Do you have any intention to upgrade to Mach4? If you will be staying with Mach3 for a while, then the Mach3 USB interface is fine. If you intend to change to Mach4, then I would go with the Pokeys57CNC interface.

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Hi Patrick right now I have a parallel port cnc machine that I built in 2013. I want to update my system to use a usb. Do you recommend changing my interface board to a Mach3 USB interface board or purchasing the UC 100 parallel port to USB adapter?

You can purchase the entire length and select local pickup. Then you can email us the cut lengths for the order and let us know that you need to be invoiced for shipping. We will provide shipping estimates according to the real lengths and dimensions of the package. You can select the estimate that meets your shipping budget and we will invoice you the shipping amount and send the order.

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Hi I built a 2x4 cnc machine in 2013 using you Hardware kit and plans. I want to speed up my cnc machine by purchasing your acme leadscrew 1/2"-10 5 starts. I have an X axis at 52", a Y axis at 32" and a Z axis at 14". How do I order all 3 length pre cut to size on your website? Also can you give me a rough estimate on the shipping to Ottawa, Ontario Canada please.

I will find this answer when I get into the office on Monday, but I have no problem sending out a replacement DVD out to you. If you would like to do this, please call us on Monday and let us know that you need a replacement DVD

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Hi Patrick back in 2013 I purchased the cnc hardware and plans kit. I misplaced the dvd which shows you how to configure the mach 3 software to the cnc machine I build. I it possible to get another dvd. Or do you have the information somewhere you the website or youtube?

You will need PlanetCNC software for the USB breakout board and when plugging in the USB the computer should automatically recognize the board, however you can go into device manager to see if the USB terminal is working correctly.
The parallel breakout board; the USB is not a connection terminal rather than a power source, and the parallel port will be the communication terminal.
The items you will need for a water cooled spindle would be: water pump, silicon tubing(length desired by customer), a extension cord(from a hardware store(orange))(1 same gauge wire/length as extension cord).

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I am making my own CNC setup using all the electronics from your website and I have many questions. Please advise how to have my computer recognize the USB connection from my breakout board also I would like to use a water cooled spindle but I need to know the parts required for a 4x10 bed area used for woods and plastics

That is a very loaded question that could be replied in so many ways. I will need a more specific question to help you. For instance, I have my machine moving in different directions, but I don't know how to make the machine move according to g-code instructions. Another question could be, I connected all of my electronics and the motors are not moving and I did all of the steps on the electronics video to troubleshoot the problem.

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I have a cnc router that was built from the book "Build your own cnc machine" by james kelley and patrick hood daniel.all the parts were purchased from your company.I have no clue how to work the machine and I need to purchase a spindle (or router) bits , softwear ect , I did mention I don't know how to use the machine !!! Thanks for your help Richard

The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

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I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

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I have your Mach3 usb interface board and am interested in the relay board to turn plasma torch on/off. I have a different relay board that doesn't work, it needs 0/5v from output pin to trigger and the usb board doesn't put out 5 volts. Does this relay board need 5v on output or will work fine with this usb controller?

If you already have a Mach3 license, you don't need to purchase another one. The license is connected to you rather than the computer. Mach4 is licensed to the computer, but you are able to have multiple computers for each license, and can be switched from one computer to another.

If you purchased the license from me, you can call (make sure to leave a voicemail), or email to get a re-issued license.

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[575] I have an older CNC (2018) which has been working fine. The Windows 7 PC crashed and I am trying to get operational again using a windows 10 machine. I will have to buy a new license for the Mach 3 so will need to get the interface board I have to talk to MAch 3. Can I get just the disc or is there a place I can download what I need?

Yes, you can connect a THC, Torch Height Controller, with the Mach3 USB controller. The THC uses the inputs to determine if the z axis needs to move up or down according to the arc of the plasma torch. The THC connects its outputs to the inputs of the controller so the controller will be informed of the states of the plasma torch.

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I am interested in using the Mach3 USB interface board. I was wondering if there was a way to run a torch height controller with this board for use with a plasma cutter, and if so do you know of any THCs that will work. Thank you.

If you have an existing PC with a parallel port you will not need to purchase the onboard computer system on the blackTooth laser cutter and engraver. You will want to purchase the blackTooth laser engraver that comes with the parallel interface (breakout board). If you have an existing CNC machine that is being used with this PC, you can disconnect the CNC machine and connect the blackTooth to this PC. You will want to have two configurations for your control software.

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We have a version of the blackTooth that is 110v and 220v. We generally determine which is sent according to the requirements of the customer and in what country they live.

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20

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Parallel Port Configuration BIOS settings and Mach 3.

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I'm interested in purchasing your black tooth laser engraver and am curious what setup to get. I already have a cnc wired via parallel port to my PC. Do I need to purchase the black tooth laser with the integrated computer or can I just disconnect my current cnc's parallel port and connect it to the black tooth laser engraver? Also is the black tooth 110v?

The Mach3 USB will not work with Linux CNC. You can use our parallel breakout baord instead (if you have a computer that has a parallel port available).

Here is the link to that interface:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

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Hello. I'm currently building my first CNC router, and I'm powering it with a 3 axis electronics kit that was purchased through your site. I chose to get the Mach 3 USB Breakout board, but now I'm wanting to try to use Linux CNC to work with the computer I have available. Will that work with this board?

Yes, here is the URL for the parallel breakout board that we sell:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

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can I purchase just the parallel controller board? I purchased the usb option 4 axis combo and would like to also try the system with my parallel port computer. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated; my goal is to implement mach4.

The 5x10 greenBull base kit comes with the structure, hardware, and electronics for motion control. In order to have a fully functional CNC you will need a table base for your machine, a spindle or router to handle your cutting applications, end mills (bits) for cutting, CAD, CAM and CNC software, and a computer. There are also accessories you can add such as limit switches, emergency stops, and cable carrier for cable management. If you are looking for more information or a formal quote please contact sales@buildyoucnc.com

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I'm not sure of ALL the things I will need to do some of my ideas for the cnc machine. I'll mostly be cutting out 3/4" plywood projects. How much minimum for a 5' by 10' system? I need the hardware and software to get the job done. I saw the price for your basic unit 3-4 grand but don't know what all I NEED to start work.

You will need to construct the table frame to your specifications and with a structure, fixtures and clamping to hold the timber that will be sculpted. You will also need the appropriate end mill that is designed to carve the timber. A dust extraction (vacuum) will be necessary to remove the dust and chips.

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Hi, I intend on sculpting a surfboard out of a timber slab using the following kitset: greenBull 6x with Hybrid Laser/Spindle Head (includes Spindle/VFD and Laser Components) - USB Interface (Long Z). Will i need to purchase any additional items to have a fully operational cnc machine that is capable of carving the surfboard from a timber slab?

The steps per unit is automatically determined in the calibration of the axis by clicking on the "set steps per unit" button above the reset button on the settings tab. Initially set the velocity and acceleration to a low setting, like 100 and 10 respectively, so that the axis does not stall during this operation. Once calibrated, the steps per unit will be set to the correct value and the velocity and acceleration can be increased. I have a video explaning the tuning of the motors on this page:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

The name of the video is Test and Tune the motors.

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I purchased the large gantry system with USB control. I have built the CNC and it is working fine. Now fine tuning the motors. On the X-axis I have the Velocity set at 60 (inches), Acceleration at 1.4, the Step Pulse 1-5us and Dir Pulse set at 0. Do I need to adjust the pulses?

Fusion 360 is a program that allows you to design in a parametric 3 dimensional environment and also provides a great CAM toolset. Fusion 360 will produce the gcode with the CAM capabilities. The gcode is used to move the machine in various ways in order to mill the material; however, software is needed to interpret this gcode and cause the machine to move according to the gcode instructions. This is called control software. So Fusion is CAD/CAM, and you still need "control". Mach3 is one example of control software for milling and is highly recommended.

Install Mach3 onto the computer that will connect to the redFly(CNC electronics), then configure the Mach3 parameters for the machine (motor tuning, plug-ins, inputs/output, etc.). Home the machine, load the gcode into Mach3 and the machine will move according to the gcode.

A word of caution, since you are new to CNC machines, make sure you familiar yourself with the machine and the movements of the machine specific to how the gcode is arranged with respect to the coordinates of the machine. Try with very simple gcode until you get a very good understanding of how the machine will move.

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Hello, My friend has purchased the Redfly and I am helping him a little with it. We are both very new to CNC. I am using fusion 360 at the moment. This can tool path and create gcode. I was wondering if Mach 3 or similar is still needed. Is there a tutorial you could point me to that explains how to get the Gcode from the PC, via Serial to the Redfly?

You should have no problem connecting the Pokeys57CNC controller to the drivers of your machine as long as the drivers have step (Pulse or PUL) and direction (DIR) terminals. You will need the cable pack that is sold separately so you can connect the headers/connectors of the pokeys57cnc controller to the drivers using ribbon cables.

I show this process in great detail on this page:
https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Is you scroll down on the page, you will see a set of videos that show the process step-by-step.

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I have a ShopBot CNC that was converted to Mach 3. The controller has gone out. I pourchased your Pokeys57 board, but I'm not sure I have everything I need. I think my motor drivers are OK, but am not sure how to wire them to what I purchased from you. Need Help. How can we make this work, or do I need a different board to distribute the movement signals to my drivers?

The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

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I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

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I bought a 'BuildyourCNC V1' relay board to go with my mach3 usb controller. I have been sent a 'Songle' relay. It's not the one in your picture and it's got different connections, for which there isn't a wiring diagram. The one I ordered says it is 5v, this one seems to be saying it's a 24v unit. Can you please explain what has happened? Thanks

The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

Additional Information:
I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

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I bought a 'BuildyourCNC V1' relay board to go with my mach3 usb controller. I have been sent a 'Songle' relay. It's not the one in your picture and it's got different connections, for which there isn't a wiring diagram. The one I ordered says it is 5v, this one seems to be saying it's a 24v unit. Can you please explain what has happened? Thanks

Sure, the USB interface has a place for 4 axes of limit switches.

Each axis can have two limit switches: one for the ++ (positive) end and one for the -- (negative) end. The positive end would be the limit switch at the end of the machine that, say the machine has a 4'x8' area, reaches a bit after the 8 foot mark. The negative end would be the limit switch behind the 0 foot location behind the origin. If the origin is in the middle, the negative would be at a little more than the -4 foot end and the positive would be at a bit more than the +4 foot end. Note that you can have more than one switch on each pin where the NC is connected in serial fashion and the NO is connected in parallel fashion (this can be seen on the diagram in the multiple limits switch section). The software configurations for the limits switches are under File -> Settings -> Limit.

A typical limit switch has three connections on it. These connections consist of COM (common), NC (normally closed) and NO (normally open). The COM would generally go to GND and the NC or the NO would go to the pin. If the NC is used, then the the switch is constantly connected until the switch is pushed (engaged) then the connection from the pin to gnd is broken (open). Use the settings in software to set whether in NC or NO configuration.

Let me know if this information was helpful (or not) by adding information to this question. Thanks.

User response:
Thank you very much for this helpful information. I'm still a little fuzzy on how the 6 limit switches physically connect to each other and to the USB breakout board. You've stated one switch (home) goes to positive and another switch (limit) goes to negative. Are all the GND prongs from all 6 switches connected to each other and going to GND on the breakout board, or no? And the NC prongs, how exactly are they connected to each other? And to the board? There has to be a diagram somewhere shows this visually, no? I don't know how to wire the switches in series or in parallel. I have already physically installed all the switches on the machine and ran the wires to where the board is. Now I just need to know where to plug these wires into the board. Also, taking into consideration that I'm using the Planet CNC software, the only settings I have pertaining to limit switches is "Enable/Disable" for each axis, and the actual limit for each axis. Nothing about NC or NO. Is that only in Mach3?
Thank you.

buildyourcnc response:
On the USB interface, the COM on the switch connects to GND and the NC or NO connects to the input pin (i.e. x++, y--, etc.)

Limit switch configuration is rather difficult to understand, especially with series and parallel. You can think of series as a single wire going from GND to the axis letter input terminal (i.e. X++ or X--). If the wire is broken, then the circuit is open (or the switch is engaged in a normally closed scenario). Normally closed is like an actual wire, and when engaged, the switch "opens" (breaks the wire). This is why we recommend in some systems that you can put many switches in series on a single pin. When one of the switches is engaged (breaking the connection) then the entire circuit of switches is broken and the machine stops.

In a parallel scenario, the state of the circuit is always broken until the one of the switches is engaged and the circuit is then closed or connected. The topology looks like a ladder. All the switches connect to both sides of the ladder and the switches are like the runs of the ladder (the horizontal bars that the feet are placed while climbing). Imagine all of the switches broken in this scenario (normally open). It would be like the ladder could be split in two, but if one of the ladder runs (switches) is closed by engaging it, then that run would connect both sides of the ladder and the two sides of the ladder would have a connection.

There is a diagram on the USB page of the various limit switch configurations. If you need more information (visual and/or otherwise), please let us know and we will immediately add that information to benefit everyone.

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I have nearly completed the CNC machine from the book, but I am using it with a USB breakout board, and have no idea how to wire the 6 limit switches to the board. I'm having difficulty following the diagram on the USB breakout board screen. Can someone please help me?