YZ Plates Help

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

@Mad_Dawg

zooming in and moving around objects or trying to re-center the view in Estlcam seems a bit flakey

Standard CAD style navigation. It is odd if you are not used to it but you will be using CAD more so it will become second nature soon enough.

@Mad_Dawg

Does anyone have details on wiring the JP3 with a relay to start the router in software.

Some countries are not allowed to touch mains wiring so make sure you know your local laws. You can DIY an SSR, or buy one (Amazon.com).

My Warning is here…wait to add complexities to your CAM. Make a nice checklist and use it before trying to automate it. A little more manual time under your belt will really help automations come easier later. I currently do not have a router controller on my new build, it is nice but it only saves you 3 seconds per job.

@Mad_Dawg

moding the RTC701C to allow FluidNc

We don’t use those anymore. I used to sell a PID kit but the makita routers come with great speed holding built in. And again, automations like this are far more complex than they are worth. I have no interest in speed control on my routers. I adjust RPM depending on tool wear so it would be an added hassle to me.

@Mad_Dawg

Using this command “$X” in the Fluid terminal will save you a lot of plugging and unplugging of the power cord while your figuring things out.

You can leave the steppers energized, no need to power them down while you are there. Definitely power the entire machine off when you are not there.

@Mad_Dawg

I also switched my wifi to connect to my network

This is an amazing option if you have a very good WIFI signal in your shop, and .local works for you. For others STA mode on a flaky wifi is much worse and they can lose the IP address. I wish we could do a one size fits all approach here but we just can’t.
It has been more than 10 years and for the first time I hardwired and expanded my wifi to have signal strong enough in the shop to use STA mode. I can assure you AP mode should not have any connection issues once you have things wire routed and figured out the connection routine.

[Mad_Dawg]

@vicious1

Standard CAD style navigation. It is odd if you are not used to it but you will be using CAD more so it will become second nature soon enough.

Thank You Ryan and others I am just surprised things like center view on an object or moving around the work piece using the arrow keys doesn’t seem to work

@vicious1

My Warning is here…wait to add complexities to your CAM. Make a nice checklist and use it before trying to automate it. A little more manual time under your belt will really help automations come easier later. I currently do not have a router controller on my new build, it is nice but it only saves you 3 seconds per job.

Understood its not about the speed for me its that I seem to need three hands from the time I start a cut file, I have very little time to probe then remove the probe and immediately start the router. Is there away to have a longer delay or pause in gcode after the probe touches. It happens so fast that the cut starts before I can even get the router turned on.

Actually I am a reseller for Digital Loggers we use their managed power bars on a daily basis so its no problem getting some of those relays ordered in.

@vicious1

This is an amazing option if you have a very good WIFI signal in your shop, and .local works for you.

My situation is likely very different from a typical user. I have high powered APs all over our property so our coverage is extensive. as for .local creating a local dns entry on your wifi router will allow you to name it whatever you want.

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

@Mad_Dawg

Understood its not about the speed for me its that I seem to need three hands from the time I start a cut file, I have very little time to probe then remove the probe and immediately start the router.

You missed something in your gcode then. Take a look at the milling basics code again. You should have all the time you need. It pauses for you to put the probe on, and pauses for you to take it off and start your router. It will not do anything until you tell it to resume.

@Mad_Dawg

My situation is likely very different from a typical user. I have high powered APs all over our property so our coverage is extensive. as for .local creating a local dns entry on your wifi router will allow you to name it whatever you want.

I just have to point it out every time people say it is “better” as it does not work for everyone.

[Mad_Dawg]

Thank you Ryan I got it figured out now. Of course it was my bad.
Also discovered Estlcam is much better to use with a real mouse wheel, I was using my laptop before and the mouse is more better.

So lol I have other questions and I’m not sure if you would prefer that I start a new topic, move this to another section now that I’m running or continue here, please advise.

i.e. how to increase the cut depth when your settings are not quite cutting through. My current table has 3mm dips here and there which is the issue of not getting all the way through for cutting my struts. Right after the struts I intend to make a table anyways.

Can the cut depth be increased on the fly while a file is running or

Can I rerun the cut file and somehow trick the depth probe to be lower than it actually is or does the gcode need to be redone specifying thicker material settings.

Thank You Much for This Project an Awsome Rig & Crew

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

@Mad_Dawg

Also discovered Estlcam is much better to use with a real mouse wheel, I was using my laptop before and the mouse is more better.

Yup definitely have to have a mouse of CAD and CAM. Those are some of the things I forget since I have been doing it for so long. Sorry.

@Mad_Dawg

Can the cut depth be increased on the fly while a file is running

No.

@Mad_Dawg

Can I rerun the cut file and somehow trick the depth probe to be lower than it actually is or does the gcode need to be redone specifying thicker material settings.

only trick would be to use thinner probe. There are a few kinda tricks but best to just redo it at this stage.

[Bartman]

@Mad_Dawg

i.e. how to increase the cut depth when your settings are not quite cutting through. My current table has 3mm dips here and there which is the issue of not getting all the way through for cutting my struts. Right after the struts I intend to make a table anyways.

Just add a few more mm to the total DOC, and live with some deeper grooves in some parts of your spoil board. I had the same issue before I surfaced my table.

[Mad_Dawg]

Thank you Bartman that will work for me.

I have also been poking around in the gcode file and it appears to me that

this could be edited pretty quickly in notepad rather than a recook in estlcam

The code in my file looks like it would be (-10)

G01 Z-10.0000 F480

Not sure what the F900 or F480 means yet

here is a snip it from my strut gcode

(No. 31 Drill machining: Drill 24)
G00 X21.9738 Y1385.5293 Z3.0000 F2400
G00 Z0.5000 F900
G01 Z-10.0000 F480
G00 Z3.0000 F900

(No. 32 Part machining: Part 2)
G00 X102.5943 Y1376.5870 Z3.0000 F2400
G00 Z0.5000 F900
G01 Z0.0000 F480
G01 Z-3.0000 F480

Thank You

[Bartman]

@Mad_Dawg

Not sure what the F900 or F480 means yet

That is the feed rate (speed that the axis moves)

If no feed rate is specified on a line of code, then the last specified feed rate will be used

[Mad_Dawg]

Hope everyone had a Happy Holiday Season

Update: Well it only took about 12 tries lol but I finally got my strut plates cut

Have to say after taking things apart and reassembling numerous times (Brilliant Design Ryan )

Made a number of test cuts that at least I am pretty impressed with lol 1/2” and 3/4” ply crowns cut edges are nice and square

I hope to improve as I gain more experience but I think I am almost ready to try massacring some plywood shop cabinets.

Currently I am assembling a version of the parametric table Parametric Table for its new home.

I have added a few community modifications. LED under light, Gantry covers and the alternate Jackpot3 angled mount. Big props to Doug J for those.

Anyways Here are my latest questions:

I am ready to finalize gantry wiring but because I have had to remove my side plates a few times (taking the core on and off) and expect I will likely have to do so again in the future. I wasn’t going to mount the jp3 on X0 end (so the 3 lil plate nuts are accessible you can see my nut driver in the pic).

I also purchased a Digital Loggers IoT relay and am just not quite sure how best to place and wire them all up so that everything functions well and is hidden in the gantry.

I definitely will want to add drag chain setups to all the wiring after I finish the table.

So hoping not to having to move things around too much later.

I humbly ask the pros how would you lay this all out and wire it up

I also would like more info on the JP3 specifically the 4 Outputs, 5V(full PWM capable) or 24V(PS input level) outputs (only basic PWM).

• Are these always on at 5v and 24v or are they determined by boards input power?
• Are they triggered by firmware when called or always on?
• What is the USB C port used for?
• What is the 7 pin riser used for

Also where the green tape is I have my wires all in a loom but they keep sliding up is there a mod to affix it to the side plate.

Thank You to all in this community

Regards

MD

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

@Mad_Dawg

Are these always on at 5v and 24v or are they determined by boards input power?

one side is always 5V, and the other side is whatever voltage your power supply is (12v-24V). one output pin severs both at the same time. so if you turn on pin 0 both pin zero ports go high. Most will only ever use one voltage per pin, and that is the way it was designed, although you can use both is you want and are not using PWM. make sense?

@Mad_Dawg

Are they triggered by firmware when called or always on?

You trigger them with macros or gcode. you can set them to be on or off at boot.

@Mad_Dawg

What is the USB C port used for?

Flashing the esp32 if you have issues with the OTA stuff.

@Mad_Dawg

What is the 7 pin riser used for

There are links in the instructions about this, they are fluidNC modules. Bart Dring makes a whole assortment and there are a few others. Links in the instructions.

@Mad_Dawg

I am ready to finalize gantry wiring but because I have had to remove my side plates a few times (taking the core on and off)

You can just loosen the brace top screws and slide the top rail out a little bit. Core comes right off, you do not need to take the side plates off.

[MakerJim]

@vicious1

You can just loosen the brace top screws and slide the top rail out a little bit. Core comes right off, you do not need to take the side plates off.

That also needs to be prominently stated in the build documentation with pictures showing it.
I was so excited when I realized how easy that is to do

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

@MakerJim

That also needs to be prominently stated in the build documentation

It used to be, then I realized this is easier, LowRider CNC V4 - V1 Engineering Documentation

[Tokoloshe (Philipp)]

This is easier? That’s 15 more steps than to jog up and pull out the rail.

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

Kinda the same, loosen every top brace screw, or just the 4 end screws. same, easier to make instructions for the other way since it does not need to be powered or raised up.

[MakerJim]

@Tokoloshe

That’s 15 more steps than to jog up and pull out the rail.

You know what would be a good @CarmenJ topic?

“Things you wish were in (or different in) the build documentation…”

[vicious1 (Ryan)]

that could be a long one

[diddledirt (Jeremy lopez)]

I want evey 3,17,56 letter to be capitalized and every verb to be italicized. Unless it’s one of the fore mentioned numbers. Then the whole word should be wingdings