ok gang, so I’m this close (thumb and fore finger 1/32 apart) to pulling the trigger on a new machine.
Question. does the controller atomically start the router and vacuum (I’m going to buy a suckit dust boot) when I start the machine and automatically stop the router and the vacuum when it is done cutting?
I want to be able to leave the shop and not babysit the machine.
please don’t quote me on this but even with the x-controller I don’t think that you can control a router and vac.
I do not think that it has the relay’s required to do so but it is a simple upgrade if that is what you are looking to do
I wouldn’t let the influence your decision on buying the machine as it is a simple upgrade and I don’t believe that many desktop cnc machine have this capability right out of the box
The hardware is technically capable but Easel, to my knowledge, does not provide the support for the Vac, only the spindle.
The spindle can be controlled but you need to get an A/C relay like this one to connect to the Xcontroller:
I’ve got two of these (one for my router, one for my vac). The second one is connected to either the “FLOOD” or “MIST” outputs. My main Gcode sender is planned to be UGS so if the Gcode I generate doesn’t have it, I’d add it to the code.
It would be a nice feature in Easel if it doesn’t already exist.
I do know that if you decide to make your programs in another software and use like universal or chilipepper to control the machine you can use a post processor that will put in the proper gcode automatically to turn on the spindle and vac
thanks for the reply’s.
it is not a driving factor in my discussion.(I’m still going to buy the machine)
I’m just trying to set it up the way I want from the beginning.
My plan is to buy the vectric desktop software at the same time.
I want to own my software outright. (not a big fan of being tied to someone or something else)
I own the vectric software, but easel is becoming a formidable contender. Expecially for the price
I have one and it works great!
you can hook it directly to the Xcarve part that controls the spindle output.
M3 S12000 will turn it on and M3 S0 will turn it off.
I just make sure those lines are in the beginning and end if I use UGS
easel will do it for you with no edits.
Yep: “2 digital outputs to control external items like vacuums and coolant systems”
It has outputs to use with external relays like this
https://www.inventables.com/technologies/solid-state-relay
So the spindle and 2 additional relay (typically vac and coolant) can be controlled separately.
I use manual speed control so on my current setup I have the spindle and vac being turned on by the same relay.
My advice would be to buy the machine and work to get it operating property. V-Carve is a great investment in that you will not be limited out of the gate. But you have a very steep learning curve ahead of you (just getting your particular machine operating properly). So, I would not invest in ANY upgrades until you get it all dialed in. You will find fans of numerous types of upgrades on this forum but there are two to three times as many people who would not waste the time or money on the same upgrades. All depends on your environment, work style and personal capability. Just my opinion, but I’ve been there before a few times and my shelf is littered with silly “accessories.”
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