Help! Boxford 125 TCL CNC lathe

[kingcreaky]

Hi 'sir' (pun on teacher)

Ok, I am new to this, but have read a lot in the past few weeks and I do not doubt I will be corrected if I am wrong. But I believe the most simple thing you can do is 'convert' it. Think im right in thinking the native Boxford equiptment used BBC micro's. which im sure you will agree are long since any use to man or beast.

Most of the home made CNC routers / millers etc you see on here and on youtube, are done with components that make up the automation side of the cnc, essentially you buy some stepper motors mount them to the machine. you then buy a controller for each stepper, and a suitable power supply. you then connect these 'controllers' to a break-out board and the break-out board is compatable with most of the reasonably cheap CAD/CAM software available in the modern internet age. Mach3 is a common tool used to control the machine and will take DXF files staight from autocad etc.

perhaps something like this
http://www.zappautomation.co.uk/en/s...hree-axis.html

a mach3 licence.

and some tinkering to connect the steppers to the axis drivescrews and jobs a good-un. Have a look on you-tube there are loads of videos of boxford conversions.

so in answer to your question sub £500 (or whatever that is in euros). Good project for the kids!!

here some related links from a quick google

boxford 125 tlc | Model Engineer
http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/machin...-software.html

remember, dont take anything ive said as gospel. do some research and keep us posted with your plans.

Matt