LR4 - Configuration

LowRider CNC Troubleshooting
1

I’ve just completed my LR4 build. It all seems to be working. I have a Jackpot board. I can connect to it via the webui, move it around the axis and it all looks good. It also appears to home correctly.

I’m feeling really lost at this point as to what I need to do next. I know I need to square the board, then surface it etc but I’ve read the documentation a few times and I am just really confused.

Would someone mind breaking it down into simple steps for me so I can get this wonderful machine dialed in?

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Take a look at the Jackpot page. Make sure you are running FluidNC version 3.9.1. It solved a bunch of misc problems for me.

Then you got it right. Square and level the machine
https://docs.v1e.com/lowrider/#initial-squaring
https://docs.v1e.com/lowrider/#z-leveling

For the squaring, you are just moving to the four corners and making a dot or putting a hole in a piece of tape with a sharp endmill. After you have the four dots, you measure them diagonally and see if the number is the same. If not, you are changing how far off the machine moves off the endstop on one side.

For leveling, you are just making the z axis go down the same to reach the same point. For example, when your endmill hits the spoil board on one side, it should also be hitting on the other side.

Where are you stuck specifically? What have you tried?

Let’s see this new machine - post some pics!

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Thanks. I’ll post some photos when its dialed in, still waiting on a vaccum hose to arrive.

I’m stuck with sending the gcode to the jackpot. I created a gcode file using the squareness test generator but I can’t get it to send.

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The Z axis is also making a loud squeaking noise when going up/down, I feel like something isn’t aligned properly. When I moved the machine all the way to the bottom of the Z axis it got stuck and wouldn’t go back up

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Realigning the lead screws and some lubricant has fixed the z axis, it looks good. Now I just need to work out how to send gcode to the machine to test.

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Start by checking out the tools - Milling section of the documentation, which includes a section on Setting up EstlCAM page (scroll to the top, the link takes you down the page a bit).

https://docs.v1e.com/software/estlcam-basics/?h=crown#test-file

Then strap a pen or sharpie to the core and trying to draw a crown (a link with full g-code is in the documents page above, as is a DWX file that you can resize to fit your table)

That should get you moving around and familiar with the main concepts. After that you can put in a mill into your router and try some test cuts. I recommend doing “air cuts” to start (set your z=0 a few inches above the spoil board), and then try cutting some styrofoam before you move onto harder stuff like wood or aluminum.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

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Thanks, I’ll get the bed squared and then go from there.

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Just jog the machine with the web ui. You don’t need to use gcode for this. (if you don’t want to)

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i was bit like that also
walk away and leave it for a day.
so much to take in at once
brain overload .
dont stress it will all fall into place

10

This is a really good tip. I already feel less overwhelmed after a day away from the project.

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11

Congratulations!

From a browser on computer where you made Gcode file, connect via the webUI. In the file section, there is a little option to choose between whether you are looking at files on the flash storage, or on the SD card, you want to switch it to SD card. Then notice there’s a little drop-down arrow thing up to the right of that file section, and when you tap on that, it gives you two choices, create a folder or upload files, choose upload files, then browse to the Gcode that you have created and upload it to the SD card. Boom. Bob’s your uncle.