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Tried to run a simple carve last night and the XCarve refused to run the program properly. It’s set up as normal, I can jog all axes using Easel on screen and keyboard inputs, but when I execute the carve command the XCarve either does not respond, or moves to the start point, lowers the bit into the material (ply wood to test) and then just sits there.
Tried running the same carve with the Dewalt 611 off and out of the material and same result - absolutely nothing.
Before last night I hadn’t used my XCarve in almost one year. I have never used it with my MacBook so I’m not sure if that is the issue. I’m using a USB hub to connect from the MBP to the XCarve as I only have USB-C Ports on the Mac. I even tried using Windows (dual boot via Bootcamp) to see if it was a Mac issue.
When I plug in the USB cable I hear the stepper motors engage and can see the Arduino connected in device manager (Windows mode…didn’t check for it in OSX System Report).
Do you have the X-Controller or the older Arduino/gshield?
On my DIY CNC-controller (Arduino UNO + 4x TB6560’s at the time) I could jog fine, but it would simply stop right at or immideately after initiating a carve.
Once I fed my Arduino with external 12V DC the problem went away.
To me, that suggest that the 5V USB-only power is too weak as sole provider, causing a USB connection drop-out during the intital power surge at start-up.
(I am using a 2009 White Macbook, run Easel and machine without issues)
I have the older Arduino/GShield.
The XCarve used to work fine with my older Lenovo laptop and with a desktop. I no longer have access to either of those computers though.
I do…I will double check the connections to the Arduino from the GShield and if it does not power the Arduino then I will connect it directly to an external and report back.
AFAIK there is no other 12V input option than the DC-socket on the Arduino board. Perhaps a 5V line if the GShield have a DC step-down circuit and 5V output.
I would still test an external 12VDC source, directly into the UNO.
