Machine starts cut from homed position

Hello All, I’m new to the group and hope I’m inthe right place to ask this. I finally got a chance to build my new 1000 X Carve and the build went very well. My issue is that when I start to carve it starts from the point I homed the spindle. I think I uploaded a photo of what the first cut looks like but there shouldn’t be any cut there. I can see the red line in the simulation and the blue is where the cut should be, but she starts from home point.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
John

What software are you using to send the gcode?

Hi Allan, I’m using Easel.

OK, so in the “Carve” tab, you set your material thickness, confirm it’s clamped down, then set the xyz coordinates. If using a probe, the bit will move back up above the material and ask to remove the probe before continuing. If manually, once xy and z are in place, you click Confirm Home. The next screen you click “Raise bit” Does that raise your bit approx 1/4" above your work surface? If not, something is wrong in the previous steps.

Sounds like need to adjust the safety margin on the Z axis?? So it will raise up a bit before starting the carve, after setting your Z axis. How are you setting the height?

Also going along with what Allan mentioned above.

Yes, click Machine, Advanced and check to see if Safety Height is set to at least .15

This is where the probe is and the height that the machine moves the spindle with out me doing anything.

OK, that looks good. In Easel, open up the Machine Inspector (Ctrl-Shift-D) and check the Work Position locations. X should be 0, Y should be 0, and Z should be around 1.

If this is correct, there is no reason the bit should be driving into the material. We will need you to export the gcode next.

This is what it reads. I think the work position Y and Z are way off. How do I adjust those settings?

BTW, THANK YOU for your time and patients. It’s much appreciated

Machine position
X: -789.000
Y: -789.000
Z: -1.000
Work position
X: 0.000
Y: -10.150
Z: 32.380
Homing Switches

Z should be +1.0 no?? do you possibly have the wires crossed perhaps?

I’m pretty sure I did it correct, but one of these could be off. If you see anything that I switched let me know. I’ll have to go back to the instructions to check.

Hi Brian, I checked and the wires appear correct on the back of the controller. I also believe that the wires at the other ends are correct as well.

@JohnCastrovillari Can you get a video of the process from power on to just before you click carve?
Is it possible your Z is crashing / losing steps when it raises? It will “think” it’s higher than it is so it will move too far down.

Do this as a test. Run the Carve again, but manually set the XYZ positions. That is, put the center of the bit right on the end of the wood for XY, and lower the tip to just touch the wood on Z. Then click Confirm Home position. click the small X at the top to exit this screen, open the Machine Inspector, and the XYZ should be 0,0,0 if your bit is still on the corners and touching the material.

I won’t be back online until late tomorrow; hope this helps.

Work or machine? Why? Machine coordinates will always be negative.
Wiring wouldn’t change reported position.

Thank you Allan, I appreciate the help I’ll give that a try.

Hi Allan & Neil,

I did the homing manually and it worked like a champ. Need to find out why the probe didn’t work but I’m happy it worked and made my first cut. Tomorrow for some real wood. The test was scrap pine.

Thank you both again
John

There have been reports of something on the Z carriage hit the top/a screw during retracting causing it to loose steps and end up like Neil suggest, thinking it is higher than it actually is.

Another possibility is a broken/poor connection on one of the four Z-motor wires, with only 3 wires it will move as normal but with no direction reference.