I have a new Northwoods custom LR4 build. It’s mostly all working well… successfully cut the crown following the directions in the documentation (DXF → Estlcam → Gcode onto SD… then SD → FluidNC → and run on machine…) I figured out the z-probe, etc, figured out that ChatGPT google search is about 85% wrong anything to do with this machine, etc… But I can home and drive the machine, etc, do belt calibrations and really want to get to work on a backlog of projects.
I initially played with direct USB connection because I put a little Windows PC box on the gantry and am not a fan of driving an industrial robot/powertool without wired connects. Tried a host of programs and liked UGS the best so far for USB direct connect. But, I went back to FluidNC because the V1 documentation is based around that, and I can appreciate that the preloaded FluidNC is configured specifically for the Jackpot/LR4 including its gcode quirks, and stripped down to not have options that aren’t relevant for this machine.
My issue is that FluidNC → Windows box WFI keeps dropping the wifi connection. I have the gantry PC set-up to only autoconnect to FluidNC, but it’s pretty annoying as it can barely get through an axis calibration before dropping and needing some kind of reset or unplug/plug. I can’t say 100% that it isn’t this cheap (but new) Windows box as it was a little spotty with internet wifi (but shop signal is very iffy), but it’s 10” from the jackpot and shows a string FluidNC signal.
Is there any hack to run FluidNC via direct USB? Is that what the telnet option does, or is that just a dumb/direct terminal option within FluidNC? Would a dedicated Android tablet be more reliable than a PC box (it’s dedicated to this machine so doesn’t have a lot of extra software besides regular Windows bloat) in anyone’s experience?
If not, what direct USB connect software works most seamlessly with the LR4 and is there an existing package with an existing config file specific for the LR4?
I ultimately want to design in Fusion360 as I’m versed in that and 3D printing (but new to CNC). I can would prefer to upload GCode direct via USB and not mess with the SD card, but Jonathan from NWC commented that I would have problems if the USB came loose during a long cut, which is valid… I can live with using the SD card for big jobs but I really need a reliable way to drive the unit.
In theory I’m already driving this robot wirelessly already since the keyboard connects to the box via wireless and so does the monitor but basically wires and buttons are more tactile to me and my response times are faster so spinning router + expensive materials make me want more control… Wifi issues tend to be something in the software or handshakes and not always something I can quickly diagnose while a pot of expensive epoxy or urethane is cooking off, etc, vacuum pump running, steambox going, hands gloved and covered in epoxy, etc. If I can get it working totally reliably then great.
I will check but I think my system came with a version of FluidNC pre-4.0. Thank you.
Thanks. My controller box is pre-loaded with Windows 11 Pro. I get the warning about no internet but no option for ‘use this network as is’, but I can X out the warning. My system wants to send me to msftconnecttest.com, and I get various loading messages and then the FluidNC screen. I am now navigating directly to 192.168.0.1 for the same screen to see if that gets me better stability.. I’m using firefox…
BUT the issue now seems to be a problem loading the config. I get a warning from FluidNC right away, ‘Config File Error. Fix it or FluidNC will not work…. [MSG:ERR: Showing startup log from previous panic]…’
Once connected, if I go to FluidNC Settings → config items lists ‘/board’ - none, ‘/name’ - Default (Test Drive) and the values from my config.yaml yesterday are missing. I also tried to just reupload my saved config.yaml file to the system and it looked successful but on power on/off it doesn’t seem to be loading and the SD card in the jackpot is also showing up blank (I just checked it and it’s actually still got the crown.gcode file on it). I also suspect the jackpot never properly saved my last configuration change as I did a y belt calibration and changed Y_steps_per_mm to 49.856 and when I dig with Notepad into the config.yaml file I saved off the jackpot after configuring, that value is still showing 50.
I have FluidNC 3.9.5
In the FluidNC command terminal I can see the jackpot talking to FluidNC alright, ie ‘$SS’ spits back a lot of diagnostic info.
EDIT …. Now it is working? Just powered on/off, disconnected the USB and it seems to be talking okay, no warning, and if I look at the config file via FluidNC it reflects what’s in config.yaml
If you have a USB plugged in and not 24v, or before 24v the board loads up without power to the drivers and that messes things up. If you are going to run it from a USB you will have to disconnect the USB each time before you apply 24v. Or get one of those power blocking things for the USB so it only sends data and no 5v power.
Oh geez. Thanks. The last time I was messing with Github and soldering up my own cables and breakouts Micro-USB was ‘the newest’, that’s how long it’s been. I probably have some old breakouts so I can make a cable that doesn’t send power for this.
