My only experience with EstlCAM is importing my DFX file and creating tool paths, saving the nc file. My only experience in running cnc router jobs is by using Repretier to send that file created in Estlcam to the MPCNC Primo. This machine has a dedicated Win11 mini-pc connected via USB with Estlcam & Repretier installed.
After reading the docs, my guess (and that is all it is) that EstlCAM, given the GRBL based Jackpot board will act as the tool path creator and post processor. Me wondering if I will need a fresh install of EstlCAM software on another machine (like my laptop) to run the LR4 given its GRBL is the genesis of my confusion.
My confusion is further deepened by reading the end of the Milliing Basics doc after it shows the snippets of the code in EstlCAM, where it says;
“when making gcode with your CAM program ( assuming this is EstlCAM) … all machines require a post processor specific to the control board firmware” ---- (Isn’t that also Estlcam in this case?)
Also a contributing factor to my paralyses is the part in the the setup instructions for EstlCAM, it says to unselect the one controller option as the first step during installation. (again, my brains insists on asking if one removes the 'controller option, how does it then control the cnc router?).
The Estlcam I currently have on the Win 11 mini PC is dedicated to the Primo machine and was set accordingly to work with the SKR Pro board. I plan on keeping and using that router for specific jobs.
Following Christian’s setup for Estlcam laid out in “Estlcam Basics” only for GRBL (vs. Marlin like the Primo), does this make the EstlCAM software also the post processor that controls and sends the gcode to the LR4 Jackpot (as did repretier did with the Primo)?
And if so, can the one mini-PC work for both the LR4 and Primo or should I do a separate install on the laptop? AND… will the Estlcam (if I am not off base yet) control and send the job to the LR4 wirelessly or do I need the USB?
yes… this is me overthinking the structural integrity of the bride long before I even get near enough to cross.
Estlcam has 2 parts: 1 for creating the gcode and another for controlling the machine. With the Jackpot, you only need Estlcam to create the gcode/nc file. To run it, all you need to do is connect to the WebUI where you can upload the file to the SD card and run the file. You can access the WebUI from a computer, phone, tablet, etc. It’s just a web page.
so just like we do for the skr, merely the gcode nc file generator… ahhhh
is it possible to get the file from my one drive or google drive (that is where I store my nc files) and then using the WebUI to send to LR4? not a fan of having to use sd’s… just a me thing…
it is really convenient to use my office computer to do all my modeling and nc file saving (for lack of better terminology) then in my shop I fire up the mini-pc attached to my Primo then run the job. Hoping to do the same with this LR4 other than using my laptop with fresh copy of estlcam set for grbl vs marlin.
If your LR4 is on the same WiFi as your office computer you could copy the gcode straight to it from your home office then use the mini pc as a local console.
If you’re asking if you can line by line feed the gcode to the jackpot while ti runs, no you can’t. The jackpot has no real storage on it, excluding enough space for the fluidnc files/lr config files etc. You can wirelessly feed the entire gcode to the jackpot, where it will be stored on the SD card. Once you tell the card to run the file, the jackpot will take care of itself. There is no outside controller. It runs very similar to a 3d printer, it just reads the file and processes the instructions.
There’s no reason to pull the SD card or hook up usb to load the file, just send it over wifi. As long as your office computer will reach the card (wifi limitation) you don’t need the middle computer at all.
so i need to go back and read up on this jackpot… i had no idea it ‘needed’ the sd card in to function… LOL I can build stuff according to plans… but still know not what I am doing
It took some getting used to. The one I used before I built the primo was a windows based controller, had more control with the moment to moment processing. But the jackpot works pretty well.
I was using vcarve to do all of my files, running on the makerspace license. But that lapsed and I don’t feel like the 30 minute drive each way to use the vcarve and then bring the gcode home. I’m purely 2.5D cutting right now so it’s design on inkscape, then to estlcam for the toolpaths and gcode, send the code to the jackpot and run it. I really need to learn some 3d’ish design and try to generate gcode for more advanced stuff.
Well today I got a fresh install of Estlcam on my laptop, made the stated changes/additions per the docs on V1E, inserted the mini sd card and began the journey.
Opened the crown dxf file and enlarged it as the example showed, saved it as a cnc project gcode file.
Connected laptop to Fluidnc and the webUI opened in the browser. So far so good.
Homed all three axis.
It took a few tries but finally uploaded the crown.gcode file to the sdcard.
First mistake was not having the z probe so it just waited until i told it to go ahead and it probed all right… with no stop. ABORT. LOL
Deleted that crown file and jumped back to Estlcam and created one where it did not call for a z probe and exported to cnc project gcode file once again, saving it to the C drive on the laptop.
Attempted to upload this newer file and it never did. Failed to upload or just nothing. And now for good measure the ESP32 keeps dropping like it did when I had wires all over the place although that has since been dealt with.
So now laptop doesn’t want to connect to fluidnc . Had to disconnect power and then power back on before it would allow laptop to connect to fluidnc. Once connected I attempted o upload gcode file from hard drive and it failed yet again.
For your wifi issues - you have lots of other tabs open there that will be trying to reconnect so your laptop is possibly detecting your fluidnc as not being online and changing back to your home wifi. You can untick ‘connect automatically’ in the short term. You can also join your lowrider to your home WiFi as a client - this uses less processing and memory resources than being its own hotspot.
What version of fluidnc do you have? You can check using the hamburger menu in the top right. You’ll probably need to turn it off and on if connection is stuck.
Can you take a picture of your SDCard? Not all classes of card are the same.
The last thing to try is connect to the board using its IP address instead of fluidnc.local
You can run the jackpot directly from lightburn too - though you’re streaming over wifi with all the unreliability that entails. I’ve done it successfully though.
Thank you for the reply. I ‘untucked’ all the connect auto’s and powered up the machine and was able to connect. It read the card and uploaded the crown gcode. And it actually went through the motion of drawing the object (without z probe) and returned to zero point when it finished. All was good …. Then…
It disconnected…. Said low memory (might have been saying that during the job), error code not in idle mode… screen shots below. I have to be close since it went through motions
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I think, if my memory serves me right, that 3.7.xx was messed up, especially regarding the WiFi connection. You can update it pretty easily, there is a great explanation posted on the forum a few days ago:
Disconnecting from Network. Seems to have been resolved by having the Jackpot join my home wifi network following the instructions laid out in the video above. I have yet to ‘disconnect’ after performing that task.
Doubled checked my sd card, it is 32GB class 10 so it is not an issue. Once jackpot joined the wifi. network, accessing and uploading the gcode file was executed w/o issue.
I was able to do three crown simulations (no pen in core) without issue. Only one time I got the low memory message but all three attempts completed successfully.
I disconnected the power to the machine, closed browser and then powered up the machine. Went to the ip address shortcut i created (as suggested vs fluidnc.local) and it connected perfectly.
There are no „V1 Updates“… there is only one FluidNC, the only choice you have is between webinterface v2 and v3. Both are working now, you have v2 if you want to keep working with what you know.
You should definitely ditch 3.7.xx, it had some other major bugs as far as I remember, but am too lazy to search the forum.
