Bit changes scary

When I go to change a bit on a multi bit carve, I’ve had the issue of having the carriage move on me. That totally throws off the 2nd detailed cut. Easel asks if you want to return to the last spot it left off instead of the original homing spot. How do I overcome This? Thanks

First, you maybe overtightening the bit. It needs to be snug but not really cranking down on it. Second be cautious with using last position. I’ve had to machine lose it and take off on its own

Using the Xcontroller? If so, open it up and turn off DIP switch 4 for the X and Y axis, at a minimum.

If it does slip, rehome the machine and it should reset the X Y properly.

Or get a three axis probe and reprobe.

Should be software controlled. Like how come easel just doesn’t have an option to re home? It just says last position. It should start the 2nd cut at the original home position regardless of where the router is.

The X-Carve is open loop. Easel and the X-Controller don’t know where the machine is if you move it with your hands or cut the power.

If you use the last Home position and you didn’t move the spindle with your hand it should start from the same exact spot in X and Y.

That’s what makes me nervous. Any slight movement of that spindle and you are screwed.

But shouldn’t it know where the original home point is? You define it on the setup of one’s first carve. Why doesn’t it save that location? Who’s going to move the material around when doing a second cut on the same material?

You could always export your gcode as two separate jobs. I’m not an Easel guy, but I do it that way for most things. With a different sender, the options are wide open.

Hmmm. You set the home position before carving and not in the gcode itself, I believe…

What software are you using?

That’s a different issue entirely. I’d use the machine console and type in “$h” if it moved.

Add a post as a feature request for that.

As Zach said, physical movement of the Xcarve will not provide the motion feedback to the system. For example let’s say you’re at X=2 per the system and you move it to X=1 by hand. The system still thinks you’re at X=2 as it has no knowledge of the manual movement. All your movements will be 1 off now.

Now, from a work zero perspective, that position is relative to the machine zero spot, set when you home. But when you manually move the spindle, since you’ve now de-synchronized the physical with the system, you have to reestablish the home position to re-sync the physical with the system.

I think the 3 axes zero plate is the best way to be sure. If you are doing something complex it can pay for itself with 1 mistake of not having it. Also works great if something goes wrong and you lose your zero.

And in order to do that I need to mark the initial location it started, correct?

Let me take a different approach here if I may.
On your machine do you need one or two wrenches to tighten or loosen the collet?

If only one, a 3 axis touch plate to re zero would probably be the best bet if you do move it.

Charlie’s block can be found here, I have one, use it and love it.

If you use two wrenches, like I do on my quiet cut spindle, one for the shaft and one for the collet, operate them both with one had like a pair of pliers. put them in position on the spindle with the handles like a “V” and in your open hand palm up. Close your hand bringing the handles in line with each other loosening the collet nut.
To tighten just reverse the handle position.
With one hand on both wrenches, the force to move both wrenches is counteracted against each other lessening the chance of moving the axis’s.

It’s an old woodworker trick from old style hand held routers.

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Do I need to flip dip switch 4 to on before I carve though?

Turn off the Xcontroller and make the change. It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at, it’s a change that you should maintain no matter what you’re doing.

Hey @RobertCanning I PMd you on this. Can you please delete this last post and we can talk about it in the PM.