Is anyone using vcarve and cncjs? I am having trouble zeroing out my work and getting it to carve.
I did get it to run a program but it seems to be running opposite. It looks like it sends the z axis up when it is cutting. I tried reversing polarity on the z motor but then when I homed it out it would drop all the way to the spoil board. I am ready to set my house on fire I’m so mad. I can’t believe a stupid machine is out witting me.
I haven’t used cncjs, but if it’s anything like chili pepper, my friend with an xcarve hated it.
What controller are you using?
Grbl on Gradus M1 with bCNC is working great for me.
@Jeb_Campbell I am using Tinyg. My set up is Vcarve pro 9.0 a laptop with windows 10 and Tinyg. I am looking for a non web based program as there is no internet here. At this point I wouldn’t care if it cost me some additional money.
Try bCNC (runs on Windows and Linux, and probably OSX):
I’m not sure if it supports TinyG (which was a fork of grbl), but it’s worth a shot.
You need to install python. When I get a chance, I’ll document my notes on the install.
@Jeb_Campbell thanks. I have been so ticked off all day. This ma mine will not beat me.
Have a good day.
I’m sure you’ve looked but I just glanced here:
I can tell you how my config steps with grbl and bCNC went (and I had a few of your same issues with it).
First step – understand positive and negative movement. (and machine vs work coordinates). Put a sheet of paper on your board (and I’m assuming you home to the top right of the machine – you should…).
Positive X moves to the right, Positive Y moves back, and Positive Z moves up. Get this going correct first (flip motor leads or change controller configuration)
Second step – Homing. We make homing moves in the positive direction (right, back, up). Get homing working. I did not have the included capacitors on the homing inputs and it drove me nuts – the limit got triggered w/o the switch and then backed off in the wrong direction (this might be what you are seeing).
Third step – begin to understand MCS and WCS – Machine coordinate system and work coordinate system. After my machine homes, it is at MCS (5mm, -5mm, -5mm) as I backoff 5mm from the limit switches. Therefore the limit switches are (0,0,0). Understand MCS should always be negative after homing (this is because we subtract/cut material with this machine - 3d printers have a positive MCS…).
Now when you jog the machine around you can then set a WCS to (0,0,0) and the MCS might be (540.3,-325.0,-36). The controller sends the command to set the WCS to 0 - you can zero X,Y,Z independently.
Fourth step – dial in distances. Now that you are moving in the correct directions, and can home, you can dial in your distances. Basically, the 8mm leadscrew should be 8mm per revolution, but it isn’t… See previous discussions or let me know if you need help.
Good luck, and check those capacitors on the limit switch inputs…
Correction to Homing – it moved negative when I homed, but that was because it limit switch was triggering without the capacitor, and it thought it was backing off the switch.
And sorry for the strikethroughs… I see why it did it, but I can’t edit it…
@Jeb_Campbell Thanks. I did get it to carve but it is backwards. I will try these things tomorrow. I am just happy I got it to do anything . Even if it is wrong.
@Jeb_Campbell I got it homing correctly.The only problem is when i home Z it drops down about 5mm then picks it up. is there any program line for tinyg set up to stop doing it?
@Edward_Bigham To be clear, is it homing X to the right, and Y to the back? But the Z home goes down?
Now if you are talking about Z probing to set your WCS, that is what I’m learning right now.
But if a commanded Z positive movement goes up, and Z home goes down, then that is either a tinyg homing config, or the z limit switch is bouncing from electrical noise and needs that capacitor (I think).
@Jeb_Campbell no. X goes to the right, Y goes to the back and the z axis will home all the way up but first it goes down about 5 or 10mm.
@Edward_Bigham That is an odd one. Must be a tinyg thing. But it sounds like you have everything else coming along nicely.
Everything else is fine. I surfaced my spoiler board and made a name sign. Tomorrow I will I’ll plot out holes for dogs so I can clamp down my work pieces. I designed some cam clamps. I just have to figure out the holes.
@Edward_Bigham reading the info at:
It looks like Tinyg is pretty powerful and configurable. I didn’t realize it had separate Zmin and Zmax inputs.
It also has a procedure to back off them if they are triggered.
And it has soft limits — did you set table travel?
Still could be wiring or config.
But it did have some commands to home an axis at a time and get feedback — you might have to direct connect with Putty (a free ssh and serial client).