3 Axis CNC router

[JoeHarris]

Hello! Nice to see so many of you are still on here! Hope you’re all alright.

[JAZZCNC]

Hello! Nice to see so many of you are still on here! Hope you’re all alright.

I'm ready to explode with frustration trying to deal with banks and I would like to strap them one by one to the bed of the 10x 5 router I'm building and peck drill tiny holes into there heads so they can feel how my head does and while at it just to make me feel better give them a good stretching...Lol . . . . But other than that I'm surviving Joe, hope you and yours are ok.

Hope that routers not gone rusty in the corner and you've been using it.?

[JoeHarris]

Sounds like your having frustrating time Dean! So my first voyage back into the world of CNC in probably 12 months has ended in frustration too. When I left this project every axis moved, but it had become became apparent that the ballscrew bearings needed shimming on x and z to stop them binding. Pretty annoying to have to start taking things apart... But I stripped them down, made some shims on the lathe and that is how it was left for ages. I guess I just ran out of enthusiasm.

Now, with a bit of time to look at it again and some projects I want to do with the machine I’m keen to get it to work finally... so...

I have now finished the job of putting everything back together. Switched her on and tried to zero the machine. Nothing moved. But on MACH the z was showing as moving!? as if it were moving towards the prox switch to zero out. So I put a screwdriver by the prox switch and immediately the y and x start to move and zero themselves. Tried jogging and y and x move fine, but z only moves on MACH not in reality!? What’s all that about!?

I think the reason I got fed up last time, is because - I really enjoyed all the practical stuff, the welding, the milling, the monotonous drilling and tapping, the wiring up of the control box - but once it came to the computer stuff, I was stumped. CAD I’m fine with, CAM was a bit of a struggle (I think Fusion 360 was maybe a bad place to start) and setting up Mach just baffled me. I struggled to get the machine set up right and struggled to get any code to run. I also never figured out how to get the spindle to be controlled by MACH.

Right now it feels like I have a couple of thousand pounds and couple of thousand hours worth of white elephant sitting in the garage. Argh!

[AndyUK]

Hi Joe - don't lose faith, you're so close.

The axis can appear to move on the computer but not in reality because it's not a closed loop - the commands are sent from Mach, but it just has to trust that they happened. The problem will be somewhre from the CS Labs controller down to the motor (narrowed down real far, eh?) I'd swap over some components between axis to see what works and what doesn't - e.g. connect Z motor to Y drive.

Regards software - I consider myself quite savvvy. I've programmed my own basic version of Mach3 in the past, I write code on a daily basis, and have a job which is technology based. But to hell if I can work Fusion 360. I'm a solidworks guy, and that makes sense, but fusion is just another way of thinking.

My advice, from someone who has just got their machine (which is mostly based on yours) working is forget fusion for now. Try something simpler and more user friendly like Aspire - it's a lot more intuitive. Less capable, sure, but plenty enough to start with. Baby steps. One day I'll tackle fusion again....

Oh.. and that machine you've built? It's bloody fantastic if my carbon copy is anything to go by.

[JAZZCNC]

Joe, it's probably the Z-axis drive that's not switched on, does it light up.? If not check the fuses if you have them. If the machines not been stored in damp conditions then I can't imagine the drives gone faulty.

Like Andy says don't let it get you down and if you still have my number give me a ring, I'll help you get Mach3 setup if it's still giving you headache. If not then drop me a PM and I'll send it.

You have built a cracking little machine with all the correct gear and it just needs the odd tweak which is quite normal. When it's fettled and you have nailed the cam side down a little better it will put BIG smiles on your face..! . . . . Like Andy says dump fusion 360 if it's giving you grief, I use SW and I'm a bit of whiz with it but fusion even gives me brain ache at times so it's not surprising folks struggle.

However, I must clarify and be fair to fusion 360 and say my son who as virtually zero experience with CAD or CAM managed to use it and generate code for a fairly complex part with adaptive paths and multiple tools without too much trouble. (Thou I didn't let him loose on my machine until I'd checked it... Lol) So I suppose it can't be that hard but we all learn technology differently and he's young at 24 so maybe picks this shit up quicker than us old farts...Lol

Anyway, get in touch and I'll soon have slinging chips.

[JoeHarris]

The axis can appear to move on the computer but not in reality because it's not a closed loop - the commands are sent from Mach, but it just has to trust that they happened. The problem will be somewhre from the CS Labs controller down to the motor (narrowed down real far, eh?) I'd swap over some components between axis to see what works and what doesn't - e.g. connect Z motor to Y drive

Thanks Andy, that makes sense, I will try swapping things around and see if I can figure out where the fault is... and take your point on 360, although I think I could work it out eventually, it’s just getting it and MACH set up with the machine that I can’t figure out. Aspire looks great but it was the £1500 price tag that put me off! If the machine worked and made some money then maybe I could justify it one day!!

Joe, it's probably the Z-axis drive that's not switched on, does it light up.? If not check the fuses if you have them. If the machines not been stored in damp conditions then I can't imagine the drives gone faulty.

Like Andy says don't let it get you down and if you still have my number give me a ring, I'll help you get Mach3 setup if it's still giving you headache.

Unfortunately I don’t think it is that simple. At first I thought it was just because I had isolated the drive while I was working on it previously, but it’s not that. The drive turns on and is delivering power to the motor on z as you can hear it and it resists you pulling on the belt (I can move the axis manually by pulling on the belt when it’s off). It is pretty dry in the garage and it has been sealed up in the cabinet since it was last on...

To be honest, Dean, I would really appreciate a bit of your time to get it set up properly. I feel like I’m going to struggle to ever get it up and running without some expert input! I’ll drop you a DM if that’s alright.

The encouragement from both of you is much appreciated!

[AndyUK]

Aspire looks great but it was the £1500 price tag that put me off! If the machine worked and made some money then maybe I could justify it one day!!

The Vectric products come in teirs so its not quite that bad! Take a look at VCarve Desktop, which has pretty much all the 2D, 2.5D and 3D machining you'll need before wanting to move to fusion for the more complex stuff. Only minor draw back is the 600x600mm limit on projects. £275. Free trial available and lots of videos on youtube for examples.

https://www.vectric.com/products/vcarve-desktop

I haven't looked at CamBam yet though as a disclaimer, so couldn't compare the two.


Looks like Dean will sort it out pretty fast - but for what its worth if the drive is powered and the motors okay, the next check for me would be the wiring between CSLabs and Z drive. Maybe plug the Z drive signals into the Y drive and vice versa. The problem will either follow the Z driver, the Z wiring, or the Z output on the CSLabs controller.

[JoeHarris]

The Vectric products come in teirs so its not quite that bad! Take a look at VCarve Desktop, which has pretty much all the 2D, 2.5D and 3D machining you'll need before wanting to move to fusion for the more complex stuff. Only minor draw back is the 600x600mm limit on projects. £275. Free trial available and lots of videos on youtube for examples.

https://www.vectric.com/products/vcarve-desktop

I haven't looked at CamBam yet though as a disclaimer, so couldn't compare the two.

Thanks Andy, I did have a look at V-carve last night and your right it does look good. Will have a look at Cam bam too once I'm up and running.

the next check for me would be the wiring between CSLabs and Z drive. Maybe plug the Z drive signals into the Y drive and vice versa. The problem will either follow the Z driver, the Z wiring, or the Z output on the CSLabs controller.

OK, the thing I cant understand is that it was all working fine last time I had it switch on and I don't think I've messed with the wiring since. The only thing I can think of is that I tried to (unsuccessfully) wire in the spindle control. But can't see how that would be connected.

[JAZZCNC]

I've tried to gey my head round Fusion360 a few times but it just doesn't seem to work for me either. I've used CamBam since the first day I switched on my original MDF and allthread machine and am still very happy with it, especially with the huge range of useful add-ons available from the very active support community. You have to pay for it but it's a one-off payment that gets you a lifetime of updates.

CamBam is another I didn't get on with and I found it limited in what it could do, but that was a long time ago, I'm sure it's come on since.

The problem will either follow the Z driver, the Z wiring, or the Z output on the CSLabs controller.

Most likely a bad wire if it's in this area, I'd be amazed if it's the Cslabs output as they are generally bulletproof.

To be honest, Dean, I would really appreciate a bit of your time to get it set up properly. I feel like I’m going to struggle to ever get it up and running without some expert input! I’ll drop you a DM if that’s alright.

No problem, we will get you going in no time Joe. It will be something silly, usually is.!

Joe just try this for me because I've had this happen before just on Z axis where it won't Jog but it will move with a command... So Do an MDI move.

Make sure got enough room for Z to move Then Zero it out on the DRO and type G1 Z -10 (note the Minus) F500 into the MDI command bar and see if it moves.

Let me know how get on.

[Clive S]

Joe. I am not going to muddy the waters as I am not familiar with the CS-labs stuff and Dean will sort it with you. Just keep the pecker up.