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Author Topic: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?  (Read 5462 times)

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Offline cephjedi

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Hi Gang!

I long to join the ranks of the mad scientists who have built their own CNC devices, and am now gradually taking the plunge, amassing various parts from the world's largest garage store- ebay.   I received my ebay stepper/controller/ hardware kit yesterday and hooked it up today to a laptop.  A couple more shipments and I'll be heading to home depot for some MDF!   (eventual goal:  carve guitar bodies.  For now, grind out parts for small projects and RC gizmos.)

This is the kit:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230084396133&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RCRX_RCRX_Pr4_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=230078761180&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

I first installed Kellyware's Kcam and managed to troubleshoot the stepper voltages and amps (and set the parallel port to EPP) and quickly managed to get all three axis' to turn.  (Woohoo!)

Then I installed Mach 3 Mill....referencing the documentation and watching the tutorial videos several times.....

....and I just can't get it to turn the motors.   I've fussed with it for so long my eyes are glazing over.....This program can seemingly do anything, but there's got to be some little setting I'm missing.   Perhaps one of you folks can lend me a hand?

Here's the diagnostics I've got:

-The driver test runs fine.
-The pins on the LPT port are configured properly- 2&3 for X, 4&5 for Y, 6&7 on Z.  It works A-OK in kcam.
- No limit switches (yet)
- The LPT pinouts in the diagnostics page never light
- In fact, the only LED that's lit in diagnostics is under "Output Signals Current State"   "Enable 1" is red.  I think that's the smoking gun, but I don't know how to fix it.
Under config-> outputs, nothing's checked.  If I check off "Enable1" it has no effect.   I think Mach is just not sending anything at all out on the cable.

Can someone give me a little guidance?   Many thanks in advance!   

CephJedi
I

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Offline Chaoticone

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Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2007, 07:25:43 PM »
Change the active low state on the enable.

Brett
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Offline Chaoticone

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Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2007, 07:27:15 PM »
Meant to say, post your xml also.


Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!

Offline cephjedi

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Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2007, 08:49:47 AM »
Here's my XML file...I've flipped so many settings on and off, I've lost track of what I tried!

Thanks in advance!   CJ
The Force is like Duct Tape:  It has a Light Side and a Dark Side and it binds the galaxy together.

Offline Chip

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Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2007, 10:51:07 PM »
Hi, CJ

Try this XML, it shows port active couldn't get yours to work, no port output in Diag.

Hope this Helps, Chip
Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2007, 09:39:18 PM »
Sherline mode :) Try that... you may not even be tripping the Opto's
Fixing problems one post at a time ;)

www.newfangledsolutions.com
www.machsupport.com

Offline cephjedi

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Re: Motors turn in Kcam, but not mach. What on earth am I doing wrong?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2007, 08:59:35 AM »
Hi Gang!

Thanks for the advice and the alternate XML file (which I still have to try) 

I gave up on that computer and ended up installing mach on a different laptop.  Even though the installation routine was the same (at least I think so) it worked just fine this time.  I'll go back to the other machine to figure out what I was doing wrong, but for now at least I've got motors spinning.   

I've never had such a buzz over watching a motor spin!    Most of the stuff I've ordered from Ebay is in (chunks of delrin, ground rod, tap and die set, etc...) so this weekend I'll start constructing my first CNC machine.     This is very exciting!

Thanks again, CephJedi
The Force is like Duct Tape:  It has a Light Side and a Dark Side and it binds the galaxy together.