Blackbox vs Duet Wifi for Lead CNC

First - I don't think your poll will give you very meaningful results unless you know the relative numbers using blackbox versus Duet. I think that there are many more blackboxes in use than Duets with cnc mills/routers.

There are probably at least one post/day on average from blackbox users asking for help, but, as I am sure @Peter Van Der Walt will tell you, there are hundreds of blackbox users who don't write in to ask for help/complain so most people are very happy with it.

There are only 4 or 5 Duet users who post regularly on the forum and their experience has been mixed - mostly positive once teething problems like sorting out what post processor to use etc, but again, negative experiences are more likely to be commented on.

I use the Duet from Ooznest and, apart from a few niggles about the firmware (it comes from the rep-rap, 3D printer world) not being entirely "standard" I have found it very easy to set up and use. In fact, some aspects of it's rep-rap ancestry make it very easy to customise if you are prepared to delve into the G-code and write/re-write macros.

I will add some links to a couple of builds using it and some other relevant posts - but just to repeat the caution - people write about things going wrong far more than they do about things going right.

I'll let someone else extol the virtues of the blackbox - I don't have one so can't really comment.

Just one point - purely personal opinion - I would always opt for a hardwired connection rather than rely on WiFi.

Alex.

The BEE and ME
Workbee with Duet controller
Workbee with Duet controller macro changes
(Semi) automatic tool changes with Fusion 360
There are many more you could look at - try searching the forum for references to Duet (or blackbox)

 

As Alex said, wifi is cool, but if you are using serial stream...it's NFG. What's kinda neat about the Duet the ability to read a program from an SD card and run a custom LCD menu. For most CNC tasks, the Blackbox's meager but reliable MCU is more than adequate. Honestly, the 32-bit capabilities are really only necessary to keep up with the 802.11 protocol stack, OTA updates and all the libraries for the LCD and SD card file system capability, (embedded web functionality?). Maybe it will help with cutting some really pretty arcs. Everything else is rep-rap overhead. Unless the firmware is optimized for CNC all the extra memory that the MCU provides is swallowed up by unnecessary 3D printer programming. Now, OTOH, GRBL is pretty focused, uh, as I am not. What I mean to say....they are both cool, but I like the Duet solution more. Wish it could handle a bit more power though.

 

Oh...and the DUST! Put a flap on it!

 

Duet dust cover for workbee
Alex.

 

Ah, yes...3D printed dust cover solution, with perforations! Nice! I might 3D print a hermetically sealed, positive pressure enclosure with integrated hydraulic fittings for passive cooling system and fiber optically couple my steppers with 3D printed transducers.

 

HaHa! It only just fitted on my (Geetech) Prusa clone and took 7 hours to print.
Alex.

 

Me likey the Duet Ethernet. Oh, and extra motion channels is nice. Hmm.

 

Nope, I'd have to breakout the step and direction pins to bypass the integrated drivers. For a small Workbee it's a great solution, though. Especially with Ooznest backing it. Where did that come from anyway? "Ooznest"?

 

I am in the very early stages of thinking about maybe planning to build a second machine - smaller/more rigid than my workbee - for (relatively) high precision milling and PCB production. If I ever get around to this I will probably use a blackbox. Ask me again in a year (or so) from now and I might be able to compare them.
Alex.

 

I am a BlackBox user. I bought it after trying another controller board that might be good for a mini mill but was not for my WorkBee 1010.
The BlackBox is easy to build and has all the connections one could need to include a connection for a laser and for controlling my spindle.
This is not my first CnC machine I have a Joe's Evolution CnC that is currently 4'X8' and uses a homemade controller powering a Gecko G540
driver and 4 425oz steppers. This is a rack and pinion driven system. The WorkBee is 1000 times easier to build and set up using the BlackBox.
Now is the BlackBox perfect, no, but then neither is my other system. If someone is looking for a quick and easy controller for ANY CnC project I
think the BlackBox is the way to go and it is extremely cost effective. Heck my G540 cost twice what the BlackBox does and so far my BlackBox
is out performing it.

 

The day have come..

 

I've not used a Duet for CNC, but I've used one extensively on one of my 3D printers. I use a BlackBox on my CNC. If I was to build another machine, I'd still go with the BlackBox for the CNC. It's a very nice controller. Easy to wire, easy to use, easy to support. I don't think I've come across any situation where I'd wish I'd had a Duet over the BlackBox for my CNC machine. Just my 2 cents.

I'll also say that the WiFi on my Duet2 has been a total pain in the butt. If I had that one to do over, I'd now would have opted for the Duet3 with SBC (RPi).

 

I just realized that my power supply is putting out 45 volts can turn down .Could that burned my Mach3 Up .???

 

Well i think i can give a good opinion, since i already had a CNC with Duet 2, Duet 3, BlackBox X32, Arduino with CNC Shield, CNC Xpro v5.

For me the cost/benefit for a CNC with Stepper Drivers Max 3A, the Duet 2 wins (i buy the Duet used on marketplace for 60€, they are easy to configure, easy to operate and i set up the Duet as a Access Point to avoid wifi problems.

Not looking at cost the Blackbox X32 wins over the CNC Xpro v5 , they are almost the same, but the Blackbox have a better interface and support.

I will say for me and given a specific budget (Aliexpress and Ratrig Prices prices), all of this controllerrs works great, and for what i do, i cannot see any diference working.

< 100€ Duet 2
< 200€ Duet 3
< 300€ BlackBox x32