Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: jpeter on February 22, 2014, 02:44:08 PM

Title: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 22, 2014, 02:44:08 PM
Hope I'm in the right forum:
Been using mach3 for a long time. Installed it on a new computer, still running XP. Been using spindle stop/start, m3, m5, f5 to toggle the spindle for some time. On the new computer I've got trouble. Seems m3 and m5 work but f5 only starts and stops the spindle once. After that the yellow spindle indicator continues to blink yellow and spindle control is lost. MIDI m3 and m5 still work. Some glitch in the software is causing me trouble. Once again, f5 toggles the spindle on or off only once and then becomes ineffective. M3 and m5 always work. Help.
I posted this idea twice by mistake. Sorry.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Tweakie.CNC on February 24, 2014, 03:28:32 AM
Hi Jim,

It is possible that you have a bad installation of Mach3 or a bad .xml file.
Try re-installing Mach3 (perhaps the same version you have been using previously) and see if that cures the problem.

Tweakie.

(n.b. I deleted your other post to keep any other suggestions etc. within the one thread).
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 24, 2014, 01:28:25 PM
Thanks for the comment and thanks too for the deletion. I hate to do a reinstall but the tought has occured to me.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 24, 2014, 04:55:36 PM
Well did the reinstall. Still troubled.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 24, 2014, 05:31:05 PM
What version of Mach are you using? Also attach your xml and I will see if I can replicate here.
Hood
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 25, 2014, 03:04:21 PM
Version r3.043.066.
I Changed the extension to .txt so I could attach it. I see that's not a allowed file type either but I'm gonna try it anyway.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 25, 2014, 03:56:53 PM
Ok I am not sure exactly how you are controlling the spindle speed but I think your problem may lie in your spindles motor tuning. It is set to very low values and the 1 step per rev would seem to be the problematic one.
If you set a more realistic values there I think it will work for you. What exactly you should set will depend on your spindle controller.

Hood
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 25, 2014, 05:14:12 PM
Good job Hood. That fixed it. Surprised me. I thought cuz I was only starting a vfd the motor tuning didn't count. I wonder if I'd waited longer if the motor would have started? Anyway, it's work'n now and that's whats counts. Thanks again, I'm forever greatful.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 25, 2014, 05:19:15 PM
If you are simply controlling the start/stop then you do not need the "Use Spindle Motor Outpurt" option chosen in Ports and Pins, Spindle Setup and that would mean Motor Tuning has no effect on things.

Hood
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: jpeter on February 25, 2014, 05:34:48 PM
Good point. Yeah, I disabled the spindle motor tuning option and the spindle still works. So having spindle enabled in motor tuning was basically the problem all along. Thanks,
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Fastest1 on February 26, 2014, 09:05:34 AM
   jpeter, You arent the first to be confused with spindle set up. Nor will you be the last. I wouldnt have gotten it right even if I did read the manual.

   Yes I have read the whole thing a few times now and there is still plenty to misunderstand.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 26, 2014, 09:25:58 AM
Thats where you are going wrong, I have never read the manual, maybe parts when someone has referenced it but thats all ;D

Hood
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Fastest1 on February 26, 2014, 10:55:18 AM
Hood, You probably wrote it. Or maybe it was Rich? I am still trying to understand why Lupe was on the 50 yard line ;-)
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 26, 2014, 01:07:56 PM
Nope, neither of us, Rich did the Turn threading one and I think he has done a few other write-ups. Me I have not done any, too lazy to write more than a few words :)
John Prentice did the original Mach3 Mill manual and I think also the Turn one.

Hood
Title: spindle control help needed
Post by: Fastest1 on February 26, 2014, 04:46:14 PM
You know I was kidding.

 The reference to Lupe was when Rich was trying to get me to understand tool offsets on my lathe.

He sure tried.
Title: Re: spindle control help needed
Post by: Hood on February 26, 2014, 04:56:01 PM
Yes I recall that, had me confused as well but Rich knew what he was meaning ;D
Hood