Somebody convince me; UCCNC for $450AUD vs LinuxCNC for free

[muzzlitebeer]

You really don't have too much work to do as I've ALMOST already convinced myself.

I've been struggling with LinuxCNC on and off for the last 3 months - and just as I was about to take an axe to my computer, everything started working. It's a 750 x 100 CNC router via a Gecko 540.

So, my LinuxCNC setup is finally working but, well... it's Linux and Linux has shown many times that it doesn't like me. And the computers with a parallel port are getting very old now and I've had 3 fail in the last 4 months.

I am leaning towards an AXBB-E bundled with a UCCNC licence for $440AUD.

Another option would be to get a Mesa card to bypass the parallel port thing, but, well... Linux! And that's still going to cost close to $300AUD... (If I can find one)

So! Sell it to me. $440 is a LOT of money!

[ger21]

Linux.
#1 reason why I've never ever considered Linux CNC.

[DavidR8]

When I built my PrintNC router LinuxCNC was the go-to software. I bought a computer, installed a parallel port cart.
Then I spent an entire evening just trying to get LinuxCNC installed.
After that I spent untold hours trying to get it to move my machine.
Finally gave up and ordered an AXBB and UCCNC.
I was up and running in about an hour.
Never been happier... Well I would be happier if the manual was better written.

[Dazp1976]

You really don't have too much work to do as I've ALMOST already convinced myself.
I've been struggling with LinuxCNC on and off for the last 3 months - and just as I was about to take an axe to my computer, everything started working. It's a 750 x 100 CNC router via a Gecko 540.
So, my LinuxCNC setup is finally working but, well... it's Linux and Linux has shown many times that it doesn't like me. And the computers with a parallel port are getting very old now and I've had 3 fail in the last 4 months.
I am leaning towards an AXBB-E bundled with a UCCNC licence for $440AUD.
Another option would be to get a Mesa card to bypass the parallel port thing, but, well... Linux! And that's still going to cost close to $300AUD... (If I can find one)
So! Sell it to me. $440 is a LOT of money!

You don't see many complaints/problems from uccnc users.
Even if they're just using the hardware with Mach via the plugins.

[Robertspark]

Linux / linuxcnc is NOT easy and it's NOT free.

uccnc is not without its limitations and faults (but then neither is anything else.... including linuxcnc.... the thing with Linux and linuxcnc as you are the maker of your own destiny in that it's open source and even the hardware firmware is.... so if it doesn't work the way you want.... change it.... sure it may take you a lifetime to understand the coding languages and get it to do whatever you want but really that is down to you)

the forum is very helpful but like everywhere it's expected that people search for answers and read the manuals or at least try and know where they are.

I still have my uccnc hardware but it's not installed as I've made the switch to linuxcnc. I am and have slowly got used to it and can see function in its form (or in some cases lack of form but definitive function).

I may make the switch back one day as it's mainly for the lack of turn or lathe functionality I decided to switch to linuxcnc. (and the planners odd behaviour with circles and linear motion in g64)

the point being.... 1) search for answers 2) read / attempt to read and re-read the manual 3) ask questions
preferably in that order.

the above applies to all things.

moving from 1 to the other probably won't solve your problem .... given with Linux and linuxcnc you are the maker of your own destiny and cannot moan at it not doing XYZ as you have the ability to sort that, but with uccnc you are limited to what cncdrive decide they wish to develop and when

a Mesa 7i96 or 7i98 can be had for just less than $100 USD plus shipping and will provide between 2 and 3 lpt equivalent ports of fully programmable inputs and outputs. don't waste your time with an integrated printer port on a pc trying to save $100 and pulling your hair out

[CADdy]

I had only problems and difficulties with LinuxCNC. Of course, that may have been up to me, but in any case I wanted to switch to LCNC last summer. I already had the Mesa and the hardware was then also converted quite quickly. However, LCNC then drove me to despair. Nothing worked the way I was used to with UCCNC. The basic things like moving axes, etc. were not the problem, the "finer things" gave me the rest. It started when probing a workpiece and then ended in trying to find a usable configuration of the interface without cryptic programming.

So I went back to UCCNC. In the meantime there is version 1.2115 with a standard appealing and very functional interface. I went one step further and got the NEON screen set. Everything works without problems, all the functions I use are included as standard and can be implemented without "configuration orgies".

What does not work, and this is due to the operating system of the computer, are e.g. linear glass scales. Windows does not have a real-time kernel. I am a hobby user and I am also satisfied with my CL steppers. I have not missed GMS so far. Furthermore there is fast and good help in the forums of cncdrive.com.

Peter

[muzzlitebeer]

You sneaky buggers... trying to convince me to stick with LCNC...

The last straw for me was updating from 2.7.15 Wheezy to 2.8.2 Buster.

After running the Stepconf program, pretty much the first step in configuring my machine, I couldn't get both Z axis steppers working. Only the Z would work even though I'd specified in stepconfig that the 'A' motor was a 'Y' motor.

I don't even know what I did, but eventually, both steppers were finally working in unison. Somebody who was helping me out at the time (there are some incredibly helpful LinuxCNC users that go out of their way to help, but there are also a few condescending linux fanboys. ) had a look at my .hal file and said "are you sure both steppers are working? They shouldn't be." Something about 'joints' replacing 'axis' in 2.8.2 and my Y 'joints' weren't... ummm... 'joined'???

Meh. I'm over it. I'm not a fan of Windoze, but I know how to make things work, where to find stuff and fix things when they go belly up.

With Linux, I don't even know a quick way to load a file from a USB drive. I needed to click up the heirarchy, then back down. Sometimes it was there, other times I had to go back up again.

I know. There's probably a really simple solution, but to be honest, I can't be bothered.

I'm getting the CNCDrive hardware and software this week.

Decision made...

[beefy]

I'm mainly using cnc for plasma.

I designed and built my own THC for UCCNC. Had serial communication between the THC and UCCNC, and made a screenset with all THC parameters on. It wasn't fast PID control, just the basic THC UP and THC DOWN signals but it worked.
I was going to add all sorts of other functionality into my THC and this would have required a lot more time invested in programming, sorting out bugs, screenset design, etc.

I then learned about Qtplasmac, the plasma cutting part of Linuxcnc. Wow, it pretty much had everything I was planning to create in my own setup, all ready built in. So feature-wise, it was a no brainer for plasma.

One other thing that attracted me was tool wear compensation. I won't need this until I have a lathe or mill, but if it's true, UCCNC does not have this and Linuxcnc does. Do your own research on that one though as it's a little while since I was told that. I used to run a cnc lathe a couple of jobs again, and every so often, as the tool tip wore, I'd have to adjust for this and set the machine running again to get the parts back to correct dimension. So I consider that a valuable capability.

The learning curve for Linuxcnc is pretty shit thought. It really helps to know the Linux system for basic navigation through the file system and various other things, so you have that to learn.
There is pretty good documentation for Lcnc but a lot of it. I suppose it's because Lcnc is so much more customisable. I'm going to stick with Lcnc for now, mainly because of the plasma but I'm always watching what's happening with UCCNC. It's definitely easier to get going, and I'm going to have a play with the lathe module once it's done.

Cost would not even be a consideration for me when choosing between the two. You can probably get a away a bit cheaper with Lcnc using the top quality Mesa motion controller boards, but with the extra learning curve of Lcnc, you could use that time to get a part time job, or do OT at work, and the extra cost of the hardware for UCCNC would be quickly accumulated.

[ger21]

One other thing that attracted me was tool wear compensation. I won't need this until I have a lathe or mill, but if it's true, UCCNC does not have this and Linuxcnc does.

UCCNC does have cutter comp, which basically can do the same thing. Wear comp is usually just a separate value that's added to the cutter comp.

[muzzlitebeer]

Well, I just dropped $500+ on AXBB-E w/licence and a bunch of end mills. I'm driving down and picking them up tomorrow.

I might review LinuxCNC in the future, after I've actually got some milling hours under my belt. I currently feel like its been all work and frustration with no fun or productivity...