I’ve had my SainSmart Genmitsu CNC 3018-PROVer for a few months and have done many successful cuts but now I would like to try a two stage cut.
My project description:
My bits are 1/4" for roughing and 1/8" for finishing, I’m cutting out 125mm diameter circles with text inside the circle. Everything cuts well but for cutting the circle I would like to use the 1/4" bit. Is there a way to tell Easel Pro to do this?
Thank you all,
Mark
You would need to place things on separate workpieces if you want a certain bit to cut a specific area.
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Brandon Parker
Sure, you would want to use another workpiece to assign bits to different sections of the design. You can duplicate the workpiece and then delete or 0 depth areas that you want the 1/4 or 1/8" bit to skip.
I do this same process with a number if my easel videos but here is one with a v bit and 1/8" bit so you can see the process…
Thank you @BrandonR_Parker and @SethCNC for the quick reply, you guys have really got me thinking now. If for example I have two workpieces would it return to home and shut off after completing the first workpiece?
@SethCNC I watched your YT video, wow you do things fast 
, I will have to watch it a few times.
~thanks guys!
Does it after any other job?
Been a while since I sent gcode with easel, but I think you can just run the next job. Just use last XY zero when asked to set zero.
@BrandonR_Parker Can give you the exact language I’m sure.
Yeah I made a few going way too fast, sorry about that.
No it won’t shut off, not unless you turn off AC power, disconnect USB, or close the browser. I would stick to the same browser tab though, and using the workpieces using the pane below. not multiple projects since that can complicated things a bunch
Indeed … I was going to upload a screenshot, but the file upload functionality is still broken. @Brandon_Cullum, is this a known issue being worked on?
This is a YES and NO situation here…
Yes, you can carve one workpiece (or even project) immediately following the completion of a different one. The controller will not shut down, but if you have control for the router (or X-Carve Pro), the spindle (or router) would be commanded to stop (that is if you have everything set up correctly). Going off the assumption that you probably do not have that, the controller would return the spindle to the Work Home position at the Origin Safety-Height that is specified in your setup. The spindle will remain running if it is manually controlled.
You could then just start the carving process with either the same workpiece, a new workpiece, or a new project altogether. When Easel prompts you on the “Confirm work zero” screen, you would just press the “Use last position” button at the bottom. This is very helpful if you are cycling through the same project many times.
Here is the NO part…
In your case, however, you will most likely (spoken definitely) want to re-Zero the Z-Axis since you will be changing bits unless you have an exact method of fixing the bit stick out from the bottom of the collet. In this case, you would need to re-Zero just the Z-Axis, as long as you do not move the X & Y during bit change, and press the “Use new position” button.
Now for the fun part…
Since the GRBL Work Home position is always specified internally as an offset from the Machine Home position, this means that IF YOU HAVE HOMING SWITCHES and HOME YOUR MACHINE prior to starting your project when you set the Work Home position using Easel GRBL will store these coordinates as offset values from Machine Home. These values are stored in the EEPROM of the microcontroller and are recalled during the boot process making them persistent across power cycles. This means that, if for any reason your machine becomes powered off or you want to stop making widgets for the day but want to restart making the same widgets tomorrow, all you have to do is power up the controller and perform the machine homing sequence. As long as nothing changed on the machine (bit, stock zero position expectation, alignment, etc.) when you start the carving process again, all you have to do is press that “Use last position” button. The offsets for the Work Home would just remain the same for X, Y, and Z, and away you would go. I use this functionality quite a bit.
This also works if you crash the machine while moving it around and it loses its position… I did this twice on one project earlier this week. I just rehome the machine itself, and voila the Work Home position is already set up internally.
I hope that helps a little and makes sense!?
Also, I have mentioned previously that I am more than happy to offer a quick chat over Discord, Goggle Chat, etc. if anyone would like a little help; just send me a PM. If I can, I will.
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Brandon Parker
Thank you @BrandonR_Parker for that in depth reply!
Along with the other replies you have given me good ideas.
I should have started my posting with my workflow, so I’ll do a run thru of what I do. I design in Easel Pro and set cut settings etc., then export Gcode to thumb drive. I copy the file to my hd and load the Gcode into Universal Gcode Sender (UGS). I always use the 0,0 (bottom left for my home position. I cut on a SainSmart Genmitsu 3018-PROVer, this is all I could afford at the time. So that is my workflow and cutting has worked out well, I have cut many balsa wing ribs for making R/C airplanes and gliders.
My test cut with two Workpieces:
For my first Workpiece I am using a 1/4" bit then for my second Workpiece I am using a 1/8" bit. I’m just cutting two different shapes at a 5mm depth in my 18mm thick MDF as a test. I then plan on exporting the two Gcode files and using UGS to cut these two jobs separately so that the machine will return to 0,0 home position and shut off spindal so that I can change the bit.
Does this sound good?
Thank you again.
Yes.
Great news!
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Brandon Parker
