Cant datum axes on Starturn (black box with LCB3 controller)

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enemorio
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri 27 May , 2016 23:18 pm

Cant datum axes on Starturn (black box with LCB3 controller)

Post by enemorio » Fri 27 May , 2016 23:56 pm

Hi all:

I am trying to get a Starturn lathe up and running. So far I managed to make the RS232 cable, get the right software (FANUCSLD) and try running it from XP, dosbox and freeDOS with mixed results.

When I run the program I get to FANUCSLD edit and simulation screen, and one relay on the board rapidly turns off and on. When I go to the F10 menu and then MACHINE CONTROL (menu item name is from memory might be slightly different) a second relay fires up in the controller.

Next screen is the Jog screen with the big white digits for a readout, and herein lays the issue. There's a message asking me to datum the axes using X and then Z. I press X, Z, Shift+X, poo+Z, arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn and all sort of combos but nothing happens in the lathe. The stepper motors do not seem energized at all since I can manually turn the screws. All fuses are good. The RS232 cable works OK, since when I unplug it I get errors <50> and then <128>. If I plug it back in and run the software I get to the edit & sim screen with no problems. I even checked the override, emergency and door switches and all are working A-OK.

My FANUCSLD.GO is configured thus:

IBM-RS2 1
$3F8 4 MACHINE
QDENFORD.KBD 1
18.2 0
VGA.CRT 0
FANUCSLD.APP

In XP and FreeDOS I get to the edit & sim software; but DosBox on top of XP kicks me off with an error <50> as if the cable were unplugged or the controller turned off. When I use FreeDOS I'm booting from USB and I get response. I'm testing different set ups on 2 PCs but not much changes save for a nasty lag in command inputs.

Is there something I'm missing? I think I made my homework from reading through the forums and getting to this point but this is as far as I can get without schematics and manuals.

For what is worth, my machine is exactly the same as this: http://denfordata.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1113 I'm 2 or 3 numbers below his serial number though. I'm not using the dongle though.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help me out!

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Cant datum axes on Starturn (black box with LCB3 control

Post by TDIPower » Tue 31 May , 2016 23:05 pm

Hi, have a search for my posts. I have the Starturn 5 and went through a lot when I was getting it set up. Not able to get to my info for a while.

Hope that helps

Pete

enemorio
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri 27 May , 2016 23:18 pm

Re: Cant datum axes on Starturn (black box with LCB3 control

Post by enemorio » Wed 22 Jun , 2016 4:12 am

First and foremost, thanks TDIPower, your manuals were very helpful.

I almost had the little bastard running except... It turned out there was some funky business with my setup, and the keyboard driver for IBM keyboards (QDENFORD.KBD I think it's called) wouldn't recognize the x or z keystrokes, or anything but the F keys for that matter. Not even using Alt or Ctrl or Shift key combos would work. The lathe steppers went stall and a couple of relays turned on each time but nothing more. A shame, for everything was in working order, mechanically and electrically. If I had the keyboard tutor and the serial ports to handle it I could have spared a ton of work.

I tried dosbox over winxp, dosbox over linux (ubuntu 14), pure ms-dos, winxp and even freedos with mostly the same results; dosbox setups wouldn't even connect and always ended in an error 128. I used 2 different PCs.

But hey, I'm retrofitting to mach3 and maybe one USB CNC control. If those Arduino-GRBL controllers could handle more inputs I would use one and input the spindle RPM encoder and the toolpost binary encoder to have a complete retrofit.

So I guess I'm closing this thread and opening a new one with the retrofit progress now.

TDIPower
CNC Guru
CNC Guru
Posts: 613
Joined: Tue 29 Apr , 2014 18:38 pm
Hardware/Software: Starturn 5 (sort of running, I will get this done!)
Lathe cam designer V1.11
Quickturn 2D Design
FANUC offline and online programs.
Microrouter Pro NS V5 (microstep)
VR2 and VR5
Boxford VMC260
Techsoft 2d Design tools V1 > V2
ProDesktop
Fusion 360
Deskproto

Re: Cant datum axes on Starturn (black box with LCB3 control

Post by TDIPower » Wed 22 Jun , 2016 20:54 pm

I have a friend with the denford tutor keyboard, if it's any help? Like mine it is actually for the starmill but I have just printed the starturn overlay on printable vinyl and stuck it on.


Pete

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