even though all went well the first check-run failed because mach started running the code without starting the spindle!
It would work from the panel button as well as the screen button but NOT from MDI or G-Code.

I have seen this before on the engraver and a Mach restart fixes it as it did this time, but of course you have to re-home. The only message you sometimes get is "Scripter compile error in M3.m1s" but as usual that file only contains DoSpin...

Any ideas??

How does your panel button activate your spindle?
How does your screen button activate your spindle?
Do you REALLY mean your M3 macro contains "DoSpin..."?

Ok, the panel button has a hotkey associated to an input, the screen button has the "run macro" feature assigned to it, the M03 i couldn't remember the exact contents then so i was trying to infer that it had the bog-standard contents, i have just looked and it contains exactly "DoSpinCW()" nothing more.

OK - the screen button - (back to a familiar issue) what is the actual code in the button?

Why am I asking?

Well if (for example) the button code is doSpinCW then it's NOT calling the M3 macro and that tells us something. However if it's got (for example) call "M3" in it then it IS calling the M3 macro and that tells us something else.

All i can do is go into screen4 designer and look at the button - this is on the 2010 set, it just has Oem Code Function 110 in the box, there is no vb code etc.

Ok, so i did a home-all tonight and noticed the X axis was wobbling when doing the back-off part of the home sequence so it seems my inept attempt at servo tuning was lacking somewhat. In the graph i could make it do the wobble-thingy at about 13% speed and it looked bad.

Reading the CSMIO manual, the tuning section is a bit vague but it seemed i needed to reach oscillation first then back off. Having seen what that does, i thought it safer to tune for the lowest following error and fastest dead-band arrival as i had read on various other papers, there does not seem to be any "scientific" method to tuning, just get it smooth, fast and oscillation free.

Tweaking the values in PID order, i have now got far better following errors and as yet no wobble;)
Values are now...
X P=20,000 I=50, D=0, ff=65 Following error 135 at max speed
Y P=20,000 I=50, D=0, ff=65 Following error 105 at max speed
Z P=12,000 I=65, D=0, ff=60 Following error 253 at max speed

These errors are much lower than before and it seems happy at all speeds now so will leave it there for now.

The spindle started ok as well tonight - this seems to be a random problem.

USB Issues?

I need USB in the control pendant, USB keyboard/trackball and USB socket for code loading.
Currently i have a cheap 4-way hub and extension but windows is not happy and i get multiple "new device found" chimes every time i start up or plug in a USB stick

Is it best to try a powered hub or run separate extensions to the PC??

The length needs to be 5m to reach.

Never had the m1s problem but my friend did. If you open the M3.m1s macro in notepad you may see some artefacts there other than the DoSpin(), delete if there are and then save. Also may be worth deleting the m3.m1s and then make a new one manually.

Hood

Ok, thanks Hood, will have a look in the file.

I have fixed the USB issue too - get rid of the hub and just run two extensions back to the PC, works fine now.

I am not a fan of USB, it is very temperamental at times but sadly it needs used on occasions. I do prefer PS2 for keyboards/trackballs though I do have USB ones that mostly run ok. On the Computurn lathe I have a powered hub and even that will occasionally stop working, usually just the touch screen though.
Hood

Yeah, read about the PS/2 but none of my pc's have the sockets anymore, just USB now.

It seems to put up ok on the plasma

I think i added some clip-on ferrites there though, will get some more.