Help, Z axis is drifts down when I jog up

Z axis is drifts down when I jog up. I don’t know if this is normal or not. I recorded this, but i can not get the file to upload
The last project that I did it carved a line in my work.

Is the Z axis itself actually moving, or is the board top not parallel to the spindle plane of movement?

I’m going to put my $ on the latter as it is the most common (99% of the time)…

You can make the top of the workpiece parallel using a number of techniques that vary in complexity and accuracy…

  1. Surface the Workpiece on the CNC
  2. Surface the Wasteboard and use planed or otherwise perfectly flat (and using stock that’s not Twisted or Bowed)
  3. Using the spindle itself, shimming the workpiece to ensure it’s parallel.

the first two are relatively self explanatory, the 3rd gets a little tricky, so here’s a video explaining how it’s done.

Post it on YouTube or Google Drive.

Might be a wiring issue. Check all of the connections from your Z motor to the the controller.

Thanks for your input Seth, but the board was flat and even. I check the board with straight edge. The problem with the spindle is after I finish the carve. I was jogging the spindle up when i notice the the spindle would drift down when stopped jogging. It look like it drop maybe 1 mm. I did record this movement in the spindle and will download sometime today

I will try to get this download sometime today. I need to watch a you tube video on how to do it.

This is on the X-carve Pro?
Doesn’t it have a ballscrew? Can you post your $$ settings?
It could still be a wiring issue, but your description is different from what I was picturing initially.

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I have a X-carve pro. I have checked all connection, wiring has not been change. I will post my $$ when I get home from work.

@NeilFerreri1 , I only now realized that this appears to be a continuation of these prior reports:

In case you wanted to look back at what’s already been suggested.

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Also, Richard, I apologize for posting that shimming video a 2nd time to what basically is the same issue that it didn’t resolve previously.

I noticed that the default $122 for the X-Carve Pro (according to my records of other ppls machine) is quite high at 500, typically the acceleration of the Z is lower than the X,Y but in this instance it is set higher, maybe this is an error?
This could be causing stepper lockup and this user to loose steps causing a Z drop…

Can you post all of your grbl settings? and if your $122 is set to 500, can you change this to 50 and try another test carve?

Here are my grbl settings

  • ok
  • $132=130.000
  • $131=1219.000
  • $130=1219.000
  • $122=500.000
  • $121=350.000
  • $120=250.000
  • $112=2540.000
  • $111=7620.000
  • $110=7620.000
  • $102=160.000
  • $101=42.353
  • $100=42.353
  • $40=0
  • $32=0
  • $31=0
  • $30=24000
  • $27=2.000
  • $26=250
  • $25=750.000
  • $24=25.000
  • $23=3
  • $22=1
  • $21=0
  • $20=0
  • $13=0
  • $12=0.002
  • $11=0.020
  • $10=3
  • $6=0
  • $5=0
  • $4=0
  • $3=14
  • $2=0
  • $1=0
  • $0=10
  • ok
  • $$
  • $10=115

I changed $122 to 50. I will try a carve tonight.

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I carved out one of my flag design with out text and it looks good. I will carve one tomorrow with text.
and hope everything turns out good. Will let you know.

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I’d leave the acceleration at 500.
Your $1 should be 255 ($1=255)

I was able to carve tow projects with text and without text. they both look great. thank everyone for your help.

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Hey Richard And @NeilFerreri1 I noticed that inventables changed the grbl settings that they are pushing out to the cnc’s now… including the $122 for the Pro!!

You should perform a new “Machine Setup” in easel and it will push all of the corrected settings and the problem should go away. Now sure if they are emailing pro buyers or not. :man_shrugging: I kinda found randomly by trying to help someone else with a different issue…

I heard the same. Sounds like those ballscrews are harder to turn than they anticipated.

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