GRBL for RAMPS 1.4

Software / Firmware
21

Have you found a lcd controller that you can use with your setup or do you run it directly from your mac?

22

I could never get clean cuts with my MPCNC GRBL build, so I upcycled the parts into a new machine already (too much flex in the guide rails from making it too large).

I had to have a laptop tethered via USB anyway to run Easel, so an LCD display on the machine wasnā€™t needed. That being said, I didnā€™t find an LCD smart controller for the GRBL shield I used and donā€™t think there are even pin outs on the shield for a display.

I seem to recall seeing some folks hacking a RAMPS smart controller display to work on a GRBL shield, but honestly canā€™t remember where I saw that now.

23

The latest version of grbl seems to support offline milling.

If you search on Amazon for ā€œgrbl offlineā€ then youā€™ll find a few options, the cheapest of which is:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07Y1BPMXK

I ordered one of the above. It should show up in a month or two. Hopefully it comes with everything that is in the photos.

24

@fredwalter are you up and running with that offline display controller yet? Is it working OK?

@mcdanyel I am going to try to set up an arduino Uno with the CNC shield this weekend, to try to run Easel on it. Anything in particular I should pay attention to? You say that in Easel, Shapeoko 1 should be set in the machine type. Whatā€™s the reason behind that? Doesnā€™t it run on x-carve or the ā€œotherā€ option at all?

25

Iā€™m going to answer my own question here, for future searches: Going MPCNC->Arduino Uno+CNC Shield->GRBL->Easel is pretty straight forward when hooking things up and get the machine running. But the steps per mm will be completely off and you will have to micro manage in the GRBL configuration according to https://github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki/Grbl-v1.1-Configuration, most importantly the $100-$102 (x,y,z) settings. Use Universal G-code sender for that. Many tutorial videos to search for. Even if Easel is very basic, youā€™ll learn a few fundamental things in the process.

26

Did you ever get around to testing this?

27

Yep. That was years ago now. But it ran my mpcnc and I think my LR for a while. It introduced me to cncjs. It worked well.

28

does anyone know how to get spindle control using a grbl compiled firmware on a mks gen 1.4 board? I found the cpu.map file but i am not sure which pins to use to make it compatible with normal m3-m5 commands?

29

Just now finding this. Did anyone try Ugs UGS with this? I see ugs supports joystick, which is something i wanted for a while!

I am soooo sorry. I revived a very old thread!!!

1 Like
30

I use UGS all the time but with a Uno and cnc shield no joystick though. I started with a ramps board but droped a end mill on it and shorted it out and had this on ha d and been using this for years now

1 Like
31

Currently I am running: https://github.com/fra589/grbl-Mega-5XI

And using gsender.

1 Like
32

I get a 404 page not found on that link

33

My apologies: GitHub - fra589/grbl-Mega-5X: 5/6 Axis version of Grbl, the open source, embedded, high performance g-code-parser and CNC milling controller written in optimized C that will run on an Arduino Mega2560

1 Like
34

How do I set it up for the MPCNC?
Iā€™m really struggling with the programming/firmware set up

Iā€™ve tried uploading the firmware using Arduino IDE and VS Code, but canā€™t do it.
Iā€™ve successfully used VS Code to upload Marlin to a Gen L 1.0 used in my 3D Printer but am struggling with GRBL (itā€™s my first time)