Boxford 125 TCL - Mach3 Ports & Pins Spindle Configuration

[John11668]

So it sounds like your forward and reverse relays are now supplied .

Next thing to check is your spindle DC driver which is board with the orange perspex cover ( GEC gemini) . Do you have any info on it ? I cant raise any online.

Would also be useful if we could identify the functions of two other boards The small one adjacent to the 5V psu (I am wondering if it could be a PWM generator) and the one at the far left corner by the yellow terminal block which I think will be a simple relay board.

Somehow these in combination have to supply your DC driver board .
This is the wiring of the original Lenze board used on some TCLs




And I am using a Sprint DC driver with connections as shown here





You should see common elements here and I am sure your GEC board will have the same functions.
A run switch, and a 0-10v dc potentiometer .
On Sprint they are 5-9 , and 1,2,3 respectively
On Lenze they are 16-17 and 7,8,9
If you can determine which they are on GEC you should be able to test the motor function separately by connecting a simple switch and a pot .
With these you should be able run the spindle independently of computer connections and prove its functon. Just make sure you let the spindle stop before selecting reverse .
If successful you can even run the spindle in this way while you sort out the outputs from the computer in Mach.

We can then look at Mach settings to supply these from your computer.
I have to say I then get a bit stuck with Mach settings as I did not get as far as running my machine properly before I migrated to Linux.
Maybe someone with more Mach3 lathe experience will step in here to help .
I will see if I can find the settings I was using at the time

I did get it running in Mach 3 after a fashion but thread cutting in Mach3 was not a success.