Right now the way I am doing this, grbl thinks I have a regular 3 axis machine. You would have to adjust the steps per mm for the Y-Axis and do a mirrored image; the Y movement on the rotary makes the carving backwards. For the text, I had to design it mirrored for it to come out correctly.
Easel can do the flip and rotate no problem. Now I’m REALLY interested in this, can’t wait to see what you make with it.
Probably, but since I am changing electronics I won’t go that route.
man I check in on your thread every so often and you have some cool stuff going I took the pluge and bought a 4x8 machine but I am looking at a 4th axis like yours also
here is a pic of my new machine
Wow, that is a beast!
sexy sexy lol I am really feeling spoiled check out the tread I just started to watch some videos
Another test with the rotary axis…I tweaked the steps per mm and it is spot on now. This is still using grbl:
A 1.125" diameter dowel, I used just a 0.25" ballnose bit on this. A single spiral.
Pretty damn cool. Out of curiosity, how big was the steps per mm adjustment, and how’d you calculate it? Was it trial and error or did you wrap a ruler around the rod and calculate from there?
HIMMM. I don’t have 4th axis upgrade, but I upgrade my system with MiniCAT 2016 system. The problem is I can’t run the machine.
just install Idog, that should sort it out
It looks like you really splurged and got the multiple redundant MinCAT system.
Carve some mice and send them to the other side of the shop
For the steps per mm, It was a little trial and error and a little math :-).
The diameter of the dowel was 1.125 inches I multiplied that by 3.14159 (pi) to get the circumference of the dowel, 3.534 inches.
I made a mark at the bit location, told the machine to move 3.534 inches to rotate the radial axis, if correct the axis should rotate 1 full turn and stop on the mark. I adjusted from there.
When I replace the electronics, once everything arrives, the calculations will be translated to degrees of movement for the axis, so I will have to play around with settings again.
But it is fun
Time to kit it up! I am definately doing this once the cold, cruel Minnesota winter sets in. Next week.
Erik- you are really on to something here! Well done. I can only hope that you will share your notes on the conversions you did to make it work. Amazing.
I have to guess that the upgrades @ErikJenkins did to his Z axis (and X axis height?) are almost a necessity to make the 4th Axis work, unless the rotation A axis somehow happens to fit under the stock XCarve Z axis…
I knew I wanted a rotary axis, that was the primary reason for the X and Z-Axis height increase.
Here is a small piece of cherry from a tree I cut down last year. Next time I’ll use a larger bit, but with a 1/4" endmill it only took about 30 minutes to make a nice round cylinder to carve.
Now you need 4th Axis dust control ahh, life is rough…
Here is one problem with using a rotary axis with grbl…each time a different size cylinder of wood is cut, the steps per mm must be adjusted to match that particular piece of wood, not a huge problem, but just adds a bit of time to a project. Once I get the new electronics installed, it won’t be an issue as true rotary axis support moves the axis by degrees and not linear movement.
Not a show stopper, just something to consider if anyone plans on going this route and staying with grbl.