Isel 4433 - Can I use Mach3 with it?

[loudew]

I have attached photos of the machine. I think it is a genuine ISEL machine - I am buying it from a school who have are the 2nd owners.

Thanks John,
L

[Doddy]

It may require you (or be easier for you) to take strip out the electronics back to the axis drive motors, and re-introduce stepper drivers (assuming stepper motors), BoB and maybe PSU. It's not difficult and for the tiny price that you're paying for the machine you'll get a capable machine for very little outlay.

Re-using the existing electronics? - get some control-box images as previously suggested.

[john swift]

the machine looks like it is worth the money without the electronics

the base of the machine is large enough to house the electronics

if it has a RS232 serial connection to the PC
I expect it has a motion controller that only works with propriety software and would not work with mach 3 or 4

the devil is going to be in the detail but
replacing the existing motion controller with some thing like Warp9's Ethernet SmoothStepper (£55) could be an option *
if you can re use the existing stepper drivers and power supply

( *a generic breakout board connected to an old PC's parallel printer port will be cheaper)

the spindle motor speed control used will determine how easy it will be to re use the existing spindle

John

PS
on the net are a few threads on converting Denford lathes
(Denford is another supplier of machines to the education establishment )

https://www.summet.com/blog/2016/01/...speed-control/

you may find the ISEL electronics is similar

[loudew]

Okay. I will get more pictures on Monday just to see. It has a serial connection, yes. So would it be as simple as swapping out a board?
Thanks for the help
L

EDIT:
I have been researching ESS boards - have also looked on Warp9's website and found different UK distributors. Both linked distributors are selling an ESS for around £170. If you could link a cheaper alternative, that'd be great!
Thanks L

[john swift]

looking at this mornings search history I can't find the popup advert I looked at
I must of miss typed the smooth stepper must of been £155 exc vat

John

[loudew]

Okay. The only reason why I am buying this is because its relatively cheap and so I am trying to keep cost down. Thanks for the suggestion, but are there any other cheaper alternatives that won't really sacrifice on accuracy or anything? I am pretty sure the spindle speed is independent of the board as it has a speed control setting on it. I am not all that knowledgeable when it comes to CNCs so this is merely an assumption. Could I just use a BoB instead of buying some sort of ESS?
Thank you for all this help (I'd be hopeless with out it!)
L

[john swift]

yes thats why I said in post 7
"a generic breakout board connected to an old PC's parallel printer port will be cheaper"

an old 32 bit windows 7 PC* with a parallel printer port will work

the smooth stepper emulates 3 printer ports and can be added later once you have the cnc machine working
(* mach3 only works with a parallel printerport when using a 32bit OS)

laptops can be a problem , built in power saving features clash with mach3's low level control of the printer port
some laptops don't have a proper parallel printer port
they have a USB to parallel printer port converter that only works with printers !

John