Here is a simple El Cheapo Pendant I am sure many have looked at. I have a much more expensive VistaCNC pendant on one of my machines, and I have used XBox 360 game controllers, numeric keypads, and even a mechanical micro switch arcade joystick. They all work. The VistaCNC Pendant worked the best, but the game controller wasn't to bad either. I seem to recall I used a gamepad at one time too, but that was a long time ago.
I'm working towards having the same or similar pendants on all my machines, and I decided to give this cheap one a try. I was prepared to be stumped by it or to have it be junk but neither happened. I copied the driver .DLL file into the plugins directory, started Mach3, and the pendant just worked. The default constant velocity jog works, the step jog works. Got to zero works. When you turn the pendant on it reads the machine coordinates and the current work offset coordinates from the control software and displays them directly on its own screen.
There are some little oddities, but all the general functions just worked. I have not even checked out all the options or looked at the plugin configuration in Mach yet. I just plugged it in and used it. I'm pretty happy with it. Rosy glasses not withstanding of course.
If it works out I may just order a few more of them and equip all my machines with them. One issue I had with the VistaCNC pendant is if it loses communication it is done for the session. You have to restart Mach to bring it back. I don't think that's an issue with this one. I can turn it off when not used, and turn it back on to have it pick up where ever the machines is currently and its ready to go.
I have one sort of major thing I don't like about it. The cord comes out the top of the pendant. Its always being pulled down by its own weight. The cord should come out the bottom of the pendant. I chose the corded version instead of the wireless one because if I wind up really liking it I'll have several of them. I wouldn't want interference or worse accidental cross machine control.
The magnets built into the back of the case seem to hold it in place just fine for now. I have not left it hanging by the magnets with the machine running yet.
I think I paid 74.95 on EBAY for this including shipping from a USA based warehouse in California. It took just 2 shipping days to arrive, but I always get USPS from So Cal in 2 days. I could have gotten it a little cheaper by ordering from China, but I think its worth the few extra drachmas to get it so quickly.
I'm working towards having the same or similar pendants on all my machines, and I decided to give this cheap one a try. I was prepared to be stumped by it or to have it be junk but neither happened. I copied the driver .DLL file into the plugins directory, started Mach3, and the pendant just worked. The default constant velocity jog works, the step jog works. Got to zero works. When you turn the pendant on it reads the machine coordinates and the current work offset coordinates from the control software and displays them directly on its own screen.
There are some little oddities, but all the general functions just worked. I have not even checked out all the options or looked at the plugin configuration in Mach yet. I just plugged it in and used it. I'm pretty happy with it. Rosy glasses not withstanding of course.
If it works out I may just order a few more of them and equip all my machines with them. One issue I had with the VistaCNC pendant is if it loses communication it is done for the session. You have to restart Mach to bring it back. I don't think that's an issue with this one. I can turn it off when not used, and turn it back on to have it pick up where ever the machines is currently and its ready to go.
I have one sort of major thing I don't like about it. The cord comes out the top of the pendant. Its always being pulled down by its own weight. The cord should come out the bottom of the pendant. I chose the corded version instead of the wireless one because if I wind up really liking it I'll have several of them. I wouldn't want interference or worse accidental cross machine control.
The magnets built into the back of the case seem to hold it in place just fine for now. I have not left it hanging by the magnets with the machine running yet.
I think I paid 74.95 on EBAY for this including shipping from a USA based warehouse in California. It took just 2 shipping days to arrive, but I always get USPS from So Cal in 2 days. I could have gotten it a little cheaper by ordering from China, but I think its worth the few extra drachmas to get it so quickly.
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