Stepper-Ninja is newer firmware to make a inexpensive Ethernet Pico development board run with Linuxcnc. It is a open-source, free, high-performance step generator, quadrature encoder counter, digital I/O, and PWM interface for LinuxCNC. Its capable of fast 1Mhz step rates with very low jitter. The quality of the generated step pulses is better than grbl, [ ]
This is initial testing of various CNC controllers Constant Velocity runtime speed. All controllers set to same parameters for each XYZ axis 200 steps/mm7000mm/min maximum G0 feed rate (275inch/minute)200mm/s^2 acceleration (7.87inch/s^2) All runtimes using the same 10,000 line 3axis continuous motion carving gcode file. Test file generated by Vectric Vcarve with feed rate set at [ ]
Picked up this LCR meter on sale for $60. For the cost, it works really well. Its not a tool that I thought I d use very much but was pleasantly surprised it is able to locate bad capacitors in circuit. Most of the time its obvious a capacitor is bad by bulging top or leaking [ ]
This is a list of free and commercial CAD and CAM programs that I have used. Some useful utilities also. Fusion for personal use Pretty good parametric CAD with great CAM features. The free CAM is only 3 axis with some minor limitations. One of the better full featured CAM available. Deskproto Free The free [ ]
My brother bought return item diode lasers from Two Trees, 2 for $150. We took a chance that these machines would be complete and would be easy to get them working. They were only missing some screws but both kits worked just fine. These are open frame lasers so eye protection is required when working [ ]
Originally posted on my old website back in 2014 I recently saw the author of Gcode Ripper has added touch probe height re-mapping so you can carve on uneven surfaces. This will be great for carving on curved surfaces. Instead of building a touch probe, I bought a Mitutoyo Touch Signal Inspection Probe model 192-001 on eBay [ ]
A reddit user needed help on this old Motorola 68HC16 development board which I happen to have two of them. This is the DOS software that is needed to program and upload to the board. These DOS programs will run under DOSBOX-X and EVB16 will even upload a S19 program using a PCIe parallel port [ ]
I have a couple of current loads that I purchased from Aliexpress a few years ago. The smaller ZKE EBD-USB+ is good for 21volts/4amps/35watts but requires USB connection to a PC application to work. The ZKE is nice if you need to log current load data. The larger 200volt/20amp/150watt current load is standalone but not [ ]
My brother was a old school EE/FPGA programmer having work with the first generation parts in the 80 s. This including buying and using early software such as Orcad, Xact, Foundation, Aplus, MaxPlus for Xilinx and Altera FPGA s/CPLD s. When I needed a custom part, he would teach me how to use such software and the programming [ ]
grblHAL recently updated the firmware to support 3rd order acceleration Jerk control, S-curve type acceleration. Most of the 3D printer firmware have this but it’s new for hobby cnc controllers and grbl. Here is a demo of it keeping a lightweight ball from flipping off. grblHAL firmware running on PicoCNC controller. THK KR33 linear stage [ ]