How does everyone remind themselves to re-zero the Z axis? I’m tired of ruining projects.
If Brandon would make a machine that did it automatically or write a program that did it that would be great.
On a serious note. Can you group all of your tool changes together from vcarve and import them to control program and do your tool changes there? Or do we just have to do each individual one?
@Edward_Bigham laughing a bit at that one, if I could brother I would.
BUT… it is kind of that way. A lot of interesting things about just this subject one can learn.
I used to never use limit switches. None of the machines that left here even had them installed or spots for them.
We can now home. The controller now knows a spot to call machine zero. After this if you want to run the exact same work location it certainly does not care. :-). If one doesn’t have limits the controller will fire up and not care where it is at, let’s go…
What we can use though is Z probing, related a tool change.
You can use probing on G54 zero to get a nice new work piece zero, and not only in Z but X and Y as well… I won’t drift into this here.
What the remarkable thing is, most these controllers do the tool changes, Z probing, etc. it is the software you use that allows use of these things.
For instance all your tool changes should come through with your code.
T1 M6 (G43… depending on controller)
Moving about code
T2 M6
Etc.
Some software is programmed to ignore these commands. The job will run straight through. Some software is made to allow the user to control what they do with these commands.
I’m looking above and see that I most likely did not answer or help, going to stop now… :-).
@Brandon_Satterfield you have helped a lot. I didn’t think of using my home position to start my work. I always home the machine so it has a reference point. Then I set my work zeros close to me so I don’t have to stretch over everything.
I have a z probe. I am having trouble setting it up in cncjs. I think there is a conflict with my laptop and the program. Hopefully I will get that resolved.
I’m still trying to control the spindle through tinyG. Once I get that and my mouse locking up issue things will get better. Have a great weekend.