Hello. I’m new to the Xcarve world and learning every day. I finally have my machine carving but I want to dial in the travels of the different axis’. Julie(tech from Inventables) has answered all my questions, but I try to learn on my own till it gets frustrating. I’m able to access the Easel advanced page and change most of the needed settings. My new issue is checking the X axis travel. All the videos I watch simply show the X moving from left to right along a mm ruler and then calibrating and changing the $___ numbers. Nobody shows on Easel how to move the x from left to right and back. I have a mm rule taped to the board, a pointer installed into the 611 router, and all I want to do is type in X200 and hit a button. Videos don’t show how to do it in Easel. Thanks in advance, Rick
In Easel, once you click Carve it open up a jog pane.
Thank you. Guess I was expecting something more complicated with changing the numbers in the “advanced” section. Rick
You’re welcome 
You can send gcode commands directly by using Easel-MachineInspector-Console.
Or use the jog pane, enter 200mm as value and click “Right X” arrow for movement.
Thanks Haldor. I’ve been into Machine Inspector and I’d like to have that option also to jog the X and Y and Z for calibration. All the videos I’ve watched either use universal Gcode sender to enter X200 and click or they use Easel and never show the initial place to type the X200 and click. I’ve experimented but not successful. Thanks again, Rick
Hi Neil. I bought a pointer to mount into the Dewalt 611. I also bought a foot long MM scale. All the videos I’ve watched show homing the pointer and then moving the pointer to a designated point(like 200mm) and checking to see how far off it is and re-adjusting the $100 setting for the X. I figured I could run it one way to check, then run it back and change some numbers on X100 and recheck again. Videos showing this method for Universal Gcode does this method, I just want to do it through Easel without loading another program onto the desktop. So are you saying is to enter GOX200 and when I hit enter it’ll zip across to the X200mm mark? Thanks, Rick I’m a newbee and learning.
It’s a zero not an ‘O’, but yes. By default, grbl is in absolute motion mode (G90), so G0X200 will perform a rapid move to the work position X200. It doesn’t matter where you start, it will go to X200. If you’re at X0, it will move 200 units (mm or inches…whichever you’re using). If you’re at position X199, it will move one.
Don’t be afraid to try stuff. Just don’t touch a spinning router bit and it’ll all be ok. These machines are very difficult to break with gcode. When you move on to ballscrews or rack & pinion, you’ll know enough to not destroy your machine.
Thanks Neil. So if I’m understanding this correctly, if I type in G0X200, from the home(0) position, and hit enter, it’ll zip across to the 200 mark. Then if I type in G0X0 and hit enter it’ll zip back to home. The same senario for the Y calibration. If that’s correct things just got real easy for me. Thank You, Rick
It’s that easy.
OK Neil, my machine isn’t showing me much love today. This is the first chance for me to sit down and try the calibration method.( I’ve been carving all day with it the way it’s set up, relatively close). I did the homing procedure for X and Y and lowered the Z down to the metric scale that I bought. I then went back into the “Machine Inspector” and typed G0X250. Soon as I hit enter, the X axis crashed to the left. I hit the Estop button quickly. I reset the Estop button and I started over with the whole setup procedure. This time I wanted a safe distance from crashing so I moved the X axis halfway across the wasteboard, re positioned my scale, typed G0X50, hit enter and it moved right 50. I then typed G0X0 and hit enter and zippo, nothing.I again started over and re-homed the machine. Went into Machine inspector and this time typed G0X200. Soon as I hit enter it started heading left and as I hit the Estop it crashed again. Right now I’m back doing it the Haldor way. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance, Rick
@RickPrentice The G0 moves are absolute position based on your WORK position. Based on what you said, I’m guessing that you are homing lower left and have a version of GRBL that is setting that as your origin.
Can you send $# and paste what it reported back.
Hi Neil. I’ll try to get numbers for you tomorrow. I bought the X-Controller new about 3 weeks ago. Yes it homes at the left front. Thank You, Rick
Please post your GRBL parameter list (write $$ in the Console and press Enter) + $# as Neil suggested.
Disregard Homing for the time being, lets make sure your machine move a reasonable distance first, jog it to around center position. Using Easel jog pane, jog 50mm in either direction, is distance about 50mm for each jog?
If there is a gross step/mm value in GRBL the travelled vs commanded distance can be way off.
Same applies if the step/mm isn’t matched to micro step settings of your controller.
Once direction and distance is correct, then we can calibrate the machine.
For starters, my machine is an Xcarve upgraded 500x500. It has a newer wider Xbeam making the machine able to actually carve an 18.5X x 12.25Y x 7.25Z work piece. I upgraded to 8mm acme lead screws on both Y nema23 motors, and the X also has a nema23 with the 8mm lead screw… the 2 Y motors are direct coupled to the leadscrews. the X has the 1/1 wider pulleys with wider belt. the Z also has 1/1 wider pulleys with wider belt. As of right now it’s been carving great, just not 100% dialed in.
Here’s what settings are shown in the console.
Settings
$0=10
$1=255
$2=0
$3=3
$4=0
$5=0
$6=0
$10=115
$11=0.020
$12=0.002
$13=0
$20=0
$21=0
$22=0
$23=3
$24=25.000
$25=750.000
$26=250
$27=1.000
$30=1
$31=0
$32=0
$100=198.500
$101=197.400
$102=188.976
$110=3000.000
$111=3000.000
$112=1800.000
$120=100.000
$121=100.000
$122=300.000
$130=540.000
$131=540.000
$132=100.000
I’ll run a couple carves and the try too check the G0X200 setting again and see if it attemps to crash again, then I’ll copy and paste that. Thanks guys, Rick
As you have a 500x500 your work area is about 350x350mm.
Will a 50mm jog command yield a 50mm travel (give or take) ?
My 500x500 is upgraded/expanded and I can run it around to 311x369 without hitting the switches. I’ll try the 50mm test today when I visit the garage. Thanks, Rick
I dont see any way to travel 350mm with Y, unless my math is whacked(highly possible lately).
Right now I’m following the steps in Easel. (1)Hit the homing button, the machine raises the Z up till it touches the switch, then it moves both X and Y towards the front left till both touch the switches,(2) then it has me lower the bit down till it touches the workpiece.(3) button raises the bit up off the workpiece, (4) button starts carve. Rick