Re: Jog wheel

[PKF <pferrick-at-tows.moric.org>]

Hi all,

This jog wheel discussion reminded me of something I've been wondering
about for some time.  I'd love to have a "machine controller" that looks
like this:

    A small, handheld box with three knobs (potentiometers), each knob
having
        its own three-position toggle switch
    Each knob controls the speed of the x,y or z axis
    Each toggle switch turns on/off motion in its own axis

    The x-axis toggle switch is marked  left / off / right
    The y axis toggle switch is marked  fwd / off / back
    The z-axis toggle switch is marked  up / off / down

Basically, an adjustable motor drive on each axis. [ I guess this is
something that non-CNC machines sometimes have.  Please pardon my
ignorance, I'm an amateur working with a small homemade three-axis
mill.]   I know that the keyboard sort of approximates this function,
but not in a very convenient way.

Better yet, if the controller was made to have an obvious X-Y-Z
orientation, then labels on the knobs/switches would be unnecessary.

This way, when you just want to use the CNC machine in more of a
conventional way, you could just manually "home in" on the part with the
toggle switches.  I was thinking that the game port would be a good
place for both the analog speed control input and the toggle switch
input.  (Hmm...two game controllers = 4 potentiometer inputs and 4 (?)
switch inputs, right?  MIght not be enough inputs for all three axes.)

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there.

tnx,
Patrick