I just ordered the Rambo 1.4 and screen will they both come flashed and ready to go?
The rambo boards come pre-flashed based on the kit that you ordered. I don’t think there is a separate firmware for the screen so no issue there.
If you ordered just the board and did not specify, you will likely get the V1 serial version of the firmware on the board. So as long as you are building a serial version (without endstops), you will be set to go. If you are doing dual endstops, you will need to flash new firmware. If you ordered a kit, I believe Ryan follows whatever wiring harness you ordered. So if you ordered the dual harness, then you will get the dual endstop firmware.
I ordered just the board, screen and hardware but realized it is all marlin and I need GRBL so I been looking into the GRBL firmware by @johnboiles but it is over my head atm as I have only ever changed firmware in a 3d printer once and remember having a time figuring it out.
When I approach a problem like this, I like to take it in bite-sized pieces, always having a working configuration to fall back on. So I’d start by getting the MPCNC built at least to the point you have a successful crown test (drawing Ryan’s crown file using a pen) using the Marlin firmware already flashed to the board.
Step two would be to flash new firmware on the board (even if it is the same as already on the board) using the Arduino SDK, and verifying it is working. People are recommending PlatformIO for compiling firmware at this point, but it is likely that you will have less trouble getting the GRBL flashed from the Arduino SDK. At the end of this step you know 1) that your software tools are correctly installed and configured to flash your board, and 2) you can always reinstall Marlin to get your machine working if your GRBL setup is not (yet) working.
Ryan has some instructions here on using the Arduino SDK to flash new firmware to the Rambo. I cannot help you with the GRBL install, but if you do the above two steps, you know that GRBL is the only issue that needs to be solved.
P.S. Just curious. Why do you say you “need GRBL?” Is there some specific functionality you want, or are you going to be using some specific tool that only outputs GRBL?
I have hundreds of projects in Easel that only works with GRBL, I have not learned fusion enough to use it and the listed programs I can’t really figure out either or look a mess when importing svg files I have
Easel files run unmodified on Marlin. The g-code that Easel outputs is generic and uses only a few g-code commands. There is a bit more information in my post here. The only issue is that it is that Easel does not generate a pause and prompt to turn the router on, so you either have to turn it on before you run the g-code file, or somehow add that code to the top of the g-code file. Many g-code sending solutions like Repetier-Host allow you to automatically put lines of g-code at the top of the file when it is sent.
2 Likes
I will look into that I am nowhere near done as I have a little time here and there I assemble a little more.
Gary shoot me a pm if ude like, I’ll give u my number. I exclusively use easel and it’s super simple. You will most likely want to reflash your board to speed up the G0 command though, and I can walk you through that. But if u don’t care about slow jogs, easel works out of the box with mpcnc
1 Like
I will for sure, let me get the motors and wiring kit so i can hook it all up on the workbench then will get with you on flashing the right firmware. I am going dual endstop and just want to make sure, the wiring kit comes with all wires for all five motors right?
If it’s the duel endstop wiring kit it should. Worse case we can wire it in series and upgrade later.
Honestly I would think about 90% of people don’t even need duel endstop a (I think 100 but someone would come on here and prove me wrong).
I am going dual endstop and just want to make sure, the wiring kit comes with all wires for all five motors right?
Yes. The wiring kit is five 6-conductor 1.5m cables that extend your stepper motor and endstop wiring to reach the control board. Your Rambo comes with an endstop wiring kit. In dual-endstop wiring, each motor has its own driver on the control board.
As for firmware, since you bought the wiring kit separate from the board, it is highly likely the board has serial wiring firmware. You can find the dual firmware here, and you want the “V1CNC_Rambo_Dual-2.0.7.2-src.zip.” Note the lack of ‘LR’ in the name.
These days, PlatformIO is the recommend way to flash the firmware. Instructions on how to use PlatformIO can be found here. Flashing the firmware can also be done using the Arduino SDK, and you will find instructions here.
Thanks Robert what is the LR version? getting software downloaded so hopefully I can mess with it this weekend
stuck here, I do not get the option on the blue bar that is shown in the directions and a popup says that I dont have git
LR is low rider.