- Joined
- May 4, 2018
- Messages
- 143
Hello,
I have this old Techno-Isel router that I got about 20 years ago. I put maybe 100 hours on the thing for a very specific project (which paid for the machine) and then threw a tarp over it and rolled it into a corner where it has sat all these years. Now, I finally have time to fool around with the thing and have a few projects in mind.
But, while the machine itself is in unbelievably great shape, I have very little hope for the controller. It came with MasterCam 3.mumble and the Techno MAC-100 controller. I got along OK with MasterCam and still have the *floppies* and dongle but I don't have anything that will read the floppies. And, hey, it's ancient..
The Techno CAM stuff seemed like a house of cards and I didn't think much of it. There are hand written notes about how to slow down the PC enough to allow the CAM software to run and that was back in the days of WinXP! Also, I connected up the MAC-100 yesterday and fired everything up and the router made a few movements -- with no software running. And, it wasn't going home, just making random movements. Weird..
I'm liking the looks of the router itself, I had mounted it on a really nice roll-around rack and it's pretty pristine for it's age. (Wish I looked as good as I did 20 years ago!) It's about 29-1/2" by 29-1/2".
I'm thinking I'd like to resurrect the machine and scrap the controller and software. I'd need to come up to speed on options for a controller and CAM software and am hoping someone can make some suggestions to get me jump started. In all the documentation I have, I don't see anything that specifies the motion control motors. Not sure what I have here. Anyone know about these motors? Stepper? Servo??
BTW, I've been using a version of Rhinoceros (pretty old, but I like it) for modeling but could also abandon that. I'm sure there must be better alternatives these days.
Pics below.....
Thank you for reading and any advice you can offer!
MetaKey
I have this old Techno-Isel router that I got about 20 years ago. I put maybe 100 hours on the thing for a very specific project (which paid for the machine) and then threw a tarp over it and rolled it into a corner where it has sat all these years. Now, I finally have time to fool around with the thing and have a few projects in mind.
But, while the machine itself is in unbelievably great shape, I have very little hope for the controller. It came with MasterCam 3.mumble and the Techno MAC-100 controller. I got along OK with MasterCam and still have the *floppies* and dongle but I don't have anything that will read the floppies. And, hey, it's ancient..
The Techno CAM stuff seemed like a house of cards and I didn't think much of it. There are hand written notes about how to slow down the PC enough to allow the CAM software to run and that was back in the days of WinXP! Also, I connected up the MAC-100 yesterday and fired everything up and the router made a few movements -- with no software running. And, it wasn't going home, just making random movements. Weird..
I'm liking the looks of the router itself, I had mounted it on a really nice roll-around rack and it's pretty pristine for it's age. (Wish I looked as good as I did 20 years ago!) It's about 29-1/2" by 29-1/2".
I'm thinking I'd like to resurrect the machine and scrap the controller and software. I'd need to come up to speed on options for a controller and CAM software and am hoping someone can make some suggestions to get me jump started. In all the documentation I have, I don't see anything that specifies the motion control motors. Not sure what I have here. Anyone know about these motors? Stepper? Servo??
BTW, I've been using a version of Rhinoceros (pretty old, but I like it) for modeling but could also abandon that. I'm sure there must be better alternatives these days.
Pics below.....
Thank you for reading and any advice you can offer!
MetaKey