Boxford TCL 160

[Saracen]

Hi George.

The jaws require a pneumatic system to operate, so if your lathe has that system fitted, you would need to attach a compressor. Mine has a manual chuck, so I've not looked into that.

The only drawings I have came from a copy of one of the manuals, so you should have that now.

I'm using a Planet-CNC Mk2/4 board to control the original stepper drivers etc, wired up to the original homing and limit switches. It has very limited inputs, so this does mean you lose the use of a lot of the front panel buttons, but I have managed to get the jogging ones connected again.

I'm having problems with the Planet-CNC software, as I think it's designed mainly for routers rather than lathes, so I'm also looking at the Eding controller, in case the Planet-CNC one falls through. Both of these use their own software, so I've not investigated Mach3 for this machine.

Adrian.

[Len-Tikular]

Many thanks for the reply Adrian,
No air on my TCL160(1994) so manual only for the chuck.
I have a limit switch on the body of the cabinet which is activated by a rod on the Z Axis. Clearly this serves to prevent the tool post clouting the chuck. (Good idea)
I read somewhere that depressing both Left & Right feed together that the machine should execute a 'Homing' action.
This didn't work for me unless I misunderstood the methodology. Any Ideas ?
Should there also be a Limit /Homing switch for the X axis ?
I purchased a spare set of boards which were removed from a non turret machine together with a Small format Motherboard SBC-GX1 complete with compact flash with Software 4.3.1 installed.
I wonder whether this software can be upgraded to V5 or even 6. Any ideas on this ?
The PC motherboard I'm told was fitted inside a TCL160 ? There is no such board in mine. Did earlier machines have a PC inside ???
For the moment, I will try and get the native software running and see exactly what the machine is capable of doing.
I will then convert it as you have done so if you have any schematics of your arrangement or any pictures that you'd care to share I would be very grateful.
Meanwhile
Best regards

George (Oldham Lancs)

[Saracen]

Does your TCL have three or four flexible conduits running from the back of the cabinet ?

If it only has three then it is probably not fitted with homing switches.

I don't believe the PC motherboard fits inside the case. There is a CPU board in there but that's just to read the various switches, take the control input from the serial port and generate pulses for the stpper drivers.

I believe Boxford will sell you a copy of the current software if you let them know the serial number of your lathe. From memory it was about £500 to purchase. I'm doing my own thing now so am not pursuing that route.

Adrian.

[Len-Tikular]

Only 3 flexi's so you're probably correct, no homing.
That may impact on the new software.
George

[Saracen]

This picture:

http://www.boxford-software.com/spar...ide%20assy.png

shows the location of the two homing sensors - the two salmon pink parts.

Would it be possible to retrofit them ?

Adrian.

[Len-Tikular]

This picture:

http://www.boxford-software.com/spar...ide%20assy.png

shows the location of the two homing sensors - the two salmon pink parts.

Would it be possible to retrofit them ?

Adrian.

Should be Possible, I'll check the wiring diagramm

George

[Saracen]

I've been having problems with the Planet-CNC software so, seeing as I have a UC100 motion controller left over from another project, I thought I'd take the plunge and swap them over.

As I've been using the Boxford driver board, I made up a new loom, so that I needed to disturb the current wiring as little as possible.

Loaded the UC100 software, loaded the included demo of Mach3, wired up the newly purchased BoB and fired her up again.

And all that happens is all three steppers rattle and bang alarmingly. With the UC100 disconnected, there's no noise, so I don't think it's interference on the control lines.

Seems I need to do some digging in Mach3. If anyone has an XML file for Mach3 for use with the Boxford stepper electronics, it would be gratefully received.

Adrian.