My Cheapo Chineese 3020t mini CNC Build (more like improvements) leanring all the way

[Clive S]

Cheers lads,

yeah one step at a time andy mate

cheers clive, I will probably set the machine home to the highest z point and x,y to be the centre of the bed as the parts im going to be making will mostly be fixed down to the tooling plate around the edges, so makes sense to keep the spindle away from part? Or maybe at the rear of the bed in the middle

I think you are misunderstanding the difference between machine zero and work zero. You are correct to have the Z home to the top then all z gcode will be negative. its nice to home the machine so that X & Y movements to the work position are +ve.

The work zero G54 is generally where you set it in CAD. So after you have homed you then move the machine to the Zero in CAD then touch off at that point. Work zero G54 can be anywhere on the table and in a different place every time if you want. The Home position is always in the same place.

[ravihotwok]

I think you are misunderstanding the difference between machine zero and work zero. You are correct to have the Z home to the top ten all z gcode will be negative. its nice to home the machine so that X & Y movements to the work position are +ve.

The work zero G54 is generally where you set it in CAD. So after you have homed you then move the machine to the Zero in CAD then touch off at that point. Work zero G54 can be anywhere on the table and in a different place every time if you want. The Home position is always in the same place.

Yeah I may be getting confused, I understand that I need to tell the machine a reference datum ie zero for a part once it is jugged into place, but at the end of the program the machine to stop in a position away from where I am undoing the fixings etc if that makes sense.

[Clive S]

Yeah I may be getting confused, I understand that I need to tell the machine a reference datum ie zero for a part once it is jugged into place, but at the end of the program the machine to stop in a position away from where I am undoing the fixings etc if that makes sense.

You can just jog away after the machine has stopped. Or add the park position with a bit of gcode at the end of your file. Or set it up in the CAM post.

[ravihotwok]

Out of all that I understood:

just jog away after the machine has stopped

ha ha, still got a lot to learn mate so bare with me pal

[ravihotwok]

Right chaps, now I have set the limit switches and got the thing to home.

Whats the next thing to set up??

[ravihotwok]

well had a good play with the software until the early hours of this morning, and then this happened

[Zeeflyboy]

If that is real CF, be careful of the dust and fibres...

Messes up electronics, gunks up bearings, wears down rails and will do a number on your lungs. Even a vac with HEPA filter can let some through... best option really is to cut it underwater if you can.