acdii

One of these days I need to fire up a box I have that is supposed to run a Sherline Mill. I haven't done so since I am missing the serial cable needed to connect to the controller.

Rodney

RCKen has given you some very good advice in the above comments. I have used Ubuntu for the past 5 years as a dual boot with Win8.1. Ubuntu is so much easier to use than Win?. I have just recently purchased a new laptop with Win10 with the intentions of making it a dual boot machine also but still have not figured out how to get a computer with Win10 to boot from a USB as the BIOS is different. Any hints Ken?

donnyman

It is my intent to construct a 2' x 3' cnc router table. I intend to use the components from a functional H.P draftmaster 36" plotter It has most of the components I"ll need and should cut my cost considerably. I have disassemble a 36" thermal plotter for it's components but it did not supply me with enough parts. but the stepping motors were good. if it works I'll be in good shape. Have anyone else tried this?

gmeyers

I have never tried anything like this because I am either too smart or too stupid to undertake such a task. If you get frustrated in your endeavor at some time just remember what it was I said and you will understand.

donnyman

I am not sure your intent with what you have said. Too smart or stupid has no bearing here, The fear of failure is not one of my traits, if one does not endeavor to venture past his current position then what is his purpose?? To stagnate in ones knowledge is to dwell in ignorance, A situation I cannot tolerate. I have the desire and the materials to pursue my dreams, what more could one want?
No matter what the outcome is I will have obtained a host of knowledge, Knowledge that maybe used in some other endeavor.

gmeyers

Donny - I was just sayin I am smart enough to know I am too stupid to tackle a project having to deal with anything using x y coordinates. Just cracking a joke!

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Ubuntu 16.04 can deal with the UEFI formatting that Win 10 likes. Here are a few guides that will help walk you through the steps of setting up a Ubuntu/Win10 dual boot on a UEFI drive

https://www.tecmint.com/install-ubun...-in-dual-boot/

Dual-boot Ubuntu 16.04, Windows 10 on a PC with UEFI firmware | LinuxBSDos.com

https://www.linuxtechi.com/how-to-du...-ubuntu-16-04/

These should be more than enough to get you up and running without having to make any major changes to your Windows 10 installation.

Like you, I love Ubuntu. On all of my systems that don't have any specific purpose that is what you will find installed on them. More and more there are applications out that will do just about anything that you want to do in the Linux world. I can't urge enough for people to give it a try. That's why I recommend burning a live disk and just do a test drive first before actually formatting and installing.

Ken

donnyman

If you fly RC you have been in a lot more than simple X Y coordinates you have dwelt in the X Y Z realm which is the natural state of your being.
Quite frankly You are smarter than you may give yourself credit, Joke or no.

I understand your jest, just disagree with it.
You have some cool looking planes!

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I think so of us, me included, will plea too stupid when really it is a lack of desire to divert time away from actually building. I looked at a specialty CAD software for our hobby a few years back and never used the trial copy because I felt it would take too much time to get proficient with the software I have been an IT Professional since 1994 so it wasn't a matter of trying to understand computers or software.

gmeyers

thanks for the flowers as they used say the old CB days. Mind posting your progress once in a while on your endeavor??

Aside :: a contractor here did something similar but on a grander scale; he took some 3inch steel pipe and some heavy hose and built himself an enormous 3-D printer : he pumped cement through the hose to a nozzle and printed a house - not a mansion but made a great playhouse for his daughter. Certainly has potential for the construction industry.
cheers
Gary

acdii

Did you see the 3D welders build a bridge? That was pretty cool. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Time and money OTOH, now that is something I think we can all agree we don't have enough of.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I totally understand where you are coming from. When I was in school back in the 80's attempting to get an engineering degree my drafting class also had introductions to CAD. The school had a pretty high dollar (for that time) CAD system donated to it by Boeing and all the students were given instruction on it. By today's standards its like the difference between a Model T and a Corvette. If you want to get into a CAD system for nothing check out FreeCAD, http://www.freecadweb.org. It's an entirely free CAD software that is open source and is supported across multiple platforms; Windows, Mac, Linux, etc... There are enough sources of information, and completed projects, available on the internet that you can use to teach yourself how to use it. I played around with it for a few nights and had it down pretty well.

A few weeks back there was an article on the AMA's digital magazine for making a rolling workstation. I wanted to build one myself but wanted to make some changes to it to fit my own needs. So that's why I downloaded and learned to use FreeCad so that I could use it for making up plans for my own workstation. I've found that having a real world project is always the best way for me to learn something, and working on the workstation really helped me get there.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Ken

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks Ken for the tip! Hey guys I tried a new product today, BSI makes a stuff called Super-Fix its a filler in powder form that comes packaged separately or with their Insta-Cure CA. It will work with any of their thin CA. It gets hard instantly but you can still sand it. My LHS gave me a sample BSI sent him to try and report back I gave it two thumbs up.

donnyman

Getting into cad wasn't something I did on my own, it was offered to me by the company I work for because someone dropped out of the class. I took to it very fast because my dad introduced me to drafting at a young age and I have always enjoyed it. over the years I was trained in 3d drafting and solid modeling with Catia, Thats when I went nuts I really enjoyed using it.

I have autocad now, though I haven't used it for sometime, It seems much too busey for the occasional user. but it does have options that I will probably never utilize. Having purchased four plotters at a give away price I was able to print my own plans and still can but the plotter is old and maintaining it is tedious so I sold two plotters and disassembled one for parts.

Wanting to cut parts for my models is the driving force to assemble a cnc machine, there is many plans online and the overall design is almost exactly like a pen plotter except with a mill. I really haven't much to lose, and if I ever get started it will be fun to dink around with this stuff. first I have to get rid of a lot of junk in my garage.

acdii

I think the main reason I haven't setup the Sherline yet is because I wouldn't know where to start to make the parts. I was going to fabricate the landing gear for the B-25, but came across a deal on Robarts gear for $100. I do have a P-61 down the road, so may attempt it then. The mill is CNC, but the lathe is all manual, and I seem to be missing one thing for the tailstock for boring. Of course then there is the tooling needed, such as reamers, and cutters, but do have a small assortment to start off with.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Donny, it sounds like you have all the know how you just need the ambition to jump into the project. Maybe you could do a mini build thread when you start it would be fun to see how it is done. I haven't a doubt you would succeed. Might need to expand the hanger though.

Mike

donnyman

acdii
You are light years ahead of me with EQUIPT. but I do not intend to cut metal and do not need to hold tolerances of less that .025 or so. My setup will be rather primitive but will be better and faster with repeatability hand cutting can't touch. It will be mostly dependent upon my ability to get the rigidity built into the mainframe. A dremel tool is all I will need to do the cutting, the cnc end of it will tell the dremel where to go. (sounds good)

I have the plans and the Robart landing gear for the Don Smith p-61 don't know if I will ever get to build it.

gmeyers
Yes I have seen the cement cnc technique, (Shades of the future)

donnyman

Right now If I could things would be in the works, this is about what I intend to do. It shouldn't take up anymore room than the plotter I will use for the parts. (hopefully)

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Looks good what would be the maximum stock size you would want to run thru it?

donnyman

That would be controlled by the size of the machine, I only need a 24" x36" cutting capability.

donnyman

I know I should not have done this but all this CNC talk put a bee in my bonnet. I have started the teardown, this thing still functions, I have to give it to H.P. they put together one solid machine, I thought it was metal and it turns out to be plastic, heavy plastic! look! Pic 1 the plotter ..... pic #2 the control panel Pic#3 side covers off, the cont. panel in my hand. Pic #4 there is a drive belt missing between these rollers, other than that this thing works.

donnyman

This is my trash can, whats in it is a heart breaker but I have no choice.

flyboy2610

My Feedback: (1)

Would you have any interest in selling those old Futaba radios?

donnyman

Sure! but trash pickup is wednesday.

red head

Boy, you may have just opened a real can of worms . I've got a couple to get rid of, what's the deal . Red