How do i set those ‘startup blocks’? Do i need to manually add each file?
In the Do Cmd. Window type in $N0=G20 or G21 and execute it by selecting the Do Cmd. button, That sets the units. Then type in $N1=FXXX. XXX is your desired default jog feedrate value. Then execute it with the Do Cmd. button.
If you want to change the jog feedrate after connecting, just use the Fx dropdown menu to select a feedrate value then execute it with the Fx button. When exiting and reconnecting, it will always load the units and the default jog feedrate.
For spindle use, the GRBL Z Code selection should be used. Make sure you select the Use Safe Z and set a retract distance from your Z zeroing place. If Cancel is hit while running, it will retract your bit before going back to the X&Y Zero place.
Cant i use the button in your software that says ‘metric’ to activate it for metric files?
The $N0=G21 startup block and the $13=0 in the grbl settings is for running Metric files. The Metric selection in PicSender changes the jog menu values to Metric for the X,Y & Z.
Thanks.
Jeff
Hi Jeff
I bought the software earlier and cannot get it to work right. For example jogging doesn’t work correctly: if I push the X+ button or X- button it sometimes moves but not always. the X position in the softwares display changes though.
Thanks mate, your software also completely just trashed my z axis limit switch even after homing successful homing. It was the first move after sending the file to the machine. Guess that 15$ went out the window… Plus limitswitch and now I cannot use the machine for the weekend.
You definetley need documentation for your software…
Back to breaking the project up in tiles?
Actually for now back to not using the machine until a week from now or so due to the broken limit switch. Nobody in 300 mile radius here has the correct switches in stock.
Being a software developer and after seeing so much CNC software that does not work or is very user unfriendly, I am really tempted to make my own software as I am sure I’m not the only one that would like a more user friendly software. All current software products look and feel like they are developed by a professional machinist that does hobby programming on the side. In my case it will probably end up being a professional programmer making software with little CNC knowledge (although I have at least 200h with my nomad done so I wouldn’t call myself a total noob)
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How disappointing! It sounds like hard limits were disabled. I had the same trouble. There aren’t a lot of people using hard limits on here because of electrical noise issues. With them enabled the micro-switch should have locked out the machine.
I trashed 3 z-axis limit switches before enabling hard limits. Problem solved. But I also went to the trouble of building a board to filter noise out of the limit switch feeds.
Hi Oliver,
Is the jogging mode set to absolute or Incremental? In Absolute Mode, it will only move once in any direction from where you zeroed the X&Y axis.
The documentation is the Info button.
I hate that happened, but PicSender didn’t cause the run to the Z axis limit/home switch. It only commands to grbl what it was given by the user through the UI or a gcode file that was loaded and ran. We have many PicSender users with X-Carves and Shapeokos here without any issues.
It had to be a command in your gcode file, grbl settings, an offset command in the file that you did not set the offset for properly? Z axis was not zeroed properly? I’m only guessing because you did not give any details describing what you did or didn’t do that lead up to the Z axis crashing the switch. Can you post some details?
Thanks.
Jeff
Oliver
I don’t think you need to go to the trouble of writing your own CNC control software. There are several CNC control programs that are being used by thousands of CNC users around the world. Three of the very popular ones for hobby and small business users are. 1 LinuxCNC free 2 Mach3 around $170.00 3 Mach4 around $200.00. You will need to change from the arduino, GRBl electronics and stepper driver to a older computer that has a parallel port. Then you will need a Break out board the attaches to the parallel port. Then new stepper drivers that are fed info from the computer via the BOB. There are Break out boards and stepper drivers that are low cost and you can get high end units that can cost as much as you have in you whole machine.
All of these control programs handle homing or reference switches and full limit switches without problem. With full limit switches enabled it is impossible to destroy a switch because the control software will stop the axis before that can happen.
If you would care to there are a group of us that gather on Saturday evenings at 6 pm PDT here. Google+ Hangout Live tonight at 6pm PST
We talk about a lot of subjects and you are more than welcome to join in.
Hope this helps
Dave
I ran the homing function which worked fine. I then loaded the job file. Then i set the X Y Z zero to the workpiece top of stock. The top of the workpiece is only .25 inches tall above the wasteboard, so there is lots of space between that and the Z axis switch.
My job is setup in Vcarve using the profile for the X-Carve (inch). Your software was also set to Inch.
Here are the first couple lines of code, maybe there is something in there that can help figuring this out:
T1
G17
G20
G0Z0.8000
G0X0.0000Y0.0000S20000M3
G0X0.7440Y0.7305Z0.2000
G1Z-0.0630F18.8
G1X11.2475F80.0
G1X11.3434Z-0.0577
G1X11.4633Z-0.0491
G1X11.6791Z-0.0251
G1X11.8710Z-0.0074
G1X11.9429Z-0.0030
G1X11.9669Z-0.0030
G1X12.0628Z-0.0079
G1X12.1588Z-0.0160
G1X12.2547Z-0.0227
G1X12.3506Z-0.0241
When i referred to documentation i meant something more in the sense of a quick step-by-step manual, not a overview what the $X and other codes mean.
Again, I have been using the NOMAD883 CNC machine for quite some time now, and have to say while their software Carbide Motion is not super easy, it definitely does not cause any of the issues i have experienced with software for the X-Carve.
It seems like most of the software does not explain what the actual buttons are doing. A button that shows $X might be sufficient for somebody that has experience in CNC, but for new users, why not just label the button “Unlock machine ($X)” instead, or for homing instead of labeling a button “$H” labeling it “Homing ($H)”.
Also, what units are the moment increments in? Like it says 0, 0.1, 0.5 etc, and then for $F it says 1, 2, 400, 1000 and 4000. They seem to be in some relation to each other, but what exactly IS that relation? It would be good for newbies to see ok if i push this button it will move in 1 mm increments.
Again, I am not telling you how you have to make your software, but I am highly surprised that there is no beginner friendly software out there it seems.
@DavidSohlstrom Hi Dave! Thanks for the info, that might be the way to go it seems. Although I am tempted by the challenge of making some nice CNC software to help new users not being frustrated. I see that Easel takes a good approach to make it beginner friendly, now if they would only allow to send your own code to them, it would be no issue.
After having a good experience with the NOMAD and its software, I expected the X-Carve to be similar, but I think i was wrong with that.
I might join you guys tomorrow at 6pm, thanks for that information 
Sounds like you just turn off the limit switch logic and use the machine without them. Can’t be any worse than with them can it?
I do not have any switches on my machine. just a giant estop button that I stand near ready to hit if it looks like it is heading to the rails.
yeah i actually have the power to the Xcarve electronics wired to an extra switch on my table, i flipped the switch when i heard it hitting the limit switch but the movement doesnt stop instantly unfortunatelly even when the switch is flipped and the power is cut. but yeah i might just run it without limit switches. I should be fine as long as i zero out on my stock. I am not really sure what the homing switches are good for anyways since they are not limit switches that stop the machine. Why would i care where the 0 0 0 of my machine is? As long as i define 0 0 0 of my stock, it should be sufficient i would think
Oliver
The only thing I see in the code is the first move is G0 Z0.8000
So if the distance from Z0 up 800 thou is greater than the distance from the top of the spindle carrage to the Z homing switch that only functions when you home the machine and is ignored after that, may be the problem.
There are 2 sets of 0,0,0. One is machine zero or the position the machine moves to when you tell it to home all or reference all. This is generally with Z at the top of its travel. X as far as it can go in the X- direction and Y as far as it can go in the Y- direction.
Once the machine has been homed or referenced then the software knows where the spindle is at.
Next we have work or fixture off sets. This is where you move the spindle to the left front corner of your work piece and the top of the work piece You then set X0,Y0,Z0
This is the 0,0,0 that your Gcode will use for the moves it will make to machine your part. These off set are called G54 to G58 and in most control software you can set several and call them as needed.
Good control software will let you see how far your work off set is from the machine 0,0,0.
I do not use Easel or GRBL or UGS so I do not know if you can see information on your screen to tell you where your machine is.
Dave
Hi Dave!
yeah i actually went a few minutes ago and measured that, but even the workstock top + 0.8 inches does not hit the limit switch at all. I thought too that might have caused it (that would have at least explained it).
Thanks too for the explanation of machine 0 vs. stock 0
Oliver
are you using the stock spindle. If you are set the machine in the middle of all three axis. Turn on the spindle and run it up to max RPM. If you see any movement in any axis without you making the move then you have a bad spindle motor that is throwing so much electronic noise it is causing the problems. This is very common with the stock spindle.
Dave
Hi Dave,
I am actually using the Dewalt 611.
Oliver