The MASSO G3 CNC controller, power supply, stepper motors, cable system and optical encoder are sold as a part of our Accu-Pro line of machines and are not available for purchase separately or as an upgrade option to existing machines.
Sherline/Acorn CNC Controller
The Sherline/Acorn CNC Controller is a fully integrated, plug-and-play control designed
for Sherline CNC machines and compatible third-party systems. It combines the industrial
Centroid Acorn CNC control with a custom Sherline housing, wiring, and connectors to
simplify installation, upgrades, and retrofits.
Centroid CNC, founded in 1979 in Howard, PA, produces high-performance, industrial-quality
CNC controls. The Acorn controller is an excellent upgrade for both new and older Sherline
CNC machines, including legacy systems originally supplied to OEMs such as Denford, D&M,
LabVolt, Paxton-Patterson, and Light Machines (Spectralight).
[icon icon=icon-chevron-down size=14px color=#000 ] Controller Features
Custom control housing includes:- Centroid Acorn CNC control board
- Acorn plug-and-play relay module (mounted and pre-wired)
- Internal wiring to DB9, DB25, and 2-wire Molex connectors
- Power supply, push-to-reset circuit breaker, and cooling fan
- External Ethernet port, power switch, and power LED
- Ethernet connection
- Power switch and power LED
- Cooling fan
- Three DB25 connectors:
- Sherline 4-axis driver box
- Aux 4-axis control for additional drives/axes
- Relay card
- Three DB9 connectors:
- Limit switches
- External encoder*
- Aux tool setter or touch probe (one at a time)
- Three 2-wire Molex connectors:
- E-stop button
- Spindle control
- Laser
- Dual logic power: 5 VDC and 24 VDC
- Input power: 100–120 VAC or 208–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
- 15 ft shielded Ethernet cable (controller to PC)
- External E-stop with 2 ft cord
[icon icon=icon-chevron-down size=14px color=#000 ] Compatibility & Connection Options
- The controller connects directly to Sherline 24 V stepper motors via the Sherline 4-axis driver box (P/N 8760).
- Not compatible with MASSO 36 V closed-loop stepper motors.
- For DIY users with their own motors/drives, use the “Aux 4-axis” DB25 connector. Wiring information for DIY customers is available under the Specifications/Downloads.
[icon icon=icon-chevron-down size=14px color=#000 ] Software & Conversational CAM
A free version of Centroid CNC12 is included with each Acorn kit for initial setup. However, it is strongly recommended that you purchase the Centroid Acorn “Pro” CNC12 Software License to unlock full conversational CAM (Intercon). Use the options below or visit: CLICK HERE for Acorn “Pro” CNC12 Software License details Intercon Conversational CAM:- Program directly from hand sketches or prints
- Import DXF files and generate G-code without separate CAD/CAM
- Ideal for new CNC users and those unfamiliar with traditional G-code programming
[icon icon=icon-chevron-down size=14px color=#000 ] Typical Use Cases
DIY Customer- Buys CNC-ready Sherline machines and installs their own motors, drives, and encoders.
- Purchase the base Sherline/Acorn CNC Controller (P/N 9400) without options and wire to your own hardware.
- Upgrading an existing Sherline CNC system including older OEM systems such as Denford, D&M, LabVolt, Paxton-Patterson, or Light Machines. For a sample Denford/Sherline Microlathe conversion using Acorn, see: Centroid Denford/Sherline Microlathe Conversion
- If you already have a Sherline Linux PC or 4-axis driver box, configure the controller
with:
- Spindle Control Isolator Board
- External Encoder kit for your headstock (Standard or 3C)
- Wants a complete Sherline system: CNC-ready machine, 24 V stepper motors, 4-axis driver box, spindle control isolator board, and external encoder.
- The Sherline/Acorn Controller is designed to support all of these configurations.
[icon icon=icon-chevron-down size=14px color=#000 ] Important Notes for Spindle Control
- To control spindle speed via G-code, you must have a motor drive or the Spindle Control Isolator Board and an external encoder installed.
- These components work together to accurately acquire and control spindle RPM.
- If you do not include the Spindle Control Isolator Board at the time of purchase, adding it later will require returning the controller to Sherline for installation. Email orders@sherline.com for return instructions.
Price range: $215.97 through $315.01
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External Incremental Rotary Encoder
The external encoder works with the Sherline/Acorn CNC Controller equipped with the optional spindle control isolator board (P/N 94310). For use with a Sherline machine, you must have a Headstock Pulley Mounting Kit.
Spindle Control Isolator Board
The spindle control isolator board controls the spindle speed via G-code in the Sherline/Acorn CNC controller. It works in conjunction with an external encoder that is mounted to your machine headstock.
Price range: $2,548.25 through $2,561.97
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CNC-Ready Lathe Upgrade Kits
LATHE KITS
From: $1,339.34
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CNC-Ready Mill Upgrade Kits
UPGRADE NOTICE: If you are converting a manual mill to CNC, you will also need to purchase the Mill CNC Z-Axis Backlash Adjustment Kit, see details below.
From: $1,512.16
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Mill Ball Screw XYZ-Axes Retrofit Kit
4 week lead time
When ordering your new Ball Screw Retrofit Kit, you will need to supply the following information for your current machine so we can ensure you receive the correct length of the ball screw for each axis:
Mill Ball Screw XY Axes Retrofit Kit
4 week lead time
When ordering your new Ball Screw Retrofit Kit, you will need to supply the following information for your current machine so we can ensure you receive the correct length of the ball screw for each axis:
Mill Ball Screw Z-Axis Retrofit Kit
4 week lead time
When ordering your new Ball Screw Retrofit Kit, you will need to supply the following information for your current machine so we can ensure you receive the correct length of the ball screw for each axis:
Price range: $0.00 through $105.95
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Price range: $37.38 through $208.48
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Price range: $0.00 through $95.88
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LinuxCNC Computer System with Driver Box
- Built-in Driver box (Converts g-code to steps to run DC stepper motors)
- Output cables for X, Y, Z, and A pre-wired with DIN plugs for stepper motors
- Keyboard and mouse (you supply the monitor)
- Processor Speed: 2 GHz or faster
- RAM: 2 GB
- Hard Drive: 500 GB
- Internal drive: DVD-RW
- External drive: 4 GB USB Flash drive for transferring g-code files
- Current: Internal switches are set to 110VAC but can be reset for operation with 230 VAC
- Installed software: Ubuntu 12.04 Linux-based OS with Linux CNC 2.6.11 4-axis CNC software.
- 90-day warranty on CNC and computer-related components.
LinuxCNC Computer System without Driver Box
- Keyboard and mouse (you supply the monitor)
- Processor Speed: 2 GHz or faster
- RAM: 2 GB
- Hard Drive: 500 GB
- Internal drive: DVD-RW
- External drive: 4 GB USB Flash drive for transferring g-code files
- Current: Internal switches are set to 110VAC but can be reset for operation with 230 VAC
- Installed software: Ubuntu 12.04 Linux-based OS with Linux CNC 2.6.11 4-axis CNC software.
- 90-day warranty on CNC and computer-related components.
From: $2,728.27
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4-Axis CNC Driver Box
In designing our CNC systems, we fitted the driver board and power supply directly inside the PC. For users who’d prefer to build their own setup or use a different PC, we offer this complete driver box and power supply as a standalone solution.
Housed in an anodized aluminum enclosure, this unit includes four stepper-motor drivers — labeled X, Y, Z and A — each terminating in a dedicated cable that plugs directly into the corresponding pre-wired Sherline stepper motor. The kit also includes a 6′ (approx.) DB-25 parallel cable to connect the box to your computer’s parallel port, and an externally-mounted 24 VDC power supply (included) that simply plugs into the driver box.
