

"Unpaid beta testers". No, we are more like "willfully Paying Alfa testers"

So the chinese have done it again? What will you use 2 axis for? laser or plasma? Anyway, how did you find it? Again you are "alfa tester"? Or sb already has it working. Could you provide a link please. I swear here in front of all that if one of these chinese things, say a4 axis works reliably, i will buy 100 pieces for starters and raise the bar so, that anyone in EU will have a serious difficulty to sell his crappy motion control board even for 100 euros. I am so fed up with BOBs. I was very seriously considering these days to raise the question if sb here at forum is capable of designing a board to my specifications so we partner to produce it.

**John S** · 27-08-2016

Boyan,
Quick reply as going out.

It was bought as a 2 axis just for a lathe as it can thread properly.
I have a lot to do with the Chinese as i was heavily involved with them to build the KX1 and KX3 turnkey milling machines.

The website is here for the different controllers.

http://www.newkye.com/h-pd-111.html

We landed two into the UK last week, mine is on a bench, no machine as yet whilst we sort out parameter settings.
Steve Blackmore has the other controller temporally fitted to an Orac lathe and he has it jogging and homing already but still has the spindle, toolchanger and encoder to sort out but it's looking good.

There are some very simple cheaper controllers that can do 4 axis and spindle but not threading or rigid tapping, no encoder feedback.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...260668115.html

Again these are just a stand alone controller, no computer or break out boards needed and just require power supply, drivers and steppers.
These sell for about £140 to £180 depending on what deal they are doing and shipping.

I feel that these new controllers are going to be a game changer.

**Boyan Silyavski** · 28-08-2016

Well, its official. This board is so buggy that i am done with it. Take a look at the video how the relays are thinking they are controlling disco lights not an industrial machine. Meanwhile the machine is cutting. Thanks god that i took out the spindle control from the relay after dry testing.

I will contact them and all goes back to them. Will keep that board though as i have to repair the microscopic surface mount trimpot. At the end sb that runs Mach4 could use the board.

I jumped and bought the DDCSV1 controller. Will see how it goes. Seems promising. Its high time sb to check them out. I looked at some other ones but it seems they had some limit of file size. Not clear, crappy manuals. This one has a good manual . Meanwhile i will try to find english version manual of the more advanced and expensive mill controllers that could tap and so. Another bonus is my wife / on a vacation now/ works directly with chinese manufacturers so we would ask them what controls are they using on their mills.

John, please update us how the things are going with your controllers, maybe in a separate thread. you bought it for personal use or for integrating in machines ?