# Where to purchase CNC electronics thread



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys I’m wondering if it would be an idea to ask the moderators for a Sticky thread regarding purchasing CNC electronics.
I’ve been searching high and low and am seeing some varying prices on stepper motors and drivers , and I’m curious as to where others have purchased their electronics and why they chose them .
This would be for everything necessary to build the electronics part , including the spindle and vfd , shielded cable , limit switches etc


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

If someone wants to collate information I could see about putting one together from that. You'd need discussion thread(s) to find out the best equipment/price.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I shopped around for the best deal on the items I chose, Rick. My 3kW water cooled spindle is Chinese and I shopped eBay for the best deal on a spindle that met my specs. The VFD was a no-brainer; I bought from Drives Warehouse in Dallas. 

My thinking was/is that I would rather have a top notch VFD with a Chinese spindle than to get the Chinese VFD and spindle together. I've read and heard in several places that the Hitachi VFD has far less electrical noise and better cooling than the knock-offs. That doesn't mean the Chinese VFD is junk and shouldn't be used, it just wasn't my preference. Several times I needed to ask questions about settings on the VFD and calling someone in Dallas was quick and easy. Those guys know their stuff!

Most of the other components I chose came from American sources where I can talk to someone and get support but I still shopped around for the best deal.

Hope this helps...
David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> I shopped around for the best deal on the items I chose, Rick. My 3kW water cooled spindle is Chinese and I shopped eBay for the best deal on a spindle that met my specs. The VFD was a no-brainer; I bought from Drives Warehouse in Dallas.
> 
> My thinking was/is that I would rather have a top notch VFD with a Chinese spindle than to get the Chinese VFD and spindle together. I've read and heard in several places that the Hitachi VFD has far less electrical noise and better cooling than the knock-offs. That doesn't mean the Chinese VFD is junk and shouldn't be used, it just wasn't my preference. Several times I needed to ask questions about settings on the VFD and calling someone in Dallas was quick and easy. Those guys know their stuff!
> 
> ...


Actually your the reason I wanted to stay with Hitachi for the VDF , as I have seen a lot of bad reviews on other brands .
I wasn’t aware how expensive the NEMA34 steppers were , well at least the ones that I find .
I didn’t know there was several versions of them though, as the same size Nema can have different Torque specs . 
Every time I find a kit with NEMA34 steppers snd drivers,it’s always for 3. I believe we require 4 .

Four of these ones I posted would certainly add up, and I think that’s in US currency . And I haven’t even gotten to the stepper drivers ,or the other associated electronics.
Almost should have ordered the plug and play , but that’s no fun


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Actually David, I could back threw your build thread ,as you had a list there also .
I see these steppers have different steps . Not sure which stepper is ideal for wood carvings


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Does anyone with a cncrouterparts Pro know the shaft size for there Nema 34 steppers .
When I look it up I’m reading 11.9mm .
Kind if an oddball size, as that comes to .469” ? 

http://www.cncrouterparts.com/cdata/cad/specs/86BYGH100B04_spec_sheet.pdf


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

difalkner said:


> Several times I needed to ask questions about settings on the VFD and calling someone in Dallas was quick and easy. Those guys know their stuff!
> 
> Most of the other components I chose came from American sources where I can talk to someone and get support but ...
> David


I can remember several threads where members said that customer support from China was non-existent. That and repair parts are always an issue and general consensus is that when China is the source the problem is multiplied. At least when you get Chinese parts from a North American source with a good CS record it's because they chose to do business with a Chinese company with a good CS reputation.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Rick

Before it's all said and done you'll wish you'd have just got the plug and play!! Still plenty of stuff to tinker with. It's not just handed to you.

New contests to think about. Pick a date - when will Rick get his actually running, when will he actually make something, and when will he sell his first item? Oh........ and when will he insulate? (just had to)


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

honesttjohn said:


> Rick
> 
> *Before it's all said and done you'll with you'd have just got the plug and play!! * Still plenty of stuff to tinker with. It's not just handed to you.
> 
> New contests to think about. Pick a date - when will Rick get his actually running, when will he actually make something, and when will he sell his first item? Oh........ and when will he insulate? (just had to)


I was kind of wondering that myself after adding it all up , but I was really looking forward to building my own. 
I noticed Avid CNC has things staggered and it looks pretty tight in there if you had to trouble shoot .
I was going to buy an oversized cabinet and mount it to the wall by the rear of the machine at standing height .
This would make it great to work on if I had to . 
I also want to start with UCCNC right off the get go, and Gerry did mention that I could change the motion control board out in the Avid cnc cabinet , but I’d rather not.

Maybe I’ll be close to the same price when I’m done , but with better quality equipment. 
I almost ordered their NEMA34 steppers this morning, but I believe they have a proprietary jack on theirs ? 
I’d probably have to buy their cables to . Then you may as well buy the rest lol

I have seen better deals for kits that had all four Servos and stepper drives together. But I’m just not understanding the shaft size and design now. 
Hoping it’s a standard thing


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok this is more like it . eBay has what I was looking for. Just have to find out if this kit is good quality wise . 
Not sure if theirs better breakout board choices 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/US-Ship-4-A...658&pg=2385738&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

This all makes me sooo happy I have my CNC stuff sorted out. 

CNC = Coffee 'N Cookies. Folgers coffee, 'n oatmeal cookies. Can relax now. 
>

Oops, almost forgot. My Bubba Mug, vital CNC part. But only 52 oz.


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## Pro4824 (Oct 17, 2015)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Ok this is more like it . eBay has what I was looking for. Just have to find out if this kit is good quality wise .
> Not sure if theirs better breakout board choices
> 
> https://www.ebay.ca/itm/US-Ship-4-A...658&pg=2385738&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598


I'd go down the SAFE road and buy the Avid plug and play electronics. 
I haven't opened my Avid box in two years for anything other than blowing a little dust out. And if I ever need to, it's great to have Ahren and Cory handy. 🙂


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Does anyone with a cncrouterparts Pro know the shaft size for there Nema 34 steppers .
> When I look it up I’m reading 11.9mm .
> Kind if an oddball size, as that comes to .469” ?
> 
> http://www.cncrouterparts.com/cdata/cad/specs/86BYGH100B04_spec_sheet.pdf



11.9mm is from the face of the flat on the shaft, NOT the shaft diameter. The standard for Nema 34 is a 1/2" shaft, which is what those motors have, and is what you need.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Ok this is more like it . eBay has what I was looking for. Just have to find out if this kit is good quality wise .
> Not sure if theirs better breakout board choices
> 
> https://www.ebay.ca/itm/US-Ship-4-A...658&pg=2385738&_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598



When you go cheap, you get EXACTLY what you pay for.
1) Those won't fit your drives.
2) They are bigger than you need. With stepper motors, bigger usually means slower.
3) I'm not a fan of using 4 power supplies.
4) You just spent a LOT of money, now you want to try to get away with a drive system for $400??


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Not sure what the shipping (or duty) will be, but I'd look at these.
https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h295-43-8a/
or these for less money.
https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h280-45-8a/
You want the highest current rating, and the lowest inductance. I think Avid's are 7 amps. They probably have them made for them, as I've never seen any other 7 amp motors.

For inexpensive drives,
https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/d...4-110-VDC-18-80-VAC-for-nema-34-stepper-motor
https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/d...for-nema-34-stepper-motor-cnc-kit-dm860i.html

Power supply
https://www.automationtechnologiesi...0w-65vdc20a-input-120vac-or-230vac-duplicate/
PS-10N63 - 1000W 63V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Personally, my preference is Leadshine EM806 drives. Or their older AM882 drives.
They run cooler, quieter, and smoother than cheaper drives. Again, you get what you pay for. Are they 4 times better than the cheap drives in my other post? For some people, yes. For others, no, not really.
AM882's are only available on Ebay, and come with no support. I think they were originally for China only. I have 4, and am very happy with them.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I'm very happy with my Huanyang VFD for $130. Genuine Huanyang VFD's seem to be pretty reliable for at least the last 5-7 years or so. The Huanyang knockoffs not so much. Thousands of people are using them.
Most people that have issue set them up incorrectly, and fry them.

Note: My HY VFD did come with a faulty output for the FWD output. But there are 5 programmable outputs, and you only need one, so I just switched the default Reverse terminal to Forward and it runs fine.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

ger21 said:


> When you go cheap, you get EXACTLY what you pay for.
> 1) Those won't fit your drives.
> 2) They are bigger than you need. With stepper motors, bigger usually means slower.
> 3) I'm not a fan of using 4 power supplies.
> 4) You just spent a LOT of money, now you want to try to get away with a drive system for $400??


Gerry,

You'll find Rick is always chasing, but seldom catches. I think he has more fun looking for things than actually getting them. Spend a dollar - save a penny doesn't compute with some. But he's a neat fella - and ours - for better or for worse.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thanks all for the info. 
I’m not trying to cheap out , I just thought it was a good deal . I want quality for sure . I do not want to spend 4 grand on Servos , but I would like high end Nema 34’s , drives and PS. 
I forgot you can use one PS for all the stepper drivers if it’s got proper ratings . Been out of the loop for a while






honesttjohn said:


> Gerry,
> 
> You'll find* Rick is always chasing, but seldom catches.* I think he has more fun looking for things than actually getting them. Spend a dollar - save a penny doesn't compute with some. But he's a neat fella - and ours - for better or for worse.


Can’t get a darn thing past you guys :grin:


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

JOAT said:


> TOops, almost forgot. My Bubba Mug, vital CNC part. But only 52 oz.


My mistake. Double checked, and have the little Bubba Mug, just 34 oz.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> Not sure what the shipping (or duty) will be, but I'd look at these.
> https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h295-43-8a/
> or these for less money.
> https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h280-45-8a/
> ...



Gerry I’ll go with these 906 oz that you mentioned. 
There cheaper than the ones I can purchase from Avid cnc , and the same torque rating . 

https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h295-43-8a/


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

The stepper drivers you like are not available at the same site , but I sourced them here ,and am willing to go with them 

Leadshine EM806 Stepper Motor Drive with Stall Detection


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

And I’m really your PS choice , as it also has a 12V and a 5V Tap . It will save a lot of real estate inside the cabinet . 

https://www.automationtechnologiesi...0w-65vdc20a-input-120vac-or-230vac-duplicate/


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Gerry I’ll go with these 906 oz that you mentioned.
> There cheaper than the ones I can purchase from Avid cnc , and the same torque rating .
> 
> https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.com/products-page/nema-34/kl34h295-43-8a/



The ones from Avid will have about 25% more torque at higher speeds, based on the torque curves. With the Automation Tech motors, I'd probably move up to a 70V supply, provided you are using the EM806 drives. This will get you similar, if not better performance to the Avid motors at 48V. Speed is roughly proportional to voltage.
PS-15N70 - 1500W 70V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp


Depending on what electronics you use, you probably won't need 5V or 12V power supplies. My system is all 24V, which offers much better noise immunity.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> The *ones from Avid will have about 25% more torque at higher speeds*, based on the torque curves. With the Automation Tech motors, I'd probably move up to a 70V supply, provided you are using the EM806 drives. This will get you similar, if not better performance to the Avid motors at 48V. Speed is roughly proportional to voltage.
> PS-15N70 - 1500W 70V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp
> 
> 
> Depending on what electronics you use, you probably won't need 5V or 12V power supplies. My system is all 24V, which offers much better noise immunity.


*I’m willing to order the steppers from Avid cnc knowing this * . I should contact them before it’s shipped . I’m assuming they would email me if it had left. I’ll see if I can’t contact them and find out.


As for power, I thought the breakout board or the motion control board was 5v or 12v?
I was going to go with whatever breakout board and motion controller for UCCNC that you recommend.
Seeing as they seem to have new releases on them though, I was going to leave purchasing them till the end incase something better comes a long ? 

*Update *.
Now I’m debating to buy Avid Cnc steppers, plus their shielded cables . They have a plug on them ,and I’m doubting it’s proprietary? 
I’m thinking I should be able to source the female plugs that I can mount on the cabinet to connect to their cables .


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Not a recommendation...I know zilch about CNC...but Harry's 'Bang Good.com' has a lot of CNC components etc.

https://www.banggood.com/search/cnc-components.html
The customer service will be from Bang Good, I think, according to Harry.
By the way, "Bang" is Mandarin for 'good'. So basically 'Good Good'


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> Not a recommendation...I know zilch about CNC...but Harry's 'Bang Good.com' has a lot of CNC components etc.
> 
> https://www.banggood.com/search/cnc-components.html
> The customer service will be from Bang Good, I think, according to Harry.
> By the way, "Bang" is Mandarin for 'good'. So basically 'Good Good'


Sheeeesh, If my stuff hasn’t shipped , I’m dam near at the point of telling them to send the entire thing minus the stand . 
Dang this is getting confusing, and Gerry is going to need Prozac by the time I’m done lol


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Good idea, Rick. Best way to go. You can always "tinker" with it then. And ......... you should be cutting a lot faster.

I'm expecting a knock on my door and a crazed Gerry rushing at me with an unkown large metal object in his hand shouting "He's your friend!!! He's your friend!!!"


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## gmedwards (Oct 12, 2018)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> If my stuff hasn’t shipped , I’m dam near at the point of telling them to send the entire thing minus the stand lol .
> Dang this is getting confusing, and Gerry is going to need Prozac by the time I’m done lol


I'm not sure whether you are aware, but the Extrusion parts are drop shipped from 80/20. They don't pass through Avid's hands.

I have the NEMA 34s Avid sells. I also bought their motor cables. I am very pleased with them.

No, the motor plugs are not proprietary. They are garden variety 4 pin XLR plugs. They are widely available. 

I did a lot of shopping around for motor cables. I don't know where Avid gets theirs, but I wasn't about to find any 18 ga shielded anywhere near thin and supple as theirs. I search until I couldn't search anymore, and even bought some cable. Avid's was by far the best. Oh, and I don't have an Avid machine. I built my own, including the electronics. I used some of their parts, though. No regrets.

In case you're interested, I went with a PMDX-126 BOB, with PMDX-107 for spindle control, and an ESS Smoothstepper. I run Mach4. All of my connectors are XLR (motors and proximity sensors), except for the network cables and E-stop.

In the off chance you're interested, I have a build tread located here: https://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cnc-router-table-machines/378934-cnc-machinist.html

Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

gmedwards said:


> I'm not sure whether you are aware, but the Extrusion parts are drop shipped from 80/20. They don't pass through Avid's hands.
> 
> I have the NEMA 34s Avid sells. I also bought their motor cables. I am very pleased with them.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the heads up Gary, I thought they looked like XLR . I’ll be sure to check out your build thread


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

The more I think about these XLR connections , the less I like them . I believe ideally that everything should be soldered together with no splicing at all. 
Meaning just have a grommet on the electronics enclosure so that wires can pass threw and go to there destination directly , thus eliminating any possible bad connection.
On the other end , solder the connections at the Steppers . But I guess that would be problematic with getting the cables shielding grounded to the enclosure properly?


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I soldered all my cabling to the steppers, Rick, fwiw, and they're covered with a couple of layers of shrink wrap tubing at the solder joints.

David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> I soldered all my cabling to the steppers, Rick, fwiw, and they're covered with a couple of layers of shrink wrap tubing at the solder joints.
> 
> David


I just found your build thread again. Will have to go threw it


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

> As for power, I thought the breakout board or the motion control board was 5v or 12v?


Depends on which one(s) you are using.
My UB1 only needs a 24V supply.
My AXBB needs both 5V and 24V.

I use the UC300ETH with UB1 breakout board.
And I have an AXBB-E for testing at my desk.
The AXBB-E is probably all that you need, especially if you add an additional breakout board to it.

The main additional feature of the UC300ETH is analog inputs, so you can control Spindle speed override and feedrate override with potentiometers.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> The more I think about these XLR connections , the less I like them . I believe ideally that everything should be soldered together with no splicing at all.
> Meaning just have a grommet on the electronics enclosure so that wires can pass threw and go to there destination directly , thus eliminating any possible bad connection.
> On the other end , solder the connections at the Steppers . But I guess that would be problematic with getting the cables shielding grounded to the enclosure properly?



If soldering, you have to make sure the wires don't move at all near the solder joints, or the wires will break.
If you go with the Avid motors and cables, just cut the XLR connector off at the control box end and wire directly.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Haven't had any problems with CNCRP ends so far, and I've run it pretty hard at times.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

honesttjohn said:


> Haven't had any problems with CNCRP ends so far, and I've run it pretty hard at times.


Ya I’m OCD , and throw in with that a tad bit of autism . May even call my company OCD Designs


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## BalloonEngineer (Mar 27, 2009)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Ya I’m OCD , and throw in with that a tad bit of autism . May even call my company OCD Designs


True OCD folks know it should be called CDO with the letters in alphabetical order as they are meant to be....


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## BalloonEngineer (Mar 27, 2009)

Having connectors at the steppers and the electronics makes for easier trouble shooting, can swap cables to isolate problems to a component or cable. Remember that if you have all your electronics in a box on the wall, you will have to fish all the cables through several cable chains. Flexing shielded cable that is not designed for it will lead to issues over time, and long parallel runs are more likely to result in issues with crosstalk. 

Or you can do like me, and mount your electronics to the back of the gantry and have far shorter cables, and much less complicated cable management. 0 issues for the last 3 1/2 years, including after disassembly and reassembly 100 miles away. Gantry, with all electronics moved as one (very heavy) piece, just removed my hard stops and slid it off ends of rails.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Just like CNCRP does already.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

BalloonEngineer said:


> Having connectors at the steppers and the electronics makes for easier trouble shooting, can swap cables to isolate problems to a component or cable. Remember that if you have all your electronics in a box on the wall, you will have to fish all the cables through several cable chains. Flexing shielded cable that is not designed for it will lead to issues over time, and long parallel runs are more likely to result in issues with crosstalk.
> 
> Or you can do like me, and mount your electronics to the back of the gantry and have far shorter cables, and much less complicated cable management. 0 issues for the last 3 1/2 years, including after disassembly and reassembly 100 miles away. Gantry, with all electronics moved as one (very heavy) piece, just removed my hard stops and slid it off ends of rails.


I like the theory behind having it right on the gantry ,and I’ve always been amazed how you managed to get everything in that size of enclosure.
My only concern is adding additional weight to the gantry .

Excellent point about being able to swap cables etc for troubleshooting. I’ll be using connectors for sure after reading this


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> I soldered all my cabling to the steppers, Rick, fwiw, and they're covered with a couple of layers of shrink wrap tubing at the solder joints.
> 
> David


David , I’m curious as to what all those blue relays do . At least I think there relays?


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't have a clue, Rick. That was almost 3 years ago! :wink:

David

4 channel relay board








8 channel relay board


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## BalloonEngineer (Mar 27, 2009)

I remember that David had set up his e-stop to cut power to several things. His electronic are far more involved than mine. One way I fit everything in the small box is that I used an integrated 4 stepper driver configuration, gecko540. If doing it again, might choose the similar, but higher current and voltage capable Leadshine mx4660. A single ribbon cable connects the ESS to the 540. My e-stop only connects across the “enable” pin of the 540, triggering it stops all steppers immediately, which also disables the spindle signals to the ESS and Mach4, that an e-stop has occurred, but everything remains powered up and ready to restart. I have never needed to hit it yet while running, but have tested that everything works as designed. I sometimes use it just to disable the “locking” of the steppers when under power so I can slide the gantry out of the way for cleaning or to remove a large piece. 

I purposely designed for simplicity and reliability (occupational habit, worked on manned space for many years) and not highest performance. Even so, have never felt that my machine has ever lacked for speed or power. I am only using Nema23 steppers (purchased from CNCRP), and used their prewired stepper cables (mine came with DB9 connectors- plug straight into the g540 and was how the steppers I bought were pre-wired, including the current limiting resistor needed by the g540). But bought the rest of the electronics (equivalent to their “plug and play”), and wired it up (trivial) myself. Not buying the prewired setup or box saved a lot. Have never experienced “lost steps” while cutting. 

Don’t overthink things. You are not building a commercial machine that needs to meet osha requirements. Buy quality parts with good documentation, wire them up per the documentation and have some fun. For steppers, I personally think low inductance (speed!) trumps high stalled torque rating. Remember that the crp drive provides around 3:1 torque multiplication (and speed reduction).


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

As always much appreciated guys . Just wanted to say I feel bad for wasting everyone’s time, as I finally gave in and ordered everything,including spindle and plug and play Nema34 .
Feels terrible doing this, but I think by the time I source parts from so many different companies that I may not come ahead , not to mention it won’t be done for another year .
I am going to miss having the knowledge I would have gained by building my own


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> The ones from Avid will have about 25% more torque at higher speeds, based on the torque curves. With the Automation Tech motors, I'd probably move up to a 70V supply, provided you are using the EM806 drives. This will get you similar, if not better performance to the Avid motors at 48V. Speed is roughly proportional to voltage.
> PS-15N70 - 1500W 70V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp
> 
> 
> Depending on what electronics you use, you probably won't need 5V or 12V power supplies. My system is all 24V, which offers much better noise immunity.


Hate to ask again Gerry, but now that I’ve purchased Nema34’s from Avid CNC , which PS would you recommend? 
I want to order it and the stepper drivers you recommended , so I can’t change my mind anymore


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

PS-15N63 - 1500W 63V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> PS-15N63 - 1500W 63V Power Supply - AnTek Products Corp


Thanks again . Wasn’t sure if you could exceed voltage


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Hey guys , I’m not seeing a lot of options for ordering those Lead Shine 806 stepper drivers.
I posted a link where I found some . Not sure if anyone’s ordered from their ,or is familiar with this company ? 
If anyone has a better option , please let me know. I don’t think I’ll find them in Canada .


Leadshine EM806 Stepper Motor Drive with Stall Detection


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

American Motion Tech is the US Leadshine reseller. I think they are the only authorized seller.

You could save $60 per drive by going with AM882's, but there's no support for them. I'm using them, and they work great. Software configurable, too.
These are what I'm using.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/323563389685


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> American Motion Tech is the US Leadshine reseller. I think they are the only authorized seller.
> 
> You could save $60 per drive by going with AM882's, but there's no support for them. I'm using them, and they work great. Software configurable, too.
> These are what I'm using.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/323563389685


Well if there good enough for you their certainly good enough for me . And who needs support when we have Gerry 
Just kidding Gerry, but I wonder how significant support is ?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I wonder what Avid cnc uses for stepper drivers in their plug and play system. Would the 882’s be a downgrade ?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

> Just kidding Gerry, but I wonder how significant support is ?


If you fry one, or one dies, you'll need to buy another one. I bought two spares when I saw them for $58 one day.




> I wonder what Avid cnc uses for stepper drivers in their plug and play system. Would the 882’s be a downgrade ?


I believe they are a custom branded version of these.

Leadshine DM870 DSP stepper motor drive/controller

The AM882's are better, imo. They are basically an older version of the EM806's.
I know someone that's built a lot of machines, and used a lot of AM882's. He says the EM806's are a little bit better, but the AM882's are still very good.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> If you fry one, or one dies, you'll need to buy another one. I bought two spares when I saw them for $58 one day.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks again Gerry , good info to know . The black ones are the version I’m typically used to seeing ,and never seen the ones in the Blue chassis till you mentioned them .

58 bucks ! dang ,you sure find the deals . I would have gotten spares to with a price like that


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok I gave in and went to order four of the 806’s . The website says not secure, and when I checked on cart , this page came up with a warning that it may be a fake website and won’t let me proceed.
Does anyone else’s computer say not secure in the address bar , or is this iPad just jerking me around ?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

If you keep going, the next page appears to be secure. I've never ordered from them, but they are the authorized online Leadshine seller.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> If you keep going, the next page appears to be secure. I've never ordered from them, but they are the authorized online Leadshine seller.


It actually wouldn’t let me continue. Maybe it’s the iPad . I’ll charge up my laptop tonight and try again. Thanks again Gerry.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I’ve been googling it, and I think the hardest thing to source so far is a metal cabinet for all the electronics . I’d like one where theres a removable back plate , so I can install the electronics,then reinstall the backplate .

Ok I didn’t realize they had them . 

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...b4SHHqBuC-QKdst3gaAn15EALw_wcB#bodycontentppc


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Mine came from Amazon, Rick. It's a YuCo brand and they have lots of choices in size with most having back plates.

David


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## gmedwards (Oct 12, 2018)

difalkner said:


> Mine came from Amazon, Rick. It's a YuCo brand and they have lots of choices in size with most having back plates.
> 
> David



I also used the YuCo brand box. They have very nice boxes.

Just a suggestion, but you may want to consider using a larger box than Avid uses. Avid's is too compact, IMO. It works for them, but it's too tight for this DIYer. For me, more room = easier assembly and troubleshoot. I went with 20" x 24" x 8". 

What about Gecko drives? The newer GR214V is looks nice. It's bullet proof like the 203V, but with user settable resolution options. The $151 (U.S) price tag is pretty steep, though. Just tossing out another option. 

Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

gmedwards said:


> I also used the YuCo brand box. They have very nice boxes.
> 
> Just a suggestion, but you may want to consider using a larger box than Avid uses. Avid's is too compact, IMO. It works for them, but it's too tight for this DIYer. For me, more room = easier assembly and troubleshoot. I went with 20" x 24" x 8".
> 
> ...


Gary, 
For sure I want to go with a larger enclosure. 
The drives look great , but there a little more expensive than the ones I’m looking at.
Amazing what they charge for a few ICs . I’m assuming stepper drives that do all steppers from one unit are probably not great ? 

Dave ,do you remember your enclosure size , as it got busy in there fast . Not sure if I should go the same size enclosure, and mount the VFD in another , or just go bigger ?

Thanks for the info guys, I’m going to check those enclosures out


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Ok I found a 24x24x8 . It’s about $1000 after tax, but thankfully free shipping . What a deal !

https://www.amazon.ca/Enclosure-Gau...Co+enclosure&qid=1565739792&s=gateway&sr=8-16


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

24x24 is not big enough.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> 24x24 is not big enough.


Ouch

Your right , the more I think about it , two feet isn’t that much . 30 x 30 would be better .


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I'd get all of your components first, and figure out the layout, so you know what size you'll need. It'll take up more space than you think.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> I'd get all of your components first, and figure out the layout, so you know what size you'll need. It'll take up more space than you think.


Especially considering I was going to put a computer MB in there also . Guess the VFD and computer are going to be outboard.
Although those micro computers you showed me are very small and could go just about anywhere , but I’m not sure about going that route.

I was thinking of going to our local steel distributor and getting a metal backplate cut , and then make an enclosure out of mdf . But I’m assuming you need RF protection , so the enclosure should made of steel


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Gary,
> For sure I want to go with a larger enclosure.
> The drives look great , but there a little more expensive than the ones I’m looking at.
> Amazing what they charge for a few ICs . I’m assuming stepper drives that do all steppers from one unit are probably not great ?
> ...


Post #57 is where I talk about the size. It's 24x20x8 and worked out just right for my layout, which you can also see in the thread.

David


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Ok I found a 24x24x8 . It’s about $1000 after tax, but thankfully free shipping . What a deal !
> 
> https://www.amazon.ca/Enclosure-Gau...Co+enclosure&qid=1565739792&s=gateway&sr=8-16


*$1,000???!!!* Wow! It's $249 here in the States - same box. That's outrageous, Rick.

When I bought ours it was about $135.

David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> *$1,000???!!!* Wow! It's $249 here in the States - same box. That's outrageous, Rick.
> 
> When I bought ours it was about $135.
> 
> David


Ya everything here is at least double , sometimes quadruple





difalkner said:


> Post #57 is where I talk about the size. It's 24x20x8 and worked out just right for my layout, which you can also see in the thread.
> 
> David


Sorry before being lazy, as I thought there may be mention about size . Gerry makes a good point , get the components and figure out the layout first , then go from there


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## gmedwards (Oct 12, 2018)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I’m assuming stepper drives that do all steppers from one unit are probably not great ?


I'm not familiar with a single drive that powers all of the steppers. If they aren't popular, I'd stay away from them. One question to think about has to do with heat. I'd think a 4 in 1 would a lot hotter than 4 separate units. 

Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

gmedwards said:


> I'm not familiar with a single drive that powers all of the steppers. If they aren't popular, I'd stay away from them. One question to think about has to do with heat. I'd think a 4 in 1 would a lot hotter than 4 separate units.
> 
> Gary


Good point .
As I was working today , I was thinking of heat issues . My idea was to mount the stepper drivers at the bottom of the enclosure and have a few fans pulling air in from the bottom , and directly flowing air over the stepper drivers .
Then have some side fans near the top pulling air out.
Maybe I can rig up some system so I can mount some hepa filters to cover the bottom of the fan holes on the enclosure


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I use automotive air filters. The square ones. I just look for the cheapest ones that will fit. To mount them, you just need a square plywood or MDF frame with a rabbet in it. Let the "fins hang out, and screw the frame to the enclosure.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> I use automotive air filters. The square ones. I just look for the cheapest ones that will fit. To mount them, you just need a square plywood or MDF frame with a rabbet in it. Let the "fins hang out, and screw the frame to the enclosure.


Well dang, I thought I was the first one to think of this


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## TimPa (Jan 4, 2011)

cooling fans for electronic enclosures, typically called muffin fans, generally do not have any filtration on them. or, if they do, it is merely a 1/4" thick slice of fiberglass type filter material. i think you'll find that the standard muffin fan may not have the power to "pull' through a heavier filter material, and last very long. i suspect that filtration is critical information in the specs for muffin fans you would want to pay attention to, or factory info.

just my opinion.


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## BalloonEngineer (Mar 27, 2009)

gmedwards said:


> I'm not familiar with a single drive that powers all of the steppers. If they aren't popular, I'd stay away from them. One question to think about has to do with heat. I'd think a 4 in 1 would a lot hotter than 4 separate units.
> 
> Gary


My Gecko540 is a single box that powers 4 drives. They are pretty common and popular on DIY builds. The individual drivers are replaceable. I have never had any issues, and it was super easy to wire - one ribbon cable from ESS, the pre-made CRP stepper cables plug straight in. The fan that blows air into my box is positioned to blow air across it and it never has gotten too warm (checked with infrared thermometer). 

Leadshine makes a similar one MX4660 that can handle higher voltages and currents (60V, 6A) than the Gecko540, and has more microstepping options. These might be suitable for the larger steppers that Rick is looking at, but I believe he has already ordered separate drivers. 

CNC Router Parts actually sells both of these options, and is where I bought mine.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

BalloonEngineer said:


> My Gecko540 is a single box that powers 4 drives. They are pretty common and popular on DIY builds. The individual drivers are replaceable. I have never had any issues, and it was super easy to wire - one ribbon cable from ESS, the pre-made CRP stepper cables plug straight in. The fan that blows air into my box is positioned to blow air across it and it never has gotten too warm (checked with infrared thermometer).
> 
> Leadshine makes a similar one MX4660 that can handle higher voltages and currents (60V, 6A) than the Gecko540, and has more microstepping options. These might be suitable for the larger steppers that Rick is looking at, but I believe he has already ordered separate drivers.
> 
> CNC Router Parts actually sells both of these options, and is where I bought mine.


Haven’t ordered anything other than mechanical stuff and those Avid Nema34 steppers so far,as I’m still trying to figure out my best options .
Chances are I’m going to order those Lead Shine 806’s


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## gmedwards (Oct 12, 2018)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Haven’t ordered anything other than mechanical stuff and those Avid Nema34 steppers so far,as I’m still trying to figure out my best options .
> Chances are I’m going to order those Lead Shine 806’s


I just looked at the EM806s. The literature says they are 0.35 - 6 amps. If you bought your NEMA 34's from Avid, those steppers are rated at 7 amps. It may not make any practical difference, but thought I'd mention it.

Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well I found boxes at our Eecol Electric supplier . He said they were made by Valley . Not sure if that’s the correct spelling.
Anyways there availability in large sizes. Found a 30x30x8 . Hinged front door ,and a back plate . Just over 500 bucks , so I’m tempted .
But as mentioned,I’ll see how much real-estate I need once I get all the components .
There also available in 10” deep . I don’t think 10” is required though ? 

I was going to mount the stepper drivers vertically , and am wondering how much clearance you would have between each one for cooling . I was thinking an inch ?

Anyways , this is a pic of one from same manufacturer,but a small one they had in stock


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

30x30x10 seems huge to me, Rick, but I don't know what all you plan to put in it. Ours is 8" deep and that's plenty although I had to be careful where I placed switches in the door to make sure the back side didn't contact other components. Otherwise 8" is good.

David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> 30x30x10 seems huge to me, Rick, but I don't know what all you plan to put in it. Ours is 8" deep and that's plenty although I had to be careful where I placed switches in the door to make sure the back side didn't contact other components. Otherwise 8" is good.
> 
> David


30x30 seems a bit ridiculous to me . I was going to go with 24x24x8 , and if all else fails , mount the vfd in a separate enclosure.
I don’t see and harm in that , and although most say electrical noise shouldn’t be an issue if all the components are together, I don’t see why it can’t hurt to play it safe ,especially with the cheaper brands that I may end up with.

I believe there was also an optional size of 30x24x8


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

gmedwards said:


> I just looked at the EM806s. The literature says they are 0.35 - 6 amps. If you bought your NEMA 34's from Avid, those steppers are rated at 7 amps. It may not make any practical difference, but thought I'd mention it.
> 
> Gary



EM806's are 8.2 amp drives. I see in the manual what you read, but the manual also shows 8.2a peak.

I believe that the drives Avid uses are a version of the DM870, which is actually a less powerful drive.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> 24x24 is not big enough.


I’m back to 30x30x8 .

Gerry I forgot about this members enclosure build at Joes CNC forum . I really can’t find any fault in his execution . I may copy some of his ideas , as I like how he went directly into the enclosure with the stepper wires , and used screw terminals instead of press fit jacks on the exterior of the enclosure . 
I also like those trays for wire management.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I believe he swapped his gecko G203's for the EM806's, and found them to be better.
Here's his revised box.
Note the small PC in the bottom left corner.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

What you want is called wire duct.

https://www.factorymation.com/Wire_Duct_qs


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> I believe he swapped his gecko G203's for the EM806's, and found them to be better.
> Here's his revised box.
> Note the small PC in the bottom left corner.


Yes in another post he upgraded to the ones you suggested,and seemed very happy . Apparently he was having issues with connections burning up on the Geckos .

Glad you mentioned this , as I was looking at the plastic thingy on the bottom left , and was wondering what the heck it was . I thought it may possibly be a computer ,as it was mounted close to the motion control board , but it seemed far to small .
This is just a perfect setup imo . I was still debating to solder the stepper drivers wires directly to the steppers ,as I’m assuming those green plugs on the stepper drivers come off and could be swapped to another drive for testing ?





ger21 said:


> What you want is called wire duct.
> 
> https://www.factorymation.com/Wire_Duct_qs


Excellent. I was wondering what the heck it was called


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Gerry , would you have done anything different in that enclosure ? I don’t think it can be improved upon , as I like the way things are layed out


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I'd wire the steppers directly to the drives, rather than use the terminal blocks.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> I'd wire the steppers directly to the drives, rather than use the terminal blocks.


Exactly what I was thinking . One less connection to go wrong imo .
I’m actually getting kind of stoked about this build


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Was on Lead shines site again , and I’m assuming you need a cable for setup ? 

RS232 Cable for Tuning Leadshine Stepper/Servo Drive


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I can’t find it now, but I recently seen a pic of someone’s cnc router table, and they had an awesome looking monitor floating on an arm above the machine .
Swore it was a 55” . 

The reason I ask is , I heard I may be getting a 4K flat screen tv for a retirement present from work .
I already have a decent flat screen tv in my living room already , so I’m wondering if a 55” 4K screen would be a good option to run UCCNC ? Or does 4K make text etc too small?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Was on Lead shines site again , and I’m assuming you need a cable for setup ?
> 
> RS232 Cable for Tuning Leadshine Stepper/Servo Drive



Yes, and unless your PC has a serial port, you'll need a USB to RS232 adapter, like this.
USB to RS232 Converter Cable with DB9 Connector
They are much cheaper on Ebay or Amazon, though.


You don't necessarily need to use the software, but it gives you a lot more control over the drives than the DIP switches do.


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

UCCNC uses graphics for text, so 4K probably won't matter, except for some pop up windows and messages. But I think setting Windows fonts to 200% should make them large enough.
Personally, I think a 23" widescreen monitor is plenty big enough.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I can’t find it now, but I recently seen a pic of someone’s cnc router table, and they had an awesome looking monitor floating on an arm above the machine .
> Swore it was a 55” .
> 
> The reason I ask is , I heard I may be getting a 4K flat screen tv for a retirement present from work .
> I already have a decent flat screen tv in my living room already , so I’m wondering if a 55” 4K screen would be a good option to run UCCNC ? Or does 4K make text etc too small?


I just measured the diagonal of the spoilboard on my CNC and it's 55". Your monitor would be the same size, Rick! LOL! I guess that means I could get a 55" monitor and do everything on a one-to-one scale. :grin:

David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> Yes, and unless your PC has a serial port, you'll need a USB to RS232 adapter, like this.
> USB to RS232 Converter Cable with DB9 Connector
> They are much cheaper on Ebay or Amazon, though.
> 
> ...


Well I’m going to order five 206’s on Monday . Although a rotary axis is not something I believe I’ll want in the future , you’ve got me thinking that it may be handy to keep a spare driver on hand regardless .


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> UCCNC uses graphics for text, so 4K probably won't matter, except for some pop up windows and messages. But I think setting Windows fonts to 200% should make them large enough.
> Personally, I think a 23" widescreen monitor is plenty big enough.


I do have a new spare 27” dell monitor. Maybe I’ll just use that . I prefer OLED for tv viewing, so this 55” Qled will pretty much be useless to me in the house .
So it was just a thought having it in the shop dedicated to the cnc .
Maybe I’ll use it to watch tv in the shop instead of my old 32” ?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well tried to order 5 Lead Shine 802’s ,but there site will not work for me . Keep getting error message when I submit .

Guys am I on the legit site ? The terms and conditions won’t even pop up when I’m prompted to . My luck I’ve given my visa number to some fake site . Tried the phone number , and there wasn’t even a message to tell you which company it was . 
All my info was correct

Leadshine EM806 Stepper Motor Drive with Stall Detection


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Are you using your Ipad? Can you try a different browser?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

If you want to save $300, you can buy them from China.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_53


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> If you want to save $300, you can buy them from China.
> 
> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_53


I’ve never successfully once made a transaction with Ali Express .
A month or so later it always comes back as order cannot be fulfilled and your given a refund? 
I’m tempted to give it another go though.
Has anyone your aware of received a faulty product doing this ? I won’t have them hooked up for a while , so will be kind of Kate for a refund , if that’s even possible .
I’m getting a bit concerned about future tariffs, so I’d like to get these on route 





ger21 said:


> Are you using your Ipad? Can you try a different browser?


That’s a good point . Maybe fire up my laptop


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I've bought from AliExpress with no issues. Not from that seller, though.
I've also bought from American Motion Tech, with no issues.
Maybe it's just you. 

For $300, I'd buy from AliExpress. Your credit card should have buyer protection.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Read the Fine Print*



ger21 said:


> I've bought from AliExpress with no issues. Not from that seller, though.
> I've also bought from American Motion Tech, with no issues.
> Maybe it's just you.
> 
> For $300, I'd buy from AliExpress. Your credit card should have buyer protection.


At their website in the fine print, under disclaimer, it says "Except Rick!" >


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> At their website in the fine print, under disclaimer, it says "Except Rick!" >


Yip, always read the fine print lol. My user name should be Dark Cloud


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well Lead Shine tech support has emailed me back , so I’ll be talking to them Monday .
I’m kind of wanting to try the Chinese route now though . I guess they all originate from China regardless?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

Yes, they are all made in China.
The difference is that American Motion Tech is the authorized distributor, and should provide support if needed.
It's a lot harder to get support from some random seller in China. Realistically, stepper drives will either work, or they won't. If you get a bad drive, it's easier to return it to American Motion Tech.
It's up to you if that's worth $50-$60 per drive.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ger21 said:


> Yes, they are all made in China.
> The difference is that American Motion Tech is the authorized distributor, and should provide support if needed.
> It's a lot harder to get support from some random seller in China. Realistically, stepper drives will either work, or they won't. If you get a bad drive, it's easier to return it to American Motion Tech.
> It's up to you if that's worth $50-$60 per drive.


I suspect China wouldn't have any support ,that’s why I want a spare . Dealing with the US isn’t going to be a cakewalk either trying to send stuff back and forth if it comes to that . 
To me, I think buying from a seller in China would be a good option . I wish I had it ready for testing though , as it would be nice to know if they were ok when they arrive .
I guess I could rig something together on my kitchen table to see if they actually worked . Buy the other components and have them ready


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

I mounted all my components to a test board so I could test my drives and spindles before I built the machine. The only problem is that it's really heavy.


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## mkoukkgou333 (Feb 21, 2020)

gmedwards said:


> I'm not sure whether you are aware, but the Extrusion parts are drop shipped from 80/20. They don't pass through Avid's hands.
> 
> I have the NEMA 34 Avid sells. I also bought their motor cables. I am very pleased with them.
> 
> ...


]

Thanks for sharing! i have go through the post, i also benifit a lot.


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