Boxford vmc260 to mach3 conversion

**Roboteernat** · 29-01-2020

Originally Posted by LucD

I have recently acquired one of these drives. Does anyone know what power output they have? I could also do with inputs and outputs.

Thanks

Luc

Hiya, What drive do you have? If it is stock from boxford, then you will want to look at getting a new breakout board and wiring that in with some new stepper drivers.

If that i sthe case, these are the stepper drivers i use: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DM860I-Di...YAAOSw1QpZ5ZIL

after upgrading from MA860H as i was able to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Durable-M...wAAOSwVVlcxsbL

Both work fine.

The breakout board, i used https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pc-5-Axi...IAAOSwgvVdOIPz This worked well but i had to change to:

I then changed to this one to have a charge pump on the board to stop any problems with our H&S board. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Engraving...-/162783086981

If you have something else, please advise.

Im running Mach3 with these and have just installed an Ethernet smoothstepper.

**LucD** · 29-01-2020

Hi thanks for the info. My machine has the GEC spindle controller. I'm trying to get some info on that. The spindle has burnt out and I can't get that power that the board it supposed to to replace it. Or the spindle power.

Thanks again

**Roboteernat** · 29-01-2020

Originally Posted by LucD

Hi thanks for the info. My machine has the GEC spindle controller. I'm trying to get some info on that. The spindle has burnt out and I can't get that power that the board it supposed to to replace it. Or the spindle power.

Thanks again

Something like this then? http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7037-...oxford-260-VMC

If your spindle has gone, then it may be best to replace it with a new spindle. the GEC spindle can only do 3000k rpm max - mine is gec and i can only get to 2000!
so if you look to replace it with a new spindle you can get 17k rpm and faster machineing times. You can get these on ebay cheap second hand. Although it will be a bit costly if you go for a 3 phase one, with VFD

**LucD** · 29-01-2020

Same controller exactly. Its works machine, I have a motor lined up but need to know the max current output of the controller. The motor itself is a higher speed one so ought to do 5000 rpm

**Roboteernat** · 29-01-2020

Originally Posted by LucD

Same controller exactly. Its works machine, I have a motor lined up but need to know the max current output of the controller. The motor itself is a higher speed one so ought to do 5000 rpm

Im not too sure on the specs of the controller, i would just google it to help you find that out. Can i ask what spindle you have? incase i want to upgrade mine later?

**LucD** · 30-01-2020

Originally Posted by Roboteernat

Im not too sure on the specs of the controller, i would just google it to help you find that out. Can i ask what spindle you have? incase i want to upgrade mine later?

You can, its a bit of a frankenmotor,

I had an old dc treadmill motor, machined a new front plate for it and bearing housing and assembled the lowest resistance motor i could out of the armatures with the most powerful magnets. I have tested the motor and can get 1.2kW out of it. But could do with finding what the drive can provide.

**LucD** · 30-01-2020

The bigger improvement i have done was to change the pulleys and belt to have a higher speed on the spindle. if i was to do it again though i would butcher one of the 400Hz Chinese 3 phased spindle motors and fit one of them. Then get higher speed and higher torque.