https://docs.v1engineering.com/software/estlcam-2p5d/
Ask your questions here and I will try and answer you and clarify the walkthrough.
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hey can your share your estlcam setup with me, because i tried using nema 23 and 17 motor on 20v when i program the ramps 1.4 board on A4988 motor drivers the motors does not move.
Hey Ryan,
Looks like the ESTLCAM file in your intermediate walkthrough is an old version and cannot be used by the current version of ESTLCAM. Not sure what you can do about it. There doesn’t seem to be any way to update an e8 file to an e10 file and if you try renaming the extension, it just tells you “this file was created by an older version and it isn’t possible to open it”…or something along those lines.
Just a heads up.
Aww Man, I will have to redo it. The walkthrough should still be relevant though. Thanks for the heads up.
Are the files available for this project
Yes, linked in the first post.
Thanks got them.
I am unable to run EstlCam because I have a Linux machine, but I have other means to generate gcode. I have a basic question about the Z coordinates. Is the z=0.0 the top of the workpiece or the top of the spoilboard? I have another small router where z=0.0 is the top of the workpiece so cuts go to negative Z. If the MPCNC strategy is to use the top of the workpiece as Z=0, then how do you lift the router off the spoilboard (where it goes after the steppers are powered down) and then set the Z coordinate to zero? Sorry if this is not the right place to ask, I’m trying to follow the example but I’m stuck on this point. Thanks!
z=0.0 is literally wherever you want. if you set it as the top of your workpiece in your software, then position the tip of the tool right at the top of your workpiece before turning your board on, it will set the z0 to that point. Or, you could move it to that position after the machine is powered on and then type g92 z0 in to the manual command input and it will set the current machine position to z0.
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FWIW, I run EstlCAM in wine.
Out of curiosity, what CAM are you using?
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Sorry, I’m not sure what CAM is… if it is the means to convert images to gcode, then I use image-to-gcode, which comes with LinuxCNC, and I have also used Inkscape with a gcode plugin. As you might have guessed, I barely know what I’m doing but I’m motivated to learn. I really appreciate the help offered by others like yourself. Thanks!
Yep. CAM is how you make gcode from your design file. It might be an engrave from an image or it might be defining parts and holes. EstlCAM is what’s in the tutorials but there are others.
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Jeffb3, I just installed Wine on my Linux machine. How do you get the EstlCAM executable? Do you install it on Windows and then copy the executable or is there another way? Thanks.
You download the installer from estlcam.de. Technically, I used playonlinux, IIRC. I honestly can’t remember the steps I took to get it installed.
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Thanks. I tried but when I try to run the executable, it complains about not being able to find some Windows-like path… I’ll keep poking away at it. I may shoot for the moon and try to configure LinuxCNC… hopefully there is some info on the forum for this. The challenge will likely be to configure it for this router. I should probably crawl before I try to fly…
Bummer. I haven’t done it with the latest version or my newest machine. Maybe I’ll take better notes this time.
You might try these instructions for some foss tools, which I assume are available on Linux:
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Wow! That looks great. I have FreeCAD and openSCAD but haven’t used either much. I tend to use openSCAD because it’s easy for me to start with (all programming). I’ll study this information but at first glance it looks great.
Looking for the .dxf file to do the exercise (Estlcam intermediate). Doesn’t seem to be on the Thingiverse site anymore, just .stl files. Help!
I am using the Chrome browser on windows 10 pro 64 bit, but not seeing any link to your zip file. Where else can I get it? Thanks!