Todays Project - What did you do today?

[vtsteam]

dallen, next time you have something wooden that warps, set it outside in the sun on the lawn with the concave side down, and check it every half hour or so until it is straight. The sun dries out one side and the earth adds moisture to the other. This cups it back toward the sun side. If you leave it too long, just flip it over again.

Get a paint coating on it after to lock in the corrected moisture content. Or if acceptable use a coat of paraffin wax -- one of the most moisture resistant coatings known. Another highly moisture resistant coating is polystyrene -- dissolve styrofoam in acetone to get some.

[stevec]

(09-07-2014, 09:03 AM)vtsteam Wrote: Installed LinxCNC on my old 1998 Thinkpad 600E laptop

vt, just curious, does the computer have to be running on Linux or would the Linux CNC run on a windows based computer?

[vtsteam]

(09-08-2014, 05:11 AM)stevec Wrote:

(09-07-2014, 09:03 AM)vtsteam Wrote: Installed LinxCNC on my old 1998 Thinkpad 600E laptop

vt, just curious, does the computer have to be running on Linux or would the Linux CNC run on a windows based computer?

Steve, there are several options:

1.) Run Linux strictly off the LinuxCNC live CD on a Windows computer (it will be slow).
-or-
Run it off of a thumb drive -- that might be faster -- depends on the speed of the drive and USB port.

2.) Install LinuxCNC on a former Windows computer, replacing Windows with the included Linux.

3. Install LinuxCD on a Windows computer by shrinking the Windows partition(s) on the hard drive, repartitioning the freed up space, and installing LinuxCD and Linux there. Set up a dual booting loader (GRUB) to be able to boot into either Windows or Linux.

LinuxCNC can only run in a Linux environment however, so if you are in Windows, you can't run a CNC operation.

I personally think that a computer that is powering a CNC machine should be a dedicated computer anyway -- why expose it to viruses on the Internet via a browser or run word processing or spreadsheets on it?

Since you can use old computers for the CNC controller, (in fact they may be better suited than newer ones) it makes sense to have two computers -- one for regular work and CAD, etc. and one for a dedicated machine controller.

But anyway, those are the options. Note that the Linux installed with CNCLinux actually comes bundled with a web browser (Firefox) and full office suite (Open Office) and a full graphics editing program (GIMP) so you can actually do a fair amount of non CNC stuff without Windows anyway. -- If you actually want to.

[RobWilson]

Darren ...... you did not have to repaint your walls mate , nowt wrong with pink lol . Nice going anyway .

oh I think I saw your lathe today lol .


CNC mill looks good Steve ,,,,,,,,,,,, I am sure I had one on the go


Rob

[Mayhem]

Thanks Rob - did you get any pics?

[stevec]

I do have an older computer gathering dust so I just may set it up to run Linux. My son runs Linux so I can lean on him for help.
I'll report back on how it goes as soon as I get "A Round Toit"

[RobWilson]

(09-09-2014, 05:46 PM)Mayhem Wrote: Thanks Rob - did you get any pics?

I did Darren , I will post a few photos when I get back home


Rob

[PixMan]

Spent about an hour in the shop today to clean up a Kurt D60 vise that was gifted to me. It's been sitting for a couple of months with the rebuild kit in hand. No hurry as I've got a similarly rebuilt Kurt D675 vise on the machine that I use. Both of the vises came to me without hard jaws, both looking crusty and rusty because these two (and two others) have been sitting on a shelf in a friend's shop for about 4 years. He has a pair of Bock milling machine vises that make a Kurt look like a toy.

Here's the disassembly steps in pictures. Note that cleaning the chips, grease and rust out takes far longer than changing the half-ball and thrust bearing.







All back together. No, I am NOT going to sand. polish, prime and paint a tool that will get used, even if just occasionally. I applaud those who bother to do so, it's just not my thing. Function is all I'm looking for. I save pretty for the parts I make. Most of the time. ;)

[awemawson]

Many a good tool is ruined by a well intentioned coat of paint !

[Mayhem]

Thanks Ken, getting the chips out will certainly be kinder on my clothes when it goes in my suitcase. Might make it a little lighter too