Urgent request for assistance - Bridgeport-related

[lawlessman]

I know this isn't the instant fix you need right now, but I had a Series II Bridgeport BOSS 6 mill and got tired of the problems blowing transistors and the lack of memory. I bought a Ah-HA Design controller and used there software to retrofit my mill. The difference was fantastic. I had unlimited memory and a computer controlled the machine. It was the best thing I ever did for the old Bridgeport until I sold it and bought a VMC. As far as I now almost 10 years later the machine is still in use.


http://www.matronics.com/cnc/gear.htm

I know how nice those are/were. I bought a Machiine Masrter controller card in 2000 for my BOSS 5 cnc, which had blown a control board. After I found out how expensive the replacement board would be ($3500), I went looking and found MachineMaster (long out of business). The single board replaced all the control boards in the BOSS 5 and it runs off a 486 computer with software from "SLO-MOTION CONTROLS", which I have been told was an offshoot of AH-HA. I have never upgraded the software and have only blown a couple transistors in 14 years. The software has a couple quirks (no restart in the middle of the program, etc), but functions much faster and easier than the original. I got faster top speeds for the feeds, unlimited program size (I am currently running a 84k byte program), simple editing, instant program loads, and a lot of other things that I DON'T enjoy with my all original BOSS 6. Best 2 grand I ever invested. In terms of ease of use, the BOSS 5 rivals (close, but not quite equal) my Centroid M$) retrofitted BOSS 9, which cost me about $18k back in the mid-late 90's.

 

[lawlessman]

I have all sorts of OLD hard drives and even some old motherboards that are still new in the box.
Also have a bunch of AT power supplies.
Let my know if you want to make a deal.

DEAL? Oh yes, please.
My computer is apparently a franken-puter put together and sold by a local computer shop (gone and forgotten). It had a standard AT type power supply with the P8 and P9 connectors, the usual complement of 4-pin power connectors (molex and mini), and an external power switch on a long lead. The wires are about a foot long to reach the connectors on the MB.
I bought one "AT" power supply on EBAY but it had P1 and P2 instead of P8 and P9, and one of the connectors was missing a wire, so I didn't dare use it. I bought another supposed AT power supply and it turned out to be an ATX. I looked into ATX to AT converter pugs, but ran into warnings about needing a -5 line from the power supply, which the one I bought didn't have (and my original did).
So, if you have an AT power supply with P8 and P9 connectors, 6 wires per connector, and an external power switch, how much would you like for it and how fast can you send it?

I am running a 420 mb hard drive. Windows 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups) over Dos 6.22. And it works absolutely perfectly with the BOSS 6, if you accept the 2400 baud down- and up- loads. I can use the included Terminal.EXE app to connect and edit the program, and the EZCAM (ve3rsion 6) utility, aptly named Utils.exe or UTLS.exe is fine for the up/down load process.

 

[lawlessman]

If the OP has a stepper machine, it is VERY EASY to upgrade to a Mach3 control. I'd really suggest this, after getting past the current emergency.

Karl

Sorry for the slow responses to all the suggestions. I must be losing it, because I am unsure about the word "OP",
but the BOSS 6 is a stepper machine, and, frankly, if I could afford it, I would have a retrofit on there faster than you can tell me what OP means. It is simply a matter of money, which is the ususal complaint, of course. It is why I have been advertising on Craigslist for old computers and looking all over (even the local goodwill type places) for old computers and power supplies. I have been offered computers running Vista, Windows 7, XP, and also a complete Tandy 1000 computer with monitor, printer and all software for $30.00. I already have one of those, too bad I can't use it for my current problem. Most people think last year's computer is outlandishly outdated, and I haven't found a lot of people who know what came before Windows Vista and XP. How soon the old technology is forgotten. I'm running 2 Bridgeport CNC's (1980 BOSS 5, 1981 BOSS 6) that were state-of-the-art when you loaded programs with a punched paper tape you made on a teletype, and one from the late 80's that was one of the first "knee-type" CNC's to use servos. And was a colossal failure at that. My grinder, lathe, B'port mill and even my air compressor are all at least 34 years old, and I have a horizontal mill as old as I am (67). I don't know what will last longer, me or the machines.
Fred

 

[lawlessman]

I didn't know they were out of business. That's really too bad, but I guess there aren't many of the older machines around that use steppers anymore so their business probably went away for them. They saved my bacon years ago on my Bridgeport. And BOSS 6 is steppers, not servos.

Before I went to the AH-Ha design drive setup I used a card from Slow Motion Controls. It was an interface card and ran off a PC and used the Ah-Ha software. I'm not sure if they are in business now either, but if they are maybe there is another software that their card could interface with and run the machine off of.

Ocassionally I see the old BOSS machines for sale for very cheap............and I mean cheap. I was tempted to get one but now that I know Ah-Ha is out of business I'll think twice about that. I do have lots of Universal Quick Switch II tool holders for one. I'd sell them, but I got lucky and found an adapter for my R8 spindle and can use them in my manual.

I wish I could help more, I was in the same position years ago with my BOSS machine.

Looks like we went the same route, more or less. The company I went to was called MachineMaster, and the guy behind that control card was named Darrell something. The software was from Slo-Motion Controls, which I read somewhere was an offshoot of AH-HA. The AH-HA retrofits were much more expensive and required a lot of gutting and installing, and frankly, I couldn't afford it. The MachineMaster board was an easy solution, and has worked well for years, but, with a couple weird quirks. There was a website for MachineMaster for a few years, and a subscription-only support program. I guess if you make a board for a little as he did, you need to make your fortune off the support subscriptions. Despite several inquiries and searches, I have been unable to track down anybody who knows anything about any available software updates or support. Even the guys on the AH-HA users' Yahoo group have almost no knowledge of that setup, the software, or whatever happened to "Darrell". Most people who had originally got on the AH-HA wagon have gone to Mach software. I am not at all sure that the MM card would be compatible and
am not anxious to try until I do know for sure.

 

[Cadillac STS]

"OP" means "Original Poster" you in this case. It is really helpful to have the abbreviation OP because these threads go way off track for different reasons and if someone wants to refer back to the OP it is easier. In this case he was saying if the original poster (You) had a stepper machine...