[Coco] [coco]I'm wanting a video converter for my CC3

[George Ramsower]

  This is a long post... so if computer controlled machining and/or 
using stepper motors doesn't interest you, skip trying to read all of 
this.......

http://coco.thetinbox.com/CNCCoco.html
WAY too much to explain but the software is written by me in B09.
As I said earlier, my coco has eight ports. Four are 8 bit inputs and 
the other four are 8 bit outputs.
These chips are using four address locations. The R/W line determines 
which way I want to go. So, using one address location allows me to 
either write to a latching output or read from an input chip. I use the 
inputs to find the home switch and the output latches drive the power 
amplifier in the box between the coco and the amplifier. Actually it's 
not an amplifier, it's chips that take the 5 volt signal from the coco 
and turn on or off the 12 volts that step the stepping motors.
I've been wiring stuff to cocos shortly after I got my first one. So 
this is just second nature to me. The difficult part was figuring out 
how to operate those stepping motors. Once I had that figured out, the 
rest is easy until you have to use all this limited amount of knowledge 
to operate something like this mill. Then it become WAY more complicated 
if you try to use it as do most CNC milling machines operate. Many, Many 
things to include in the software such as tool diameter, milling inside 
or outside, starting points and several more things.
  Right now, I am attempting to rewrite the B09 code to make it modular 
so I don't have to put EVERYTHING in one program.
  This project started as fun, then it became a labor of love, then it 
became labor and now, it's just plain hard work, but still...it's done 
with a coco which, puts enough fun in it to mix in some fun.
  It took many hours to build the machine/mill. I used a manual mill to 
make many of the parts that went into it. A drill press and a lathe were 
required also. Taps and dies, drill bits... lots of work. The basic 
frame was made using an acetylene torch, chop saw, belt sander, arc 
welder and lots of labor. This is no easy task.
  However, there are other ways to do this. Just buy one, remove the 
included computer and interface a Coco.
  Write your own software and spend about a bazillion hours to do this 
and viola!! you have a Coco controlled milling machine.
  Lots to brag about but, it's so danged slow, it's difficult to impress 
your friends as they won't have the patience to watch it operate.
  They are usually impressed with the finished product but NOT watching 
it actually work at making what they saw.
  Usually, when I actually make something with it, I close the door to 
that room and go do something else, or watch TV or...take a nap. Then, 
it doesn't bother me or bore me to let it do whatever it is your 
imagination comes up with to make that piece.
  Right now, I'm working on engraving. That's cool stuff. I have eight 
alpha characters done and 0-9 numeric completed. I tell the software how 
tall I want those characters to be and it does it.
  However, I have to carefully set the depth into the material. One half 
of one thousandths of an inch really makes a difference. I've found 
accuracy to .0002 to be about correct. This machine is good to .00003.
  Darned accurate and not easy to build it that way. This took MANY 
experiments and thought to get a lead screw to do that. I can move this 
thing, either x,y or z axis that accurately but, there is VERY little 
power in it, compared to a normal mill. I use teflon lead nuts where a 
commercial unit will use ball nuts and screws.
  Lots to learn here!!


On 6/1/2015 2:22 PM, abqpenmaster wrote:
> Please tell us more about your coco-controlled milling machine.  How is it connected,  and what software?  Sounds very neat
> Sean R
>
>
> Albuquerque,  NM USA
>
> <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: George Ramsower <georgera at gvtc.com> </div><div>Date:06/01/2015  12:48 PM  (GMT-07:00) </div><div>To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com> </div><div>Subject: Re: [Coco] [coco]I'm wanting a video converter for my CC3 </div><div>
> </div>  So far, based on the responses I'm getting on this, I'm getting
> excited. If I can pull this off, I'll be getting closer to bringing my
> main Coco3 in the living room can use a KVM switch on it. The second
> Coco3 will stay in the back room because it operates my desktop milling
> machine(Micro-Mill) and it does other stuff as well. Many inputs and
> outputs.
>
> George R.
>
>
>