Estlcam and arduino

Thanks again doc brown.

my stepcraft has only 15pins LPT...i dont know if this is a second generation version. thats why im having a problem following the instruction.

let me know if i dont have a choice to use estlcam.

Norman

You have a Stepcraft with a USB board! if you want to use the Estlcam Arduino controller you need to exchange this board with the parallel adapter from Stepcraft!
Then you have a 25 pin LPT port!

Parallel Port

The 15 pin port has some other functions: Stepcraft ports

all right thanks doc!!! o yeah now i understand that should answer my inquiry. ill go look for the LPT board. I would prefer the estlcams it is i think easy to understand the program. thank you again doc.

You don't need the parallel board if you want to use EstlCAM / Arduino. You can directly replace the USB module, see here:
Arduino-Shield

(You have to search backwards to find the latest version)

Dear MagI02,

Would it be possible to explain in English (sorry my German is poor...), how to set up the Arduino with a USB board. I bought my Stepcraft with a USB, thinking it would give me more options. But now I don't where to start with connecting my Arduino.

Thanks a lot!

What do you mean with "setup the arduino with a USB-board"? There is no setup with, the arduino replaces the USB-board.

If you have a look at the first 3 pictures in the thread mentioned in my previous post, you can see the setup.
1. Spend some time to learn PCB milling and create the latest version of the shield (find the files here)
The USB-board and WinPC NC will do the job.
2. Solder the parts
3. Remove the USB-board and attach the shield instead
4. Download EstlCAM and use it's programming function to write the EstlCAM "firmware" to the UNO
5. Plug the Arduino in to the shield

If you reprogram the Arduino while plugged in you should switch off all the switchable devices like spindle or vacuum, as they might start unintentionally in this case.

Thanks a lot for the links and the additional info. I will start trying in a few weeks when I have some more time. For now I am using the starter version of WINPCNC, which sort of works out for me.
The thing I have difficulty opening .plt files (which I conversed from .ai). It's a text I want to engrave, single lines letters, but somehow opens in WINPCNC with having outlines. But I guess this questions belongs to a different thread...

Or you can leave the electronics that are in Stepcraft in place, save a file in Estlcam and use either UCCNC or Mach3 to control the machine. Works perfectly well.
It's up to you if you want to take Arduino route so that you can mill directly from Estlcam, but having a lot more control in UCCNC or Mach3 - wins for me.

Well, that will not work.
Neither UCCNC nor Mach3 works together with the Stepcraft USB Port.
You could use these programs together with the UC100 controller.

Hi...I’m currently building my MPCNC with this setup.Uno and CNC Shield running grbl. I don’t plan on using the MPCNC for printing or running jobs from SD cards, so I think the Mega/Ramps setup is overkill for me.
I currently have everything moving. I’m getting limit switches setup and getting familiar with the CNC workflow. I hope to start cutting this weekend.
If you want any info on setting this up, take a look at the xcarve or shapeoko communities, as they primarily use an Uno running grbl.