Newbie- Mach 3 setup - buildyourcnc 1.2 kit and xylotex kit

[alleycat_tn]

OK, I'm gonna try to include everything important.
Let me know if I need to provide more info.
Total CNC newbie but tech savvy.

I have a Buildyourcnc.com kit (Ver. 1.2) fully assembled.
It uses 1/2" leadscrews bought at Lowes.
My steppers and controllers are the Xylotex 3-axis kit with 269oz motors.

I just can't seem to get mach3 dialed in.
I have the pins and ports section pretty well handled, it's the motor tuning that has me stumped. I tried to cut the roadrunner and it's very small.
Somebody please, enlighten me.

[pminmo]

Have you set your steps per inch?

[alleycat_tn]

I don't think I have. Where would I do that in Mach and what do I set it to?

[pminmo]

Motor tuning tab. http://pminmo.com/PMinMOwiki/index.p...ach3MotorT.png "Steps per" This may help also: http://pminmo.com/PMinMOwiki/index.p...le=MACH3_setup

[alleycat_tn]

Thanks, I see where to put it in now but don't see anything in my documentation about the "steps per inch" for my motors!? Google isn't being helpful either.

[ger21]

If you're screws are 13 tpi, then it's 13 x 200 x 8.

[alleycat_tn]

Gerry,
Thanks for that info. Let me see if I've got it straight.

tpi x 200 x 8 = Steps per

What does the 200 and the 8 represent?

[ger21]

Stepper motor = 200 steps/rev
Xylotex default is 8 microsteps.

[hndswthtshdws]

200 = steps per revolution of your motor.
8 = microstepping setting. I believe you can change the jumpers to change it from 8x to 4x, 2x, and 1x.

EDIT: Got beat to it :-(

[alleycat_tn]

Okay! Now it's starting to come together and make sense!
I'm gonna have to pause my CNC fiddling for tonight though.

I've managed to cut a few half roadrunners. I'm almost ready to plot down the cash for Mach3.

Still have some tweaking to do.
Thanks again.