Building a new table so it seems a good idea to fix other little niggles at the same time. One of these is the keyboard / mouse.
The keyboard is mostly not used, just a few keys, the mouse gets full of crap and needs space to work.
I thought of a touch-screen monitor but then i lose the jog arrow keys which are far better than the tab fly-out screen in Mach.
I then thought of a keyboard track-pad but these are pretty expensive.
Next up was a keyboard track-ball - this is possibly what i'll get but is there a better method????
I can't fit a pendant as the serial port is used by my THC, so i need an easy method to jog the torch around.
Any ideas
Mach control input devices...
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- acourtjester
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Re: Mach control input devices...
Two other ways
Buy the wireless remote from plasma spider very small and has the arrow and page up/down keys. With a finger pad for moving around the screen and a keyboard for typing in instructions http://www.plasmaspider.com/shop/remote.html
If you just want to move the torch around use a X box controller (the wired one, wireless did not work for me) it has about a 6' cord one jog stick for X & Y and another for Z. Plugs into a USB port.
Buy the wireless remote from plasma spider very small and has the arrow and page up/down keys. With a finger pad for moving around the screen and a keyboard for typing in instructions http://www.plasmaspider.com/shop/remote.html
If you just want to move the torch around use a X box controller (the wired one, wireless did not work for me) it has about a 6' cord one jog stick for X & Y and another for Z. Plugs into a USB port.
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
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Re: Mach control input devices...
nice ideas, thanks,
going to try the joypad with mach plugin first, seems good.
Can g-code be run from a sub stick or does it have to be loaded on the hard drive????
going to try the joypad with mach plugin first, seems good.
Can g-code be run from a sub stick or does it have to be loaded on the hard drive????
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Re: Mach control input devices...
sticks work fine.
- exapprentice
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Re: Mach control input devices...
Hi Dave
If your thinking about upgrading the THC and getting it from CandCNC why not go for it and get the PN200 + Hub
at the same time, mine worked a treat
If your thinking about upgrading the THC and getting it from CandCNC why not go for it and get the PN200 + Hub
at the same time, mine worked a treat
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Re: Mach control input devices...
Thanks
the upgrade is on hold until i see what happens with my existing system, but will add that to the list thanks
the upgrade is on hold until i see what happens with my existing system, but will add that to the list thanks
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Re: Mach control input devices...
I got a industrial kiosk keyboard for mine with trackball. supposed to be dust proof etc (think atm type). a few keys less than a standard keyboard (no pgup/dwn, had to put z jog on diff keys) but seems to be working fine. One of these days I'll make up a place to actually mount it. fleabay was only like $60. so not too much more than a nice keyboard and mouse, and it is single usb plug
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Re: Mach control input devices...
I did a search for that sort of stuff but eBay is a bit empty at present, lots of nice keyboards etc but nothing that jumped out and said "this will work"
I have a joypad on the way, got the plugin installed etc, should work ok but although i see i can trigger the "Load G-Code" button with it, is there a way to select and load a file or not??
Probably needs the mouse/trackball etc as well?
Can code be run from a USB stick or not??
I have a joypad on the way, got the plugin installed etc, should work ok but although i see i can trigger the "Load G-Code" button with it, is there a way to select and load a file or not??
Probably needs the mouse/trackball etc as well?
Can code be run from a USB stick or not??
- exapprentice
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Re: Mach control input devices...
Hi Dave
have a look at :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... l&_sacat=0
There seems to be a few options that might work for you
Good luck
Regards
exapprentice
have a look at :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... l&_sacat=0
There seems to be a few options that might work for you
Good luck
Regards
exapprentice
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Re: Mach control input devices...
Thanks, some good stuff there