JD's Garage simple Gantry table

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adbuch
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by adbuch »

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That's a nice assortment of well done pieces! It looks like you've got your table dialed in pretty well.
David

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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by acourtjester »

There are many YouTube videos of guy developing Arduino based THC packages, many are the stand along type which drive a motor for the torch positioning. The Proma SD mounts electrically between the controller and driver so it uses the same motor for the torch movement and THC. The Proma 150 does it differently by getting the signals from the plasma unit and sending signals to the controller (BOB) which controls the Z motor. These signal are more like the way the G-code or keyboard keys move the Z up or down through the BOB.
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Dingo74536 »

If you want to look at another Arduino based standalone THC have a look at this build on Youtube, and BTW I have built this unit but I have not used it as I did not have a voltage divider and if anyone wants to give it a try I have the Arduino Mega, Nextion Display, and 3D printed housing as shown.


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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by adbuch »

Dingo74536 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:43 am If you want to look at another Arduino based standalone THC have a look at this build on Youtube, and BTW I have built this unit but I have not used it as I did not have a voltage divider and if anyone wants to give it a try I have the Arduino Mega, Nextion Display, and 3D printed housing as shown.


Dingo74356 - thanks for those links! I do have some interest in the Arduino based systems, particularly thc so I will have a look at those videos you have sited.
David
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Dingo74536 »

The THC unit shown looks promising and it is well documented here https://openbuilds.com/builds/standalon ... ting.9571/

Problem is the whole thing went cold for some reason.
I did the build but I did not have a voltage divider to finish and I stopped there, so I have the bits if anyone wants to try it.
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by adbuch »

Dingo74536 wrote: Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:39 am The THC unit shown looks promising and it is well documented here https://openbuilds.com/builds/standalon ... ting.9571/

Problem is the whole thing went cold for some reason.
I did the build but I did not have a voltage divider to finish and I stopped there, so I have the bits if anyone wants to try it.
You might consider creating a listing in the Classified section of this forum to show what bits you have to offer.
David
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Magna Machine Works »

I have been curious about this stand alone THC, this is a rookie question, but does it need to be hooked up to a computer to use it? I saw that he changed to the bigger Arduino for more computing power, So I am assuming if you have a 2 pin CNC capable machine this would be plug and play?
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by adbuch »

Magna Machine Works wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:46 pm I have been curious about this stand alone THC, this is a rookie question, but does it need to be hooked up to a computer to use it? I saw that he changed to the bigger Arduino for more computing power, So I am assuming if you have a 2 pin CNC capable machine this would be plug and play?
The technical description indicates that it is completely "stand alone", so to me this says that no additional computer is required.

You can read the complete description of operation here.

https://openbuilds.com/builds/standalon ... ting.9571/


David
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Dingo74536 »

Hi, I may be wrong but you are still going to need a computer to control the whole show. but the Arduino, like some other THC units operates independently from the main o.s like Mach 3 or Open builds BRBL.
So yes in theory it worked for him, but will it work for someone else, I have no idea.
I just followed the build thread and instructions and gathered the Arduino Mega, correct Nextion LCD and 3D printed the housing.
So the board has the base firmware on it, the LCD screen lights up and you have the menus screens all there but that is as far as I got before I canned the project.
I did not have a voltage divider to hook up to it so I could not test it in action, which was the next step but I was not sure about the rest there onward.
I got frustrated by all of the low cost THC units on offer in my price range and no one was a dead set winner imo, so I bit the bullet and went with a Proma Myplasm system, which is a complete system that does not need Mach , Sheetcam etc, it does it all in one package and just seems to work well for what it was designed for, so I am just about to install it on my table in coming days. :(
The cost versus risk of the Standalone THC project is just not there sadly because you will spend half to two thirds of the cost of a true THC that should work and have support for not too much more money.
So is the risk worth it ??
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Magna Machine Works »

adbuch wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:40 pm
Magna Machine Works wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:46 pm I have been curious about this stand alone THC, this is a rookie question, but does it need to be hooked up to a computer to use it? I saw that he changed to the bigger Arduino for more computing power, So I am assuming if you have a 2 pin CNC capable machine this would be plug and play?
The technical description indicates that it is completely "stand alone", so to me this says that no additional computer is required.

You can read the complete description of operation here.

https://openbuilds.com/builds/standalon ... ting.9571/


Davidthc 0.jpgthc.jpg
Thank you,
it looks like the software for the screen and the thc is in the Arduino, you just need a 5 volt adapter to power it and control everything off the touch screen
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by Magna Machine Works »

Dingo74536 wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 1:55 am Hi, I may be wrong but you are still going to need a computer to control the whole show. but the Arduino, like some other THC units operates independently from the main o.s like Mach 3 or Open builds BRBL.
So yes in theory it worked for him, but will it work for someone else, I have no idea.
I just followed the build thread and instructions and gathered the Arduino Mega, correct Nextion LCD and 3D printed the housing.
So the board has the base firmware on it, the LCD screen lights up and you have the menus screens all there but that is as far as I got before I canned the project.
I did not have a voltage divider to hook up to it so I could not test it in action, which was the next step but I was not sure about the rest there onward.
I got frustrated by all of the low cost THC units on offer in my price range and no one was a dead set winner imo, so I bit the bullet and went with a Proma Myplasm system, which is a complete system that does not need Mach , Sheetcam etc, it does it all in one package and just seems to work well for what it was designed for, so I am just about to install it on my table in coming days. :(
The cost versus risk of the Standalone THC project is just not there sadly because you will spend half to two thirds of the cost of a true THC that should work and have support for not too much more money.
So is the risk worth it ??
Can you please DM me, I am interested in this
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by bazoozoo »

Bought the plans, built it, got the x,y,z axis to work. Couldn`t get the plasma torch to fire/switch on & off via the relay. wire it to NO on the relay nothing, NC torch is on as soon as you turn the machine on. Used a simple test LED light on the PWM pins of the Arduino UNO board pin 11 (used in the plans) nothing happens, the other PWM pins light the LED up & always on when the machine is on. At a loss at the moment, can only presume the problem MAY be, the clone Arduino UNO board, using SMD version, ordered the Arduino Uno REV3 [A000066] DIP version (the other I had & they mentioned a clone would be ok?) so don`t know til it gets here.
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by adbuch »

I have used the Arduino Uno in the past for diy router/engraver. Curious - what are you using for height control with this build? Does your build used a modified grbl software program or ??

Thanks,
David
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Re: JD's Garage simple Gantry table

Post by acourtjester »

How are you firing the torch with a g-code or a simple code to operate the output with the Arduino.
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