One for the computer folks

[Eric R Snow]

Greetings All,
I have built two CNC controllers that are built around a PC. This has
worked well but now I'd like something smaller. I have a small lathe
that right now is portable. Adding a CNC control would make it more
versatile. But even a laptop computer is bigger than the lathe and
would make the thing way less portable. The space available is a cube
about 6 inches a side. I already have a 5 inch monitor that accepts
NTSC video signals. The mouse and keyboard are wireless units made by
Gyration. The mouse has a motion sensor inside which allows it to be
just waved in the air to move the cursor. So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eric R Snow,
E T Precision Machine

 

[Don Bruder]

In article <q6fbh117en2fq4ji4i2aitp89up3akvo4i@4ax.com>,
Eric R Snow <etpm@whidbey.com> wrote:

Greetings All,
I have built two CNC controllers that are built around a PC. This has
worked well but now I'd like something smaller. I have a small lathe
that right now is portable. Adding a CNC control would make it more
versatile. But even a laptop computer is bigger than the lathe and
would make the thing way less portable. The space available is a cube
about 6 inches a side. I already have a 5 inch monitor that accepts
NTSC video signals. The mouse and keyboard are wireless units made by
Gyration. The mouse has a motion sensor inside which allows it to be
just waved in the air to move the cursor. So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eric R Snow,
E T Precision Machine

Mac Mini. Form factor: A cube about 6-ish inches on a side.

--
Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic.net - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for full details.

 

[John Fields]

On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 07:37:56 -0700, Eric R Snow <etpm@whidbey.com>
wrote:

Greetings All,
I have built two CNC controllers that are built around a PC. This has
worked well but now I'd like something smaller. I have a small lathe
that right now is portable. Adding a CNC control would make it more
versatile. But even a laptop computer is bigger than the lathe and
would make the thing way less portable. The space available is a cube
about 6 inches a side. I already have a 5 inch monitor that accepts
NTSC video signals. The mouse and keyboard are wireless units made by
Gyration. The mouse has a motion sensor inside which allows it to be
just waved in the air to move the cursor. So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?

---
PC/104


--
John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer

 

[quietguy]

The new Apple Mini Mac may fit your space - and it is a very nice
machine

David

Eric R Snow wrote:

Greetings All,
I have built two CNC controllers that are built around a PC. This has
worked well but now I'd like something smaller. I have a small lathe
that right now is portable. Adding a CNC control would make it more
versatile. But even a laptop computer is bigger than the lathe and
would make the thing way less portable. The space available is a cube
about 6 inches a side. I already have a 5 inch monitor that accepts
NTSC video signals. The mouse and keyboard are wireless units made by
Gyration. The mouse has a motion sensor inside which allows it to be
just waved in the air to move the cursor. So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eric R Snow,
E T Precision Machine

 

[impmon]

"Eric R Snow" <etpm@whidbey.com> wrote in message
news:q6fbh117en2fq4ji4i2aitp89up3akvo4i@4ax.com...
[snip]

So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?

Look up ITX. They are very small and if you use one HD, maybe a slot
loading CD-ROM or DVD-ROM that are thin and you could use a small power
supply, they will end up close to laptop sized if not smaller.

Failing that there are industrial boards that would work. When I used to
work at my former company, their machines had 486 that were only about 4" by
6" with VGA, 1 IDE, floppy, 2 serial, 1 parallel, and 1 72 pin SIMM slot.
While it was designed to be plugged into industrial backplate, it can run
independently by wiring up 5v and 12v to appropierate pins. They were
expensive at that time, around $300-$400 each while you could get used
133MHz Pentium desktop for about that price.

I'm sure those industrial CPU cards are still around and available in higher
CPU speed. I'd suggest looking for one that uses Pentium-M as it uses about
1/4 the power of Pentium 4 with same speed and can use passive heatsink, no
fan.

 

[Nelson Johnsrud]

David and Don beat me to it, but my answer is the same. See it here:
http://www.apple.com/macmini/

I had a different idea for the mini. I was thinking of taking the case
from a non-functional TRS-80 model 4 and mounting the mini in one of the
drive bays, keeping the original face panel from the 5-1/4" drive.
Since the CD loads from the front of the mini, this arrangement would
allow me to insert the CD into the mini through the 5-1/4" slot, thereby
keeping an authentic look. Replace the mono CRT with a 12" VGA tube and
add the video board. Swap the keyboard (biggest challenge
cosmetically), add a wireless mouse, and run the other ports to the back
with cables. End result would be an up to date computer with that 1984
look. ;-)

Nels

quietguy wrote:

The new Apple Mini Mac may fit your space - and it is a very nice
machine

David

Eric R Snow wrote:


Greetings All,
I have built two CNC controllers that are built around a PC. This has
worked well but now I'd like something smaller. I have a small lathe
that right now is portable. Adding a CNC control would make it more
versatile. But even a laptop computer is bigger than the lathe and
would make the thing way less portable. The space available is a cube
about 6 inches a side. I already have a 5 inch monitor that accepts
NTSC video signals. The mouse and keyboard are wireless units made by
Gyration. The mouse has a motion sensor inside which allows it to be
just waved in the air to move the cursor. So it seems to me that a
small motherboard, small hard drive, video card, and power supply are
what I need to build this. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Eric R Snow,
E T Precision Machine