One more photo...

IMG_0132
Originally uploaded by pelrun

And finally, here's the controller board I intend replacing the parallel port cable with. It runs the RepRap GCode firmware on the arduino-compatible RBBB (on the left), and has usb-serial, bluetooth-serial and sd card modules on the right, so I can choose which to use depending on my mood. :) It's not completely wired up yet; I still need to put in the 5v/3.3v regulators and connectors for the limit switches.

Like on the driver board, the modules are all socketed so I'm not committing them to this board forever (I use that BT serial module for everything, you see.)

And again from the rear...

IMG_0131
Originally uploaded by pelrun

Here is the other side of the mill, with the driver board mounted against the vertical pipe. The bottom of the board has three EasyDriver stepper driver boards (from different sources, since I've blown a few ;_;) along with the parallel port and 24v connections. And at the top is the rotary tool speed controller I found at Mondo Technology. At the moment that's in dire need of some smoothing capacitors, since I get spurious steps on every axis whenever it's on. :o

The straggling grey wires on the right go to the limit switches; since I've only just added them there's nowhere for them to plug in just yet.

Actual photos again!

IMG_0129
Originally uploaded by pelrun

Here's the current state of the mill, now that I've found an SD card reader again (they all hid on me, grrr). On top of the milling platform is the cheapo rotary tool motor from before, mounted on some aluminium angle and ready to be stuck on the Z axis. You can also see a few microswitches peeking out at the end of a few rails. They're only hotglued on - partly because it was fast and easy, and partly because that way a rogue stage can't do any damage if it forces it's way past a switch (they'll just pop off.)

First Movement!

My mill made it's first movement today! I've finally got three working stepper driver boards, and the Y driveshaft hooked up.

It is pretty slow, in part because I haven't configured KCam properly, and partly because the drivers are locked in 8x microstepping mode. I can modify the drivers, but it requires desoldering IC pins and adding wire jumpers - and after watching multiple drivers lose the magic smoke, I'm somewhat reticent to touch them.

Still, things are slowly progressing for the first time in ages!

Quick taster...

I was expecting to have a new post up before now, but I'm having some camera issues. In the meantime, I'd just like to list the things I'm working on and intend to write up shortly...

• My CNC mill stepper drivers
• Wiimote/Motionplus/Magnetometer enabled VR Game Gun
• A Propeller-based logic analyzer
• Mouse-encoder spinner input device
• My Superprobe (ala Mondo Technology)
• and some other stuff that's escaping me at the moment

Now I actually have to try and get some of this stuff working!

Crash detected, restart!

Oh dear - I do seem to have let my projects get away from me. Not that I generally seem to ever finish them, but this seems worse than normal.

Anyway, I'm starting this blog back up again. I've got motivation too; Hackerspace Brisbane is starting up and seeing all that combined geek talent has gotten to me. I even put my hand up to be secretary (oops!)

Expect new posts soon - my mill is some screws and software away from actually doing something, and I've got all these small show-and-tell projects for the HsBne meetings I can talk about. :D