[BalloonEngineer]

LinuxCNC is an very stable real time control system, but it’s insistance on doing the real time step generation internally and using parallel port(s) is becoming somewhat of a liability as computers with parallel ports become harder to find. There are lots of old computers that are available cheaply, but they are old and many can be unreliable.

I wish there was a version of LinuxCNC that could interface to any of the dedicated hardware step controllers (i.e. the Ethernet Smoothstepper). The only such choices seem to be the Mesa cards. There are numerous small, low power (fanless) computers that would be ideal as CNC control computers in a dusty woodshop , but have no parallel port or room for internal cards. I use MACH4 on my machine, with a long Ethernet cord to allow some space between my computer and the CNC.

 

[BalloonEngineer]

By small computer I meant something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Fanless-industrial-computer-Qotom-Q190N-S01-celeron/dp/B015H4L200/ref=sr_1_10?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1508468077&sr=1-10&keywords=fanless+pc+-atom+-barebones
(No experience with this one, just first example I found). No moving parts, no fans - no issues with dust.

I am a believer in having a computer dedicated to machine control, with no other applications, no network access. Once you have a reliable, working system, I see no need for any OS or other updates. If I want to check something online or listen to music, I usually have an iPad with me in shop.

The machines I have seen based on raspberry pi or such are too small, slow and flexible for things I am interested in cutting (wood, non-ferrous metals, plastics). I’m sure that small machines like the shapeoko appeal to some, but I would not be happy with one.

 

[BalloonEngineer]

Speaking of joinery, I came up with a sample I'm calling a tapered tenon array. The goal was to make a joint with considerable holding friction when it was together, but was also easy to tap apart. Thus the tapered tenons. I may regret showing it to the students as it is time consuming to cut, and takes careful vector layout to end up with a good fitting joint.

We’re getting a little afield from the original topic here, But this is a similar concept developed by that paragon of fine woodworking, Ikea: :wink:

How Ikea's New Joinery is Advancing Their Design - Core77

The CNC enables new concepts, and I appreciate those like @4DThinker who are willing to share their ideas.