Need Help!- My cnc is now complete

[pen55]

Hi there
Can anyone help me to get my cnc cutting, i have taken some time completing my Rockcliff cnc machine. and would now like to be able to setup the machine and do some cutting, But do not know what to do now its finished.
If there is anyone who can help me understand what i need to do now would be most helpful.
many thanks
peter

[mcyr]

What information are you looking for? What software are you using to control your cnc? It's hard to help if you aren't specific.

Mike

[pen55]

Thanks Mike
For replying to my post, right i have a fixed gantry 3 axis rockcliff cnc, with 3 262 oz motors, with 2.5 amp drivers from Routout cnc, software i'm using is Mach3.
I need help with setting up ready for cutting some MDF to start with.
I had great fun building the cnc, but now when it comes too getting to run a wizard from Mach3 i do'nt know where to start.
regards
peter

[mcyr]

No problem! Let's start with first things first. Have you actually run Mach3 to control the motors? Are they moving in the direction you expect? Have you tuned the motors so that you can run each axis as fast as possible without the motors missing steps? Limit switches being used? Are they set up to function yet? Lots of stuff to do before an actual cut is made! But its hard to control the excitement, isn't it?

Best thing to do before jumping into cutting wood at this point is to make sure you have Mach3 configured properly. Have you downloaded and read the manual for Mach3? It's a useful document with lots of information that's worth printing out a hardcopy to refer to easily.

Once you've completed the comfiguration be sure to save the Mach3Mill.xml file someplace besides the hardrive that you are using for Mach3. Don't ask me why I know this is important!!

After this it's worth learning a little about referencing so that you don't have an accident that puts you out of comission for a while.

Do you have the demo version of Mach3? What are you using for CAM software? Lazy Cam?

Best regards,
Mike

[pen55]

Cheers Mike

I have downloaded the Mach3 from the artsoft website. And has lazycam with it.
I have all 3 motors moving, they all move acording to the arrows when you hit the tab key for jogging, but have not yet finished the limit switches on.
Should finish the limits 2moro, and thats it, have been making a metal plate to set up the height of the spindle that works really well and was easy to do.

I have been looking on the net to find some files to D/L and run.
regards
peter

[mcyr]

Sounds like you're pretty far along, Peter.

I'm using the metal plate for quick settings of the Z-axis. It's great and a real time saver. You're going to like it too, I'm sure.

Are you looking for a g-code program just to try things out? I've attached a txt file that has the g-code (please note that the dimensions are in inches, not metric) for a case that I'm making to hold a photosensor to pick up the router speed and be input into Mach3. I'm a sucker for gadgets and filling up as many inputs as I can! Digitizer probe is next.


Best regards,
Mike