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Author Topic: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy  (Read 3918 times)

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Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« on: January 13, 2013, 10:19:49 AM »
I am new.  Hello everyone.  I would appreciate some help.  I am sure you have heard this before so please have a heart and help.

So I bought the bluechick and put it together. I bought Mach 3 and have it working kinda. I get things working and then something else goes whacko.  So here goes.  I have had a lot of problems with the Z axis on this machine.  It seems not as robust as it should and this has consumed lots of hours to get working.

Main issue is how to get the machine to cut the RoadRunner.  I am making it hard by not installing the limit switches but I think it is a bit more.  I was told all I had to do to play with the machine is to set up the software and then zero out the machine on the corner of the work piece and it would work.

Well that is not what is happening.  The machine takes off and leaves the work piece and then does it thing. I am confused how to set it up and what to do.  I am much better following a check list than anything else. I think I understand there are 2 different coordinate systems.  First is the machine and the second is the work piece. The BlueChick is supposed to be 36X12Xby_something_Z.  The Z parameter is an issue.  The screw is 7 inches long but the actual amount of movement is something less than 4 inches.  I would dearly love to know what other BlueChick owners are using.
 
The other issue confusing me is where does Mach 3 store the machine dimensions. I see where the soft limits are entered and I guess that if I had set up the limit switches the software would somehow understand what the dimensions of the table is by activating the switches.  Anyone out there who can help. I have not got any thing from the BuildyourCnC forum and you guys are my only hope left.

Thanks ??? ???

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2013, 10:58:27 AM »
If it’s any help, a very basic initial setup…

Load the Road Runner GCode, jog your X and Y axes to the lower left hand corner of your machine and then zero the X and Y axes DRO’s. Place the lower left corner of your work material here.
Jog the Z axis so the tool tip is just touching the surface of the work and then zero the Z axis DRO. Jog the Z axis so the tool tip is clear of the work surface.
Click on the Toolpath tab – this will show you the Program Limits (Maximum X , Y & Z dimensions). If it is too big for your work material then return to the main window and set the X, Y & Z Scale DRO,s accordingly (1.0000 = full size, 0.5000 = half size, etc).

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2013, 01:44:08 PM »
Thank you sir.  I am going to try it this afternoon and will report back.

Hank
Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2013, 03:29:46 PM »
Mr Tweakie:

Your advice saved the day.  It works by the Lord.  Now if I could only make it bigger.  Got any advice on how to get the scale fields to work.

thanks again

Hank Staub

Offline Hood

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Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2013, 04:05:16 PM »
Simply putting 2 in each of the scale DROs will double it, 4 will quadruple etc.
Hood
Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2013, 04:18:57 PM »
Thanks.

I have been trying to type 1.5 into the little boxes next to the X and Y axis and it won't take.  So it is supposed to work I just either don't know how to do it right or there is some trick I do not know?
Any thoughts Mr. Hood?

Thank You

Offline Hood

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Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2013, 04:24:31 PM »
Press Enter on your keyboard after you type in the value.
Hood
Re: Mach 3 and BlueChick v4.2 setup Very Confused Old Guy
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2013, 11:05:18 PM »
Thanks for all the help.  I have been successful with the help so far so I want to ask how do you go about using the offset page in mach 3.  I want to move off the 0,0 position and go to another location. I have read the instructions and looked at the videos and played with the old Road runner and have only succeed in removing a layer of plywood from the work piece.  I do not think my Z axis is working the way it should. I zero it out against the 3/4 in plywood board but get varying results. Mainly I get an area where the router removes a layer of plywood. It runs thru all the code but I do not see anything remotely resembling the Roadrunner I see in the display on Mach 3. I am really mystified :'( :'(