Router power and spindles

Ok. So it took me four months to get to opening the box but now I’m up and running! Kudos to Chris for the build video as I watched it or them all the way through while setting up my machine. They were super helpful. Everything came together perfectly.
I do have two concerns or questions I would like to put forth now. What are people doing to turn on and off the router (I have the makita) that would work through the gcode? I would feel much better with the tool stopping automatically at the end of the run. Also what if any recommendations does the community have for a spindle the I could run that would give me this control over starts and stops and speeds?
For a quick fix on the router power I am thinking a raspberry pi to wifi plug that could get start stop signals from the control board, but will take any suggestions.

Thanks all,
MBWoodworker

@MayBeAWoodworker Do a search on “spindle” and you will find a few discussions on using the LM controller to turn the Makita off and on. That search will also bring up a few discussions on replacing the Makita with a spindle.

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Good question, I’m also wondering if it’s safe to shut everything down with an “oh, crap” button thusly:

image

mounted somewhat back from the machine.

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@SteveFossey I have a similar one to shut everything down. I got a magnetic switch on amazon so that if the power goes out, when it comes back on, everything is still off.

This is it:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005W17HYY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The switch is mounted in a standard electrical box that is screwed onto my table.

I have everything plugged into a power bar. I cut the plug end off the power bar and ran it into the switch. Power from the wall goes into the switch, so everything gets shut down with one smack of the switch.

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Hey all,
just want to show off my small control box I made some time ago:

Functions:

  • Estop,
  • hold, play, stop: enlengthend from the LM controller located under the table
  • router A/O: automatic (A) - used the spindlePWM-pin to trigger a relay to automatically turn on/off the spindle with the M4 and M5 command, off (O) disables the router power on toolchange or in case I use a diamond drag bit etc.
  • vac A/O/I: automatic (A) - turns on the vac with same procedure as the spindle, off (O) turns it off, on (I) turns it on to manually clean up the LM after a job

Cheers

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That is awesome! It is also what I was thinking along the lines of. Any chance you could share a how to, parts list? Thank you for showing us this.

Thank you all for replies and ideas. I like to imagine I would have figured some of this out on my own eventually but I only get a couple days a month between kids and work to wander in my personal workspace. The honest truth is I’m better with wood than wiring. I am definitely going to use these suggestions going forward.

@JHahn Great work! For me, the best part is the auto on for the spindle. I assume that could work with a router, too, since you are using the signal from the Mill controller to trip a relay. That relay could then open 110v to the router plug, I guess?

You guessed correctly. You can also control your dust collection with the flood.

Ha there. Could you expand on the required relay coil voltage, as it would be connected to the coolant output?

Did you remove the play / pause / stop buttons from the controller board? If so did you de-solder them or just cut them off?

Do you have any pictures of your wiring? I want to replace my on/off switch with an e-stop like the newer machines have.

Hm no I did not remove them. I use the new ones in parallel. Soldered new wires onto the board. My controller is attached under the table, so thats the best pic I could get…

The rest of wiring is not publishable without thought, but could try to draw some electronic schematic as soon as I got time…