Manual hand wheel

[Rob Gunn]

Just wondering if anyone has ever fitted a manual hand wheel to a ShopBot? I have many years of industrial CNC machining under my belt and all other CNC machines I have ever run had a manual pulse wheel to aid in table or spindle movement. It is especially helpful in locating the X & Y edges of the material to establish zero.

[Brady Watson]

No - I don't think anyone has put an MPG on a SB before. With the keypad you really don't need one...although it would be a neat accessory.

-B

[br928]

I asked ShopBot about a MPG years ago. The keypad and mouse work well, but I think a MPG would give better control. With so many inputs available now on the controller board, it would be nice if we could use two of them for a MPG. But ShopBot would have to write the code in the controller to make it functional.

[dhunt]

At the suggestion of a local friend who has similar
I just bought me a Genius 'Numpad' (see attached pic)
with the intention of adapting it to use on our Shopbot PRT-96
running SB control software 3.4.27 (via Win. XP)

Obviously, I'll be needing a 10 ft. USB extension cable so I can move the length and breadth of the table
but other than that...I'm sure someone has done this before
so I'm asking for a few pointers, guidelines, what-to-do, what-NOT-to do, etc.
-how to set this thing up so I'm not backing-and-forthing to the keyboard
when establishing Zero on the table.

Anyone?

[jerry_stanek]

I use a wireless rumble pad on mine I can walk all the way around the bot and position the spindle.

[dhunt]

I use a wireless rumble pad on mine
-I can walk all the way around the bot and position the spindle.I agree that wireless is very cool and all
but having already expensed myself the exorbitant sum of $11.50 :eek: for this here Genius Numpad
plus I'll be needing a 10 ft. USB extension cable...more $$$ :D
I think we'll stick with the corded version -ain't gonna make a heckuva lot of difference..

Thank you nevertheless, for your input.
I've now checked out Logitech's Rumble Pad on Google
and you've got me thinking....hmmm.

[gundog]

I use a wireless rumble pad on mine I can walk all the way around the bot and position the spindle.

Will this work in conjunction with a regular wireless mouse? Can you run the Z axis with it?

Thanks Mike

[dhunt]

I didn't realize how very simple this device is to install. :cool:

I thought I woulda be writing a special file, etc.
but it's nothing like that --it's just another USB keyboard device...duuhh..

[cnc_works]

I have mine set up to move x,y &z slow or fast depending on how hard I pressed the joystick part.
To move incrementally .01" (or any other preselected increment).
To find and make z zero
Set x & y to zero

I'm could set it up for much more, but after I got this far it did enough to cover most of my needs.

luvit

Donn

[dhunt]

I used a Sharpie to black out the numbers on the motion-arrow pads I use.

The Enter key comes in real handy when Zeroing at far flung spots on the table
I place the keypad 1-2 feet away from the Zero-plate, usually.
Beats going back and forth to the control keyboard!

[Hobodog2]

Is anyone else using the I-Phone application for the remote control?

I get to use it sometimes, but I cannot seem to consistantly get the correct sequence of steps to activate the remote control process.

Can someone detail the actual steps to make the whole process work pls. for example, do you start the phone application before you enter the keypad mode...

1. Start WinRemote
2. Open ShopBot control software
3. Enter Keypad mode
4. Check the REMOTE check box
5. Start the application
6. Scan for the router address
7.

Something like that please - I have tried various steps but cannot consistantly get the process to work. Specifically, I cannot get the SCAN mode to find the wireless router IP address - any hints there pls?

thanks,

Pete

[srwtlc]

Hi Peter,

First, make sure that your iPhone/iPod Touch is connected to your wireless network. If you have a couple of choices, make sure it's on the right one.

Make sure that WinRemote is running. It should show in the system tray by the clock. If you open the program and close with the red X, you have closed the program and it is no longer running. In the program, make sure that "Start with Windows" is checked. Under access control, make sure that no hosts are denied. Maybe even start fresh and delete all allowed hosts.

Once your sure that WinRemote is running, try scanning again and you should get a message box asking to allow the device. The IP address there should be the same as your wifi network on the device.

If all that works, you should be connected. Open SB3 making sure that the "Console" has focus (normal). At that point, all you have to do, if the app is running, is hit "Keypad" and the keypad should come up in SB3. There's no need to pre-open the keypad and click on remote. In fact, that may screw up the relation between the two.

Keep in mind, that you can get out of sync between the device and SB3 because the device knows nothing about the state of SB3. So, glance at the screen from time to time to see that you're doing what you think you're doing. Generally a escape or tab/enter will get you backed out.

Let me know how you come out after trying the above.

Scott

[Hobodog2]

Thanks Scott, I will try it again tomorrow and advise you.

[propellers]

There used to be a handy key stroke to turn off all axis and manually move an axis but was removed in past upgrades, would like to again have this option, it was very handy

[jerry_stanek]

You have to be careful that you don't blow out a drive moving by hand.