Okuma lathe conversion.

You might try posting on the practical machinist forum - more people with okuma experience there.

Chris M

Hi, I have been tearing into the lathe a bit, ordering parts and waiting on the mail. I have already won an auction on an opto22 board that now looks unusable!
(Dumbass!)
I took the encoder cover off the x axis and removed the encoder. The shaft is tapered and keyed with an m5 bolt holding the encoder shaft on. I then dismantled the encoder to the point where I have a 25mm shaft that I can bolt on to the motor shaft. So now I am looking for an encoder that I can use with the mesa boards I have ordered (5i25 7i77) that can slip over a 25mm shaft or directly on to the taper. There is about 18mm 0f tapered shaft , 18mm on the big end, 13.5 on the small end. 1:4 ??
I am looking for some help finding an encoder, can't seem to find one.
Thanks, Paul

Also, is this going to work for me?
www.ncix.com/detail/gigabyte-motherboard...-j1900-1a-109314.htm
Do most people mount computer in the cabinet behind the machine and run long cables to front lcd, switches , usb etc ? or is there a better option?
Thanks!

timewarp wrote: Hi, I have been tearing into the lathe a bit, ordering parts and waiting on the mail. I have already won an auction on an opto22 board that now looks unusable!

If this is because the 5i25 does not have the 50-pin header that the other Mesa cards have, then possibly this would help, on your second 5i25 header.
store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=produc...74_80&product_id=285

But Mesa have IOP cards that duplicate the capabilitied of the Opto22 anyway.

I am looking for some help finding an encoder, can't seem to find one.

Have you considered a belt-drive to an encoder with an integral shaft? Or connecting the encoders to the ballscrews rather than the motor?
You might actually want _both_ encoders, if possible. The commutation signals from the original encoder are likely to be useful (or essential) for driving the motors.

Do most people mount computer in the cabinet behind the machine and run long cables to front lcd, switches , usb etc ? or is there a better option?!

People seem to all find their own solution, but I would be more comfortable with long keyboard and mouse wires than long analogue signal cables.
The Mesa 7i73 can make connection of PC to control panel easy and neat.

Thankyou Andy, i hadnt thought of belt drive, but i guess it is another option. Mesa stuff should be here soon so i will have to figure connections out with what i have.
Can't use the original encoder as it is now in pieces.

Any thoughts on the computer?

paul

timewarp wrote: Can't use the original encoder as it is now in pieces.

In that case you probably need to find an encoder with commutation tracks, and connect it directly to the motor.

(Is there no possibility of re-assembling the original encoder?)

Thanks Andy, so now i am looking for 2 encoders with a hollow shaft of either 10mm, 25mm or tapered. With commutation. Absolute and differential right?

Went ahead and ordered the motherboard, i think it will be ok.

Paul