My new Shapeoko 3 is it just me?

[kit]

Rocket: This machine seems to be causing some serious trouble! I've recently got my DIY CNC router up and running using LinuxCNC and a cheap Chinese control board and stepper drivers from eBay. It works without any problems with the G-code from Gearotic Thoughts as long as I remove the 'A0.000' from the initial G0 line of code. Good luck with getting your machine working as you want it.

Art: Please explain how to prevent the A axis command being produced.

Kit

[Richard Cullin]

is it possible the console program that sends the gcode to the shakeoko has a "safe work height" or a "clear height"  or a "tool change height"
that's set to 0 or a negative value that mucks up the first move .

[ArtF]

Kit:

  There is a file int eh Gearotic folder called "DefaultMill.pst" , this is the post processor.
I dont recommend changing it, BUT, I do recommand copying it to "MyPoster.pst" which
you then select as your default post processor.

Open that file and youll see..

!X%.3f !  -- This is the X coordinate letter and precision
!Y%.3f !  -- Same for Y
!Z%.3f !  -- Same for Z
!A%.3f !  -- Same for A

  Change it to

!X%.3f !  -- This is the X coordinate letter and precision
!Y%.3f !  -- Same for Y
!Z%.3f !  -- Same for Z
!          !  -- Same for A

  And the A will go away.  Changing the X%.3f to x%.4f would give you 4 decimals points for example..

Art

[ArtF]

Rocket:

I have to say, in answer to the tagline of this post, its the shapeoko.. lol

 In truth it seems not a terrible machine, but its software interface leaves a whole
lot to be desired. I suspect someone from shapeoko may have to explain why that
first line keeps getting ignored.
  Excellent suggestions from folks, but iot seems nothing we try gets it to run properly,
what did it do on that 3 line test I listed.. did it move at all?

G20
M3 S1750
G0 X3.445  Y3.307  Z0.250  

 If you zero your table with Z 1" in the air, and run the above 3 lines, does the tool end up .25" in the air, at a
point 3.445 " to the right and 3.3" back? If not, where DOES it move to?

[endquote]

Art

[Nate]

It looks like the shapeoko uses grbl.  If it does, these -

http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/ ... ds.5B33.5D

In particular the "?" and "$#".  Might be helpful in figuring out what's going on.

[ArtF]

Nate

looking at the software thats sending it Im not sure he can query it.. but I guess
thats more a question for whoever supports Carbide.. Have to say I had never heard of it,
I must be sheltered...

Art

[Rocket]

Art,

When I run this command:
G20
M3 S1750
G0 X3.445  Y3.307  Z0.250  A0.000

The spindle does not move at all, it just says job finished and nothing happens.

So I removed the A0.000 and the spindle moved left and back about
3.5 inches with NO change in up or down.....!!!!!

G20
M3 S1750
G0 X3.445  Y3.307  Z0.250.........................works.......................!!!


RRRRR

[ArtF]

Rocket:

Perform the post I wrote on removing the "A" output from gearotic, and add a "G20" to your prologue
and youll probably be fine then.. :)

Art

[Rocket]

Art,

I just went back  to the file I posted on page 8 of this thread:

File:  999straight from Gearotic.tap. (1078.63KB)
I removed the A0.000 and added G20.

No luck, the same as before, Z drops down and cuts before it should cut...

RR

[ArtF]

Rocket:

Remove the line with M3 and the one with M5 and the one with the T on it,, any difference?

( if your spindle is automatic this means it wont turn on by itself.. or off)

Art

[Rocket]

Art,

This Post is finally Toast!!!

We got it!!!

Attached see file that works without dragging cut to start area.

I moved the line:  G0 X3.445  Y3.307  Z0.250
under G20..............just a wild guess....................>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(yes...Yes...Yes...)
(This really works...)
(Art is a Wizard)

G20
G0 X3.445  Y3.307  Z0.250 
M3 S1750
G1 Z-0.050  F20.00

Also see attached file that shows simulation of start (green line is finally
above the drawing!!!

Wow.......................

RRRRRRRR

[ArtF]

Your on your way, gratz.. :)

Art

[kelly100]

Rocket:

  It would take a pokeys 56 or 57 and 3 stepper drivers. All told probably a couple hundred
bucks and a bit of wiring. That however, would make the machine orders of magnitude more
capable and useful. You could run Mach3, Mach4 or Auggie on it at that point. Youd have graphical
displays of the loaded file and what will happen when you run it, and it really helps in understanding
whats happening. It ISNT however, something to do when your not familiar with G code and how a machine
works.
  My advice, find out whats wrong, ask them , and us, when your wondering on something. Fix the trouble
by finding what you need to edit, its likely its only one line its choking on or doesnt understand.
Then , when you've cut a few gears and your familiar with things, look at an upgrade and get rid
of that silly program. Whether you go Mach3, or Auggie, you'd be magnitudes better off.

           But really, do not do this until your ready or feel you are. What you have CAN work, though you may
have to edit files from GM to make them work. If you find the problem I can probably make a post change for you
to make the files work directly when posted, or at least in a condition where you know what you have to do to make
them work.

 

Reading through this post with interest. Wondering what changing the controller and stepper drivers will bring to the party? Increased current? Finer delineation? Where does the order of magnitude come in?

Not sure I need to or would do any of the mods you suggested, but my curiosity is piqued....

Granted, this post is a couple of years old and not sure how relevant it is in light of Shapeoko's current hardware / firmware.

Assuming things are as they were during the original post, can you elaborate, Art?

Mike

[ArtF]

Mike:

  As I recall the discussion was in the context of a machine described as being severely limited by using no GCode control but
rather a proprietary language for its cuts. Its quite possible current software is much better than described. I have no experience
with the particular router but had seen dozens of varieties upgraded so that Mach3 could drive them and the results are typically
an order of magnitude better in feedrates and availability of toolpath programs to use.

  Its worth mentioning that upgrading a router that is mechanically weak wouldnt do much, so I wouldnt try
any upgrade unless one was sure what improvement your looking for.At the time the ability being discussed
was the problem of not running normal GCode, that severely limited its use, theres little worse than proprietary
code control for a machine. GCode is a standard and allows one to run code from almost any cam program.  Reading this post
thread though , Im unsure why it came up, it seems to be using Gcode at the end of the thread.

  Still havent seen one of these Shapeoko's yet. Are you using one? How do you find it?

Art

[kelly100]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, Art.

Actually, I don't have a machine as of yet. Still doing my due diligence on machine and software and deciding where and how far I want to go with this venture.

I come from a machinery background in several different manufacturing venues. I've done some CNC programing but that was back in the day when the programs were stored on tape (ancient I know). Have done some tool and die work and just like to tinker in general. Used to build all our PC's until Bill Gates told me his latest software wouldn't run on my computer and I would need to upgrade. Been an iMac guy ever since and never looked back.

Seems the mills/routers that are within my price point are a rack and pinion on a toothed belt configuration and use a relatively small off the shelf router for a spindle. The steppers don't look exactly robust but you'd know more about that than I. Kind of an odd confutation but they seem to sell so I have to believe they work, at least to some extent.

Looked at a Probotix unit. Seems more conventional with screw drives but the sticker reflects the more substantial machine and would probably result in divorce papers.

My concern is laying out a few thousand dollars only to watch my pride and joy take two hours to spit out Christmas ornaments. The projects I have in mind would vary from milling 1/4" to 3/8"" acrylic and plexiglass to 1/2" to 3/4" hardwoods with ball park dimensions as large as 10" x 24" +/-.

Any insight you can share would be much appreciated.