LarryM build - hardware works, on to the software

X-Carve Assembly
21

Thanks Larry, however stick with clearing your own workload for now. I’ve started another thread (Installing limit switches (not homing switches) ) which has already had a likely solution posted which I’ll explore a little more.

It appears this is something thats already supported through GRBL and there are individual pins on the controller already allocated as x, y & z limits.

If you have any thoughts on this (once you’ve got yourself some free time), I’d most certainly value your input, but as someone who is often drowning under work myself, please don’t spend time on this unless you’re intending to use the plans yourself…

Not sure if it’ll make things easier or harder for you, but I’ve found that using “Universal GCode Sender” (GitHub - winder/Universal-G-Code-Sender: A cross-platform G-Code sender for GRBL, Smoothieware, TinyG and G2core. ) has been more reliable (thus far anyway) and it allows a lot more control (macros, using the keypad for ‘jogging’ etc) than I found possible with Easel. Mind you, if you just want to cut a square, circle or triangle for setting up and tuning the machine, Easel is probably quickest.

The only issues I’ve had with UGS is:

  • If I reboot the computer running UGS, I need to connect the Controller and then refresh the list of ports before it will recognise the Controller - simple but not intuitive.
  • To reset tool zero is easy, theres a button for that. To reset machine zero, I need to close and the re-open the ports in UGS.

I’m using Carve (expensive but nice), MeshCam and Easel for generating GCode and an old Mac Mini to run UGS and send it to the Controller.

Happy to assist if any of this sounds useful to you.

David.

22

Ok, David.

I’m sure that we can get you up to speed on this. Right now I’m fighting issues with the Homing switches. The hardware works, I’ve tested that, but I haven’t been able to get Grbl set up to recognize them and I’m running into problems with the Grbl software. I’ve looked at the code and the code should work, I guess I need to get in touch with Inventables to find out what’s different in the Grbl code they put on the Arduino.

Edit (7/18/2015) – The Grbl feature that I’m trying to use is a compile time option that is evidently not turned on in the Inventables version of the code. End Edit.

When I get going my work flow will be: Rhino 5 -> Vectric V-Carve Pro -> UGS.

For many things V-carve Pro will be all that I need for design, but the tough stuff will be in Rhino.

I don’t like the trend of moving software to the network and Easel is problematic for me. Machine setup would not complete. Haven’t figured that out yet, so I’m trying to bypass it.

23

Ok, success. Got the homing switches to work (interference from the stepper motors).

Learned a lot about Grbl getting this working. Now on to the software issues.

Still don’t know why Easel failed, but I’m not going to use Easel very much so I’m not going to pursue that any further.

1 Like