R
Robert LaLonde
Forum Guest
Register Today
Ok, I have been being cheap in this regard. Having 4 Mach 3 machines in the workshop right now I couldn't even begin to count how many times I've grabbed the keyboard for a machine and used it like a giant unwieldy pendant. I tried numeric keypad keyboards plugged into a USB port, but the programmable ones require a driver which seemed to have issues with Mach 3. When I retrofit the 1982 vintage Hurco KMB1 over to GeckoDriver servos and a Mach 3 control I wired up an arcade joystick and buttons to use kind of like a pendant, but since I would have to do some things with the keyboard anyway, it was easier just to use the keyboard. (And the joystick didn't work all that well IMO anyway.)
My newest mill was supposed to be turnkey, but its been a bit of a struggle. Finally to try and stabilize the controller I cut a hole in the wall of the little air conditioned office in my workshop, moved the controller inside, and ran all the cables through the hole in the wall.
Now I found myself really needing a pendant, and when I sold several small, but profitable custom jobs recently I ordered a purpose built one. A VistaCNC P1AS. I had a few little troubles at first, but they were all mine from being in a hurry. No fault with the pendant or plugin. In fact it just worked instantly the first time as I followed the instructions.
The E-stop on my control is a little weird. If I use the E-stop on the pendant I have to reset it, the reset button on the mill, and then the onscreen button on Mach, but not always it seems. Weird, but ok.
If I have the pendant in step mod and just start cranking I'll fault the machine, but at the reasonable speeds I should be using step mode on it works perfectly. If I need to move the mill a long distance quickly I can switch over to velocity mode with the on pendant selector and it whizzes right along.
I mostly got the pendant for jogging, because that is mostly what I need it for, but I imagine it will be handy for a lot of its other functions as well once I get used to it. I know I am still looking at it through the rose colored hue of that new tool glow, but so far I am pretty happy with it. First impressions are very good. If I still feel so good about, the next time I sell a profitable custom job I may just order a couple more of them for my other machines.
Now, before you guys get all up in arms and throw me out of here because I mentioned "jobs" and getting "paid" I want to say I still consider myself a hobby machinist. I have one very narrow field of machining where I make a few dollars, but its not my day job. I am a mild mannered licensed low voltage communications systems contractor by day, and a cape whipping building leaping hobby machinist by night. LOL.
My newest mill was supposed to be turnkey, but its been a bit of a struggle. Finally to try and stabilize the controller I cut a hole in the wall of the little air conditioned office in my workshop, moved the controller inside, and ran all the cables through the hole in the wall.
Now I found myself really needing a pendant, and when I sold several small, but profitable custom jobs recently I ordered a purpose built one. A VistaCNC P1AS. I had a few little troubles at first, but they were all mine from being in a hurry. No fault with the pendant or plugin. In fact it just worked instantly the first time as I followed the instructions.
The E-stop on my control is a little weird. If I use the E-stop on the pendant I have to reset it, the reset button on the mill, and then the onscreen button on Mach, but not always it seems. Weird, but ok.
If I have the pendant in step mod and just start cranking I'll fault the machine, but at the reasonable speeds I should be using step mode on it works perfectly. If I need to move the mill a long distance quickly I can switch over to velocity mode with the on pendant selector and it whizzes right along.
I mostly got the pendant for jogging, because that is mostly what I need it for, but I imagine it will be handy for a lot of its other functions as well once I get used to it. I know I am still looking at it through the rose colored hue of that new tool glow, but so far I am pretty happy with it. First impressions are very good. If I still feel so good about, the next time I sell a profitable custom job I may just order a couple more of them for my other machines.
Now, before you guys get all up in arms and throw me out of here because I mentioned "jobs" and getting "paid" I want to say I still consider myself a hobby machinist. I have one very narrow field of machining where I make a few dollars, but its not my day job. I am a mild mannered licensed low voltage communications systems contractor by day, and a cape whipping building leaping hobby machinist by night. LOL.
Last edited by a moderator:
