I prefer the master tool to be a non-cutting tool as it won’t wear down over time. I prefer the steel dowel because then I can I’m use it for corner finding too and not worry about the rotation of the cutter. Great video as always.
Yeah, good point Jason! A precision steel dowel is great for corner finding w/Avid's touch plate. In theory, once you setup any given height, you can use ANY tool to touch off the surface plate for measuring any other tool (including using the Edge Tech gauge block), but it will have an issue with wear over time as you pointed out.
FYI. I wired up a double A battery to a led light with alligator clips at both ends. When I touch off to the work piece or the table top. I apply a piece of aluminum duck tape to the part I want to touch off from. Bring the tool down until the led lights up and I have Zero. Works for me.
Great set of videos and really appreciate the effort you put into this. Question where is the gauge block set to 4.0 like you have n the video. I purchased the zero gauge you recommended but can find anywhere too set the height ? Again fantastic job on the videos.
Yeah! The default Avid CNC screen set in Mach 4 doesn't have this. You have to use the ATC Screen Set I made, or load the one that come's with Avid CNC called "wxRouter" (or something like that). You can go back to any other screen set after setting a tool height.
Hi Sir, I can see you are an expert..! I hope you can help me..! Can you demystify some of my worries..? There is lot of confusion regarding the reliability and consistency of mach3 as it is PC based and USB or Parallel port.! Lot of people say that it may behave funny in the middle of a project and it may ruin the entire job..! which can be caused by slight voltage spikes from nearby high power accessories like VFD or Motors. And relying fully on PC for CNC operation is not recommended. I am so worried about all these..! I am not sure how much immunity against such HF-RF Noise shielded cables can offer..! But dedicated CNC controllers like Masso and RichAuto are insanely priced.! and I don't have access to USA or Euro Based other CNC Controllers here..! People have also mentioned that If signal voltage is high (24v or higher) It can withstand such interferences..! But mach3 operates at 5V only..! So there is high chance of signal contamination..! Is that a huge concern..? Mach3 Boards are affordable. But If I cant use them for longer projects , then there is no point in spending money for all the parts which are still expensive..! I am so worried..! Secondly, I have seen in videos that The baud rate that mach3 communicates at , is not adequate to drive powerful servos..! ! So Only steppers at low power application is possible with Mach3. That is so discouraging..! Can you help me?
Hi! I'm only familiar with Mach 4 communicating to the CNC machine with ESS (Ethernet Smooth Stepper). Mach 3 is very outdated; don't use it. ESS seems quite stable and works well; you will want to use a shielded ethernet cable. You shouldn't have any noise issues if you use a shielded cable, and have a short run from your PC to the controller. I have heard of some people having issues due to having too slow of a PC; buy a computer that is adequately spec'ed; I spent $800 on mine, and it is great. I also heard of some people having static issues with their dust collection causing problems; I have lots of static build up; my tubes attract dust and particles, but I have not had issues with my CNC machine because of that. If you do, you can ground your dust collection tubes. Best of luck!
Good day Corbin. Great video series by the way. So i measured out my zbump and set it up for my ATC. It works amazing well with grabbing a tool, but when it goes to drop a tool off, the Z up doesnt quite account for how fast the tool push out goes and flexes my whole mount setup quite aggressively. Ive increases my rapid rate to 600 and even down as low as 50, and the problem remains constant. Not to sure whats up, or if im am being a dough head and completely missed a step. Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
Hey Devon - I got your email and replied there, but I'll do a quick reply here too. The code doesn't do any z-bump for the tool drop off; I based it off CNC Depot's script, which didn't do it. I also have a pause after the release of the drawbar -- my spindle takes a second to release, and without the pause the spindle would start to rip my fork up and off. Your spindle might not need the pause, so try commenting out MCCntlGcodeExecuteWait("G04 P%.4f", 0.3) in the code for the release, but do so at your own risk (it might pull the fork up and out!). Another idea is to combine the GCode to one call, which make Mach4 execute it "quicker", but I haven't tested this: MCCntlGcodeExecuteWait("G04 P%.4f G00 G90 G53 Z%.4f", 0.3, ZClearanceWithNoTool)
Yes! BUT with a bit gotcha: You have to use my custom screen set. The one that Avid provides has a huge bug in it, where if you use their touch off plate code it will crash. This is because they don't account for the tool height set in the tool table. I "work around" this in my screen set by disabling tool heights before their touch plate code is invoked, and then re-enabling it afterwards.
Sure, that's a good question! I haven't noticed any issues with mine changing, but I live in a relatively dry and low-humidity area, and run a de-humidifier to keep the humidity on the low side. I'm near Lake Tahoe, California. I've heard that some people who live in southern USA have pretty big issues with humidity. What type of material are you using for your spoilboard?
was using MDF spoilboard was swelling and contracting worse then my ankles. switched over to extrusion. best decision i ever made, but then again im in ontario canada where the temp could be -20c up to 40 deg c. @@CorbinDunn
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I prefer the master tool to be a non-cutting tool as it won’t wear down over time. I prefer the steel dowel because then I can I’m use it for corner finding too and not worry about the rotation of the cutter. Great video as always.
Yeah, good point Jason! A precision steel dowel is great for corner finding w/Avid's touch plate. In theory, once you setup any given height, you can use ANY tool to touch off the surface plate for measuring any other tool (including using the Edge Tech gauge block), but it will have an issue with wear over time as you pointed out.
FYI. I wired up a double A battery to a led light with alligator clips at both ends. When I touch off to the work piece or the table top. I apply a piece of aluminum duck tape to the part I want to touch off from. Bring the tool down until the led lights up and I have Zero. Works for me.
That's a clever idea! Thanks for sharing!
Great set of videos and really appreciate the effort you put into this. Question where is the gauge block set to 4.0 like you have n the video. I purchased the zero gauge you recommended but can find anywhere too set the height ? Again fantastic job on the videos.
Yeah! The default Avid CNC screen set in Mach 4 doesn't have this. You have to use the ATC Screen Set I made, or load the one that come's with Avid CNC called "wxRouter" (or something like that). You can go back to any other screen set after setting a tool height.
Hi Sir,
I can see you are an expert..! I hope you can help me..!
Can you demystify some of my worries..?
There is lot of confusion regarding the reliability and consistency of mach3 as it is PC based and USB or Parallel port.! Lot of people say that it may behave funny in the middle of a project and it may ruin the entire job..!
which can be caused by slight voltage spikes from nearby high power accessories like VFD or Motors. And relying fully on PC for CNC operation is not recommended. I am so worried about all these..!
I am not sure how much immunity against such HF-RF Noise shielded cables can offer..!
But dedicated CNC controllers like Masso and RichAuto are insanely priced.! and I don't have access to USA or Euro Based other CNC Controllers here..!
People have also mentioned that If signal voltage is high (24v or higher) It can withstand such interferences..!
But mach3 operates at 5V only..! So there is high chance of signal contamination..!
Is that a huge concern..?
Mach3 Boards are affordable.
But If I cant use them for longer projects , then there is no point in spending money for all the parts which are still expensive..!
I am so worried..!
Secondly,
I have seen in videos that
The baud rate that mach3 communicates at , is not adequate to drive powerful servos..! !
So Only steppers at low power application is possible with Mach3.
That is so discouraging..!
Can you help me?
Hi! I'm only familiar with Mach 4 communicating to the CNC machine with ESS (Ethernet Smooth Stepper). Mach 3 is very outdated; don't use it. ESS seems quite stable and works well; you will want to use a shielded ethernet cable. You shouldn't have any noise issues if you use a shielded cable, and have a short run from your PC to the controller. I have heard of some people having issues due to having too slow of a PC; buy a computer that is adequately spec'ed; I spent $800 on mine, and it is great. I also heard of some people having static issues with their dust collection causing problems; I have lots of static build up; my tubes attract dust and particles, but I have not had issues with my CNC machine because of that. If you do, you can ground your dust collection tubes. Best of luck!
@@CorbinDunn thanks sir.
Good day Corbin. Great video series by the way. So i measured out my zbump and set it up for my ATC. It works amazing well with grabbing a tool, but when it goes to drop a tool off, the Z up doesnt quite account for how fast the tool push out goes and flexes my whole mount setup quite aggressively. Ive increases my rapid rate to 600 and even down as low as 50, and the problem remains constant. Not to sure whats up, or if im am being a dough head and completely missed a step. Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
Hey Devon - I got your email and replied there, but I'll do a quick reply here too. The code doesn't do any z-bump for the tool drop off; I based it off CNC Depot's script, which didn't do it. I also have a pause after the release of the drawbar -- my spindle takes a second to release, and without the pause the spindle would start to rip my fork up and off. Your spindle might not need the pause, so try commenting out MCCntlGcodeExecuteWait("G04 P%.4f", 0.3) in the code for the release, but do so at your own risk (it might pull the fork up and out!).
Another idea is to combine the GCode to one call, which make Mach4 execute it "quicker", but I haven't tested this:
MCCntlGcodeExecuteWait("G04 P%.4f
G00 G90 G53 Z%.4f", 0.3, ZClearanceWithNoTool)
Once you have all the tools set up, can you use the avid auto touch plate like usual when you are zeroing the work cs before a job?
Yes! BUT with a bit gotcha: You have to use my custom screen set. The one that Avid provides has a huge bug in it, where if you use their touch off plate code it will crash. This is because they don't account for the tool height set in the tool table. I "work around" this in my screen set by disabling tool heights before their touch plate code is invoked, and then re-enabling it afterwards.
all this accuracy yet using a mdf spoil board that changes with humidity. why.
Sure, that's a good question! I haven't noticed any issues with mine changing, but I live in a relatively dry and low-humidity area, and run a de-humidifier to keep the humidity on the low side. I'm near Lake Tahoe, California. I've heard that some people who live in southern USA have pretty big issues with humidity.
What type of material are you using for your spoilboard?
was using MDF spoilboard was swelling and contracting worse then my ankles. switched over to extrusion. best decision i ever made, but then again im in ontario canada where the temp could be -20c up to 40 deg c. @@CorbinDunn