Help please. Dip switches and mach 3 settings

[Radu_Andrei]

Ok. I.ll try the gcode and come back with a result.
Do you think it will work with a larger diameter copper pipe like those used for plumbing/heating? The soil is quite soft here, so driving it a meter into the ground would not be a problem.

[cropwell]

Ok. I.ll try the gcode and come back with a result.
Do you think it will work with a larger diameter copper pipe like those used for plumbing/heating? The soil is quite soft here, so driving it a meter into the ground would not be a problem.

that should be fine - the longer length you can drive in the better unless you hit a drain You could then fill the pipe with water to make a good earth (not a joke!).

[Clive S]

Ok. I.ll try the gcode and come back with a result.
Do you think it will work with a larger diameter copper pipe like those used for plumbing/heating? The soil is quite soft here, so driving it a meter into the ground would not be a problem.

As Rob has said.

[Radu_Andrei]

Here we get easily -20 degrees celsius in the winter, so drains are quite a steep angle, and I doubt there.s any water in there. I could solder a cap on the copper pipe and fill it with water. The issue is that I can drive it very deep outside the workshop, but the upper 20-30 cm of the water filled pipe will freeze along with the ground, and probably crack, so goodbye water, and the second option is to drive it beneath my workshop where I have a rudimentary form of what you call a cellar in the Uk, and it.s freeze proof, but I doubt I.ll manage to drive it more than 50 cm, as beneath 2 meters, the soils become quite rocky.

Now about the g code, putting g1 x100 f300 into mdi, moves the axis 50 cm.
All ballscrews are 5mm pitch, and the toothed pulleys on the Z are at a ratio of 2:1, 20 teeth for the stepper and 40 for the screw, so I.m sure I.ll have to mention this somewhere in mach3.
Although the steppers do not make a uniform sound all the time and have small hickups now and then, running the x axis 20 cm to the right, and then returning it to where is was, measured with a dial indicator, is dead accurate.

Rob mentioned an earth spike. I can find locally steel and zinc ones, and copper coated just online. I don.t mind buying a spike, it.s just that I already have some copper pipe.

[cropwell]

The water in the pipe is only to drain down and wet the soil at a depth to make a better contact, so it doesn't matter if the pipe cracks with frost (which is unlikely if open at the top). If your soil is very wet normally, then it is probably an overkill. Copper pipe is as good, maybe better than a plated steel rod.

[Radu_Andrei]

Taking on your advice, and speaking to an electrician, a retired one in this case, he said they use to drive 3 spikes into the ground, a few meters apart, and weld a connection between them, so that the earth might match the live, and have a specific ohm readings, so that the fuse will work properly. He used to practice he.s craft many years ago, so not sure if his knowledge it.s still valid with this new fuses.
Also said that the large metal structure from the photo has a very solid grounding structure going on, so I might use this. That is a high voltage system, and I.m not sure if it goes well with 220v systems.
That.s the best I could find today, as we have a holiday going on, but will check with the up to date electrician as well.
Will fix this earthing problem asap.

Meanwhile, I,ll do some research about this gearing inputs I need to make.

Thank you.

[Clive S]

Meanwhile just knock a copper tube in and connect to you mains earth. It has to be better that getting small electric shocks

[Radu_Andrei]

In settings tab, I typed I want to move it 50, and it did move 150, and mach 3 set it to 160 steps. Now in mdi tab, I typed g1 x100 f300, it moved 100mm but very very slow.
The driver setting is at 800.

I did try g1 x100 f2000 but still slow, so I honestly have no clue what this means, if it.s just the the speed used in this setup, or the speed of the machine, or anything else. As I said, I need to study some basic things about this, so I would guess it.s easier if you.d guide me towards some reading material rather than test your patience, which was already strained since I started this topic.

[Clive S]

Now about the g code, putting g1 x100 f300 into mdi, moves the axis 50 cm.
All ballscrews are 5mm pitch, and the toothed pulleys on the Z are at a ratio of 2:1, 20 teeth for the stepper and 40 for the screw, so I.m sure I.ll have to mention this somewhere in mach3.

Ok I found this for you:-

In Mach3, go to the Settings Tab, and select "Set Steps Per Unit". It will ask you how far to move the machine. Before you do this, make a mark on the table exactly where the end mill is resting. You can do this by lowering the end mill until it touches the material, then spinning it by hand to cut a small dimple in the material. Then, raise the end mill to clear the material, and assign a distance to move the machine. Once the machine moves and stops, measure the exact distance that it actually traveled with a tape measure, and enter this value into the dialog box that asks how far it moved. Mach3 will automatically adjust your steps per unit for that axis to be more accurate. Do this for all axes often to ensure you are cutting accurately. The longer distances you use calibrate, and the more precise you are with your measurements, the better.