running mach 3 with a usb to parallel adapter

[Neale]

The issue, Kendrick, is that often when you don't have too much knowledge about the subject (but are willing to learn!) then it's easy to ask the wrong question. In your case, you possibly started out with the wrong question, about a USB to parallel converter. In the context of a CNC router and Mach3, this really doesn't make a lot of sense but it might not be obvious why not. If you say, "I have this Chinese router that has a BOB that needs to plug into a parallel port, and I have a laptop with Mach3 but no parallel port so how do I make the two ends meet?" then that puts it into a better context, and you are more likely to get a useful answer. The correct answer to your original question was, in effect, "You can't get there from here", but actually there are some good solutions to the actual problem.

Of course, you might get some ribbing about some aspects of what you've said. Unfortunately, to get any sense out of these forums you have to take the rough with the smooth, or at least have a skin like a rhinoceros, but you will get some really useful feedback and suggestions if you pick through what is said. Just don't insist on getting your exact question answered, because with the best will in the world, sometimes it's just not the right question! As for Chinese machines - I have no experience of them, except that I'm sure that they won't do quite all that the advertising claims. But then, what does? I'm sure that used within its capabilities, it will be able to do a good job for you. I run a home-built router built from MDF. Frankly, it's crap, but it does work and as long as I am careful about what I am trying to do, it does a useful job. Your machine is probably a lot better than mine. It's also taught me that I need something better, which is what I am building at the moment, but we all come to this game from different directions, with different needs, and, frankly, different budgets. Good luck to you, carry on asking questions, listen carefully to the answers and think about whether or not you asked the right question, and if you need to, ask why someone said or recommended what they did.

Have fun!