My ongoing woorkbee problem

[Russell Bates]

I am new to cnc and I purchased a workbee 750 x 1000 cnc from bulkman beginning of last year. I built the machine without any problem, and decided I would follow the video's on bulkmans resources and run it with mach 3 software. I spent an age wiring all as instructed and down loaded Mach 3. I can navigate a computer but i am not really that confident and knowledgeable with this software.
After many attempts and 3 NVM CNC controllers later( as I thought this was the problem) I still cannot get my drivers or spindle to work to the software.I did for about 10 minutes once but when I switched laptop off for the evening, next day nothing and back to nothing.
I must have spent hundreds of hours searching the web and trying different ports and pins strategies. I have come to the conclusion i am really rubbish and need from someone who knows what they are doing to get it going. I have attached my wiring, wiring diagram I have followed and some of my pins and ports pages. I am using a aspire laptop.
If anybody has the patience to navigate me through my incompetence it would be massively appreciated.I just don't know what I am doing wrong.
Russ Bates

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Russ,

Ok well, the pictures don't help much really and I don't see any pics of mach3 screens so hard to say what you are doing wrong. However, my advice would be to just concentrate on getting one axis working, don't mess around worrying about limits or homes, etc at first, just get it moving on one axis first then it's a simple case of duplicating for the other axis.

When you have the Axis moving then move onto limits and homes, etc.

I have never used the controller you are using but I have seen many others struggle with them for various reasons, personally, I wouldn't use it and go with an Ethernet-based controller like the AXBB-E which has its own reliable and supported software UCCNC rather than outdated and unsupported software which is what Mach3 is now.

Also, did you buy a Mach3 license, or was it supplied with the Nvum.? Because if the Nvum came with a mach3 license then it's 99% likely it's a hooky copy of mach3 and probably a very old version too, also it's known that the hooky Mach3 versions supplied with Chinese controllers have been messed with and are unstable!

If you are serious about keeping and using the machine then my strong advice would be to dump the Nvum and go with something better like what I've suggested. You would be up and working within the day and very reliably provided you wire it correctly.

UCCNC knocks the spots off Mach3 and is easy to set up, it comes with a good manual, likewise, the AXBB-E is easy to wire and I would gladly help guide you through both the setup and wiring.
The fact it's ethernet-based makes it very very stable with cable lengths up to 100mtrs and can even be run over a network, unlike USB which is very flaky even with short cables. It also works well with Laptops which again USB doesn't always due to the power management some laptops use, we install UCCNC on Laptops that we provide with the machines we sell and never have any issues. Also, the Laptop doesn't need to be super powerful or have a massive Ram, it will work fine on older Dual-core laptops with 4Mb Ram.

But if you are stuck with the Nvum then we will need more info on Mach3 set up and better pictures of the wiring to help more.

[dazp1976]

'Shakes head'

When are people going to learn.
Read the flippin' reviews of MVEM, MVUM controllers and look around the cnc forums BEFORE buying in.
You will find out pretty quickly to AVOID!!!!!

[JAZZCNC]

'Shakes head'

When are people going to learn.
Read the flippin' reviews of MVEM, MVUM controllers and look around the cnc forums BEFORE buying in.
You will find out pretty quickly to AVOID!!!!!

'Shakes head back at ya'

The same could be said for those who try to run Nema 34 motors with low volts!... plenty of advice not to do it if people would only read..

End of the day it's called learning the hard way thru over-eagerness, many have done it and gone through it, me included. Eventually, the penny drops and you realize to get off eBay put the credit card down, and start reading and listening.....Or you call it a day and give it up as a bad job!