Hi,
I'm quite new to CNC Routering - I've built my own machine but I'm now trying to get a handle on the use of it. Could anyone shed some light on the best practice for zeroing and then tool changing on a CNC Router please?
To zero XYZ initially I was planning on using a script and some metal plates connected through the breakout board - I first found Mr Cockrums macro but since then I've found and added to airnocker's auto tool zero macro. My version of the code first asks the user for the diameter of the probe/cutting tool and then uses the radius of this probe/tool to calculate the offset for zero (I've not tried it yet!). I thought it sounded fine in principle...
But then I'm wondering... say I use an end mill to machine a flat shaped area into which I want to then V-Carve (for example to make a sign)... If I zero XYZ using the mill (which as a cylinder should be fine), then cut, then want to swap the tool for the V-Carve cutter I just swap it out and zero the Z axis again (because the centre of the tool will be the same) - is my theory. The assumption I'm making is that XY shouldn't need re-zeroing, but is this bad-form considering I've just been un-tightening/tightening the spindle in-situ - am I safe to assume it won't have moved? If not, how would you zero a V-Carve cutter with only 2 straight flutes?
I've tried looking up information on tool tables (which I don't think would work because the cutter height won't always be the same in the spindle if she shanks aren't long enough to stop at the end of the collet) and offsets in Mach3 but I'm still not understanding something - I think I might be over-complicating it all!
Regards,
Matthew