Need help tried getting picsender to work for jtech and lost easel

X-Carve Troubleshooting
21

$0=10 (step pulse, usec)

$1=255 (step idle delay, msec)

$2=0 (step port invert mask:00000000)

$3=3 (dir port invert mask:00000011)

$4=0 (step enable invert, bool)

$5=0 (limit pins invert, bool)

$6=0 (probe pin invert, bool)

$10=3 (status report mask:00000011)

$11=0.020 (junction deviation, mm)

$12=0.002 (arc tolerance, mm)

$13=1 (report inches, bool)

$20=0 (soft limits, bool)

$21=0 (hard limits, bool)

$22=0 (homing cycle, bool)

$23=0 (homing dir invert mask:00000000)

$24=0.000 (homing feed, mm/min)

$25=0.000 (homing seek, mm/min)

$26=250 (homing debounce, msec)

$27=1.000 (homing pull-off, mm)

$30=255. (rpm max)

$31=0. (rpm min)

$32=1 (laser mode, bool)

$100=40.000 (x, step/mm)

$101=40.000 (y, step/mm)

$102=188.947 (z, step/mm)

$110=8000.000 (x max rate, mm/min)

$111=8000.000 (y max rate, mm/min)

$112=500.000 (z max rate, mm/min)

$120=500.000 (x accel, mm/sec^2)

$121=500.000 (y accel, mm/sec^2)

$122=50.000 (z accel, mm/sec^2)

$130=740.000 (x max travel, mm)

$131=790.000 (y max travel, mm)

$132=100.000 (z max travel, mm)

22

If I have it set for spindle M03 and M05 button on the bottom right will turn the laser on and off but when I run the file it does not

23

Getting there very slowly lol I clearly had no clue what I was getting into with this

24

Is the Send M03 selected?

25

yes

26

I have not changed any settings in the grbl anywhere yet though is that the issue?

27

Spindle mode controls both my router on off and laser on off with the m03 m05 button I have a solid state relay trigger with a laser/spindle switch setup. The test file does not send the on command with either selected

28

Not that I can see. I assume your testing with the same gcode file you attached above. It has a M03 (On) then a M05 (Off) afterwards. The PWM does not go high until about 45% of the file run. That is where the next M03 is to turn on the PWM.

Remove the M05 at the beginning of the file in a text editor and try it again.

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29

That did it thanks… another stupid question… how do I make it not leave dots at every direction change? I think I have this working enough to purchase. If I get picengraver will it be all set up for variable power now too?

30

There is a problem in the post processor file that generated the g-code posted above. It should have generated an M3 for the first G1 command and it didn’t.

31

That was the recent jtech no Z movement pp file for vcarve

32

I’ll take a look at it.

33

Is there a specific pp file I need for sending vcarve pro to picsender and do I have to click the vector gcode for anything out of vcarve pro or only v carvings? And still wondering how to eliminate the burn dots

34

Easel magically started working again. I cannot do the machine setup I am assuming because the jtech grbl file installed? I guess all thats left is making sure my machine knows its 1000mm and has soft limits. How do I check and or change those for pic sender and easel? Thanks for all the help this has been driving me nuts trying to figure out on my own

35

You will need to make some changes to your grbl X&Y accel settings in the Laser.txt file for Laser Mode to increase the performance. Like I stated above, the text files are in C:\ProgramData\PicGRBL.

After PicSender is registered, there is an easier way to make/Save & Send these changes to grbl.

$120=6000.000 (x accel, mm/sec^2)
$121=6000.000 (y accel, mm/sec^2)

You will need to make the Easel default grbl settings changes in the Spindle.txt file, so you switch to Spindle Mode, then exit PicSender and it should then connect to Easel.

Yes, PicEngrave will generate gcode for varible power to laser engrave photos with shades.

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36

Both work on spindle mode only as it is currently which is fine I have a manual selector set up for spindle/laser

37

Do I need to get the laser option file working now so I can have those parameters separately on laser only?

38

The Spindle Mode (Spindle.txt) & Laser Mode (Laser.txt) files have slightly different settings, so when you switch the Modes, these files will make the grbl settings changes automatically.

To answer your question about the Vector Gcode selection. Any vector files run in Spindle or Laser Mode, it should be selected. Then when you run raster gcode files in either Mode, Un-select it.

PicEngrave will generate gcode for spindle use also like making Lithophanes. It would be a raster file like laser engraving photos.

I know this sounds confusing, but over time, it will become very clear. :slight_smile:

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39

Still cant seem to get the laser to work on laser mode only works on spindle tried changing

$30=255. (rpm max)

$31=0. (rpm min)

$32=1 (laser mode, bool)

to match spindle and still wont turn on laser in laser mode

Also still not sure how to change grbl to work with easel default

40

Look at the two grbl settings text files Larry posted here.

There is some information here also.

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