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ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« on: February 16, 2015, 01:50:01 PM »
hi!
i finally turned on my cnc after 9 months of building it and ran in to problems within seconds of starting mach 3, im hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction
i have no experience with mach 3 so im sorry if i offend any one with my ignorance.
im using a cncrouter parts machine with their XML set up files.

when testing my 3 axis cnc the first thing i did was jog the motors to make sure they worked in all directions. they did. second i hit the home button to see where it would home on the y axis, it went in the opposite direction i wanted (+), but hit the limit switch and stopped. no problem. then i did the same with the x axis. it did the same (moved in the + direction) except when it hit the limit switch i think one motor want to keep running because it started jumping off the rail but it wasnt hitting the limit switch. so i hit the emergency stop button.
i looked up how to reset the location of home and changed the settings in mach 3. but when i returned and tried to test it it wouldnt home and it wouldnt travel in the positive x axis at all.

so im stuck now. im not sure how to diagnosis the problem. there are no warning lights on the diagnosis page on mach 3.

any help would be much appreciated.

john
Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2015, 12:16:38 PM »
well,
not sure what ive done. but after restarting mach 3 and just pushing buttons, + x axis is moving now and the whole machine is homing how i want it.  ::)

Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2015, 09:34:42 AM »
after weekends of having random problems just trying to set up the damn home/soft limits im about to just set fire to the thing.

every time i start mach 3 i have a different problem. motors reverse direction or wont move, home switches stop working or are just ignored.  i fix one problem, restart the software and something else pops up.

ive reset the profile several times and started over to configuring the machine from the beginning but a new problem arises every time.

im using the free version of mach 3 at the moment. could this be the problem? bugs?

Offline ger21

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Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2015, 10:36:42 AM »
It's nothing to do with the demo version.
Sounds like you have electrical issues.
Are you using the parallel port? If so, your port may not be putting out enough voltage or current?

If you bought everything from CNC Router Parts, give them a call. They have excellent support.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2015, 01:55:38 PM »
cool thanks,
im not using a parallel port, not from a computer any way. ive got a warp9 ethernet smooth stepper then a parallel from that in to a gecko g450

cnc router parts have a XML config file thats supposed to set up mach 3 for the machine. but its doesnt work. if i set it up myself i get further through it.

Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2015, 08:55:11 AM »
continuing problems.

after thinking ive actually set it up i purchased a license for mach3, but of course as soon as i start it up i cant zero the z axis. i cant seem to get it to zero away from mid stroke.

and a axis has changed the parameters in mach3, which i just happened to check, it should be the same as x so im thinking thats why i get a flood of warnings as soon as i try to run some code. but it wont let me change it.

the machine jogs fine, but some times it wont home x.

pulling my hair out in frustration!




Offline RICH

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Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2015, 09:04:06 AM »
no experience with mach 3

Suggest that you watch the videos and read the manual some.
At least you'll have a flavor of how Mach works.

RICH

Offline ger21

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Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2015, 10:09:44 AM »
Again, call CNC Router Parts. They know exactly what they sell, and can get you up and running faster than anyone else.
You pay a premium buying from them, and support is part of that premium. Use it.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2015, 10:43:47 AM »
ive watched as many of the youtube videos as i can find. many times.
but they dont explain solutions to the problems that im getting. everything is just 'do this and you get that'. but i dont. i thought thats what this forum was for?

and again. i switch off the machine, cool off for a while, come back and turn it back on to find it working. although z still thinks home is mid stroke in machine coordinates.

ive had nothing but problems with this machine from the beginning. from the moment i ordered the machine. my experience so far with router parts is, if you live outside the US your on your own. sure you get a reply quick, but they are all geared towards people based in the states using imperial measurements. i thought paying that premium would help me get it running sooner. but no, its only made things far more difficult.

Offline stirling

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Re: ruining my new cnc from the beginning.
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2015, 11:33:54 AM »
if it works sometimes and then doesn't and then does it's highly likely it's wiring/electronics issues, but as a start please post your xml file.