Installing Mach 3 is driving me mad!

[tonygagey]

Just the y, but have been advised that I needone on A to prevent racking.

[Ger21]

With only one switch, all you need to do is check the "home slave with master" box.
You won't get any racking with only one switch, but you also will not be able to auto square the gantry when homing.

[Clive S]

Just the y, but have been advised that I needone on A to prevent racking.

I would suggest you really do need two switches then you can adjust one of them to correct any slight squaring issue you might have. The two switches need to be on separate inputs to Mach. ..Clive

[tonygagey]

ok so I can now ref home and Z references first then Y and finally X, all seems as it should be to me.
New problem, I jog to work piece, home at the cutting position and regen toolpath,thats right ? yes?
then machine tries to cut through to china! and to top it all off after I reset and checked my settings , hit start , and in stopped saying limit switch activated and keeps on cutting out after reset (which is accepted) immediately I hit start!
Seriously is there a simpler alternative to Mach3?

[Clive S]

Have you set it to mm in Mach post the top 30 lines of your gcode.. I take it when you make a Z move to cut it does a -Z move and not a +Z There is nothing wrong with Mach it just need to be set up correctly then you will be fine.

[tonygagey]

Have you set it to mm in Mach post the top 30 lines of your gcode.. I take it when you make a Z move to cut it does a -Z move and not a +Z There is nothing wrong with Mach it just need to be set up correctly then you will be fine.

Set To mm Yes. You want me to post the first 30 lines of gcode but not sure how?will try to copy + paste here
F60.000000
G0 X0.000000 Y0.000000 Z0.200000
M3
S60.000000
G43H5
G0 X0.000000 Y0.000000 Z0.200000
G0 X1.179950 Y4.004260 Z0.200000
G1 X1.179950 Y4.004260 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.179950 Y4.004260 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.179950 Y3.980210 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.175140 Y3.980210 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.175140 Y4.004260 Z-0.100000
G0 X1.175140 Y4.004260 Z0.200000
G0 X1.137080 Y3.324440 Z0.200000
G1 X1.137080 Y3.324440 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.137080 Y3.324440 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.187870 Y3.347020 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.255590 Y3.369600 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.340240 Y3.397820 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.419250 Y3.426050 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.498260 Y3.454280 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.554700 Y3.471220 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.588550 Y3.482510 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.644990 Y3.482510 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.701420 Y3.482510 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.746570 Y3.482510 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.797360 Y3.488150 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.842510 Y3.493800 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.887650 Y3.505080 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.932800 Y3.516370 Z-0.100000
G1 X1.977950 Y3.533310 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.040020 Y3.538950 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.102100 Y3.533310 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.164180 Y3.522020 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.237540 Y3.505080 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.305260 Y3.488150 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.378620 Y3.459930 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.446350 Y3.431700 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.519710 Y3.397820 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.660790 Y3.330090 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.796230 Y3.262340 Z-0.100000
G1 X2.914740 Y3.200240 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.016330 Y3.149440 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.084050 Y3.109930 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.146120 Y3.070400 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.213850 Y3.030890 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.281560 Y2.991380 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.349290 Y2.951860 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.411360 Y2.917990 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.473440 Y2.884120 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.676600 Y2.771220 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.823330 Y2.686540 Z-0.100000
G1 X3.970060 Y2.601860 Z-0.100000
G1 X4.116780 Y2.517180 Z-0.100000
Set all axis how tutorial vids from mach 3 on youtube advise, ie z homes to top(I think that is - is it not,therefore it cuts to + ?)

[Clive S]

Tony I have sent you a PM.

What CAM program have you used? according to the gcode the max Z is only 0.1mm deep and about 4 x 3mm in size. Is this what you intended?
.
Have you done the WORK Z zero on the bed or on the top of the part?
.
Edit: I notice that you have a G43H5 tool length compensation at the top of the gcode that will add to the depth of the tool.
.
Is this gcode been copied from the top as there is no initiation string there.!!! With a G21 etc in it.