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

Change the active low state on the enable.

Brett

Meant to say, post your xml also.


Brett

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

Hi, CJ

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

Hope this Helps, Chip

Sherline mode Try that... you may not even be tripping the Opto's

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