Dave,
I bravely tried edge probing WCO's today. I have a Wildhorse probe, Tool 250, tip dia .125. BP conversion with knee CNC'd. The machine works well otherwise, and the probe worked with HossMachine screens previously.
Probing simple -X, no problem. I have X/Y and Z clearance set to .100. Fast feed 15 IPM, slow feed 4 IPM. It probed, twice, backed off. X showed it was at +.1625, where it should be, .100 clearance, plus half the probe dia.
But, doing -Y or +Y, it probed OK, but when it got done and said it was at +.1625 or -.1625, it wasn't, it was further. It SEEMED to be off by half the X/Y clearance extra. Jogging back 'til the probe light came on at the edge seemed to confirm. So what have I got wrong here?
Also, and this is the bad one. Tried probing Z, it went down to touch, stopped, then seemed to want to apply the Z clearance negatively, it moved down!! I hit the big red button before it smashed the probe so I don't know how far it WANTED to move, but I'm guessing the Z clearance plus half the probe tip, or at least the Z clearance. Now, of course, I'm afraid to try again. I tried off the part, out in the air, just hitting the probe manually, but I don't know the routine, so I get a probe error, probably because I don't know the timing to hit the probe, it moves so little. I tried with no slow feed, so it would maybe just hit once, but I couldn't get it to work by hand.
Now I did NOT calibrate the probe, I don't have a ring gage. Is that my problem? Not sure why X works and Y does not, it that's the problem. And no explanation for Z. I set the probe tool length offset manually with a 1" gage block after setting Z and using the block on that.
I don't need a negative Z clearance, do I?