Page 1 of 1

Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 7:04 am
by OCEdesigns
I posted this in the programming section also but trying to get more to see it.

This is my first program and I watched several tutorials but I'm still lost. I have set the X,Y zeros and used the touch plate for Z zero on my work piece. I load the program in the pendant, and when I hit start the spindle moves about 2 inches away (Left) off the working piece on the X axis and then starts the plunge. I just stop it at that point. What am I doing wrong?? Or what am I missing in my program?

When I am setting my X, Y, Z zeros on the wood piece with the pendant, am I actually telling the CNC where home is and not the edge of my work piece? That is all I can think of.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 8:27 am
by bill z
Not really knowing without seeing you set up both the Vcarve and the CNC, I'll just touch on some of the basics.

When you start Vcarve, you tell it where you want zero to be. Sometimes it is in the center, some time it could be in any of the 4 corners. It is up to you. Vcarve used this as the zero point for the CNC. If you want an inch between your zero and your cut, then you lay out your design appropriately.

After you have your TAB file, you then set your zero point in your CNC. Again, that zero point MUST is where the TAB file expects it to be.

After 6 years of cutting with my CNC, I sometimes forget where I drew the zero point and set up the CNC wrong. Maybe I have too many things going.

With all of this said, I am assuming that your CNC has been adjusted and aligned, meaning that it has cut correct in the recent past.

I hope this helps.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 8:39 am
by OCEdesigns
bill z wrote:Not really knowing without seeing you set up both the Vcarve and the CNC, I'll just touch on some of the basics.

When you start Vcarve, you tell it where you want zero to be. Sometimes it is in the center, some time it could be in any of the 4 corners. It is up to you. Vcarve used this as the zero point for the CNC. If you want an inch between your zero and your cut, then you lay out your design appropriately.

After you have your TAB file, you then set your zero point in your CNC. Again, that zero point MUST is where the TAB file expects it to be.

After 6 years of cutting with my CNC, I sometimes forget where I drew the zero point and set up the CNC wrong. Maybe I have too many things going.

With all of this said, I am assuming that your CNC has been adjusted and aligned, meaning that it has cut correct in the recent past.

I hope this helps.
Bill,
Thanks for your response!

In Vcarve I had set it to the center and also tried the bottom left corner.
This may sound dumb but what do you mean by set zero point in the CNC? I placed the piece of wood and clamped it down. Then I did the zero X,Y,Z (On Pendant) on the bottom left corner of the wood. Then set Z zero again with the touch plate. I thought by doing that that the CNC then knew that is where I wanted to start. But every time I hit start, the X axis moves away from the wood and then wants to plunge.
Also what do you mean "Adjusted and Aligned"? I just got the machine set up and trying my very first piece.
I checked for offsets and I could be wrong but all I see is X= 0.0 Y = 0.0 on the area where you set up toolpaths. Unless there is another area that I could not find.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:39 pm
by bill z
I have an older shark that uses a laptop to communicate with the CNC controller via CNC Shark program. On that software, I have to move the X, Y, & Z to where I want zero for all to be. I then have to tell the software that 'this is zero' for all axis (one click does it all if desired'). Then, when I start my program, it starts from there.

If I ever move my X or Y and don't tell the software to re zero, it will assume the previous place to start.

Here is a picture of my screen that runs on the computer that has a USB interface to my controller. Notice in the upper left corner, it says zero X,Y,Z. There is where I click after I position my router.

If you are running a newer version or a different program altogether, there should be someplace that you click to say, I have set zero to be here.

Hope this helps.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:55 pm
by OCEdesigns
bill z wrote:I have an older shark that uses a laptop to communicate with the CNC controller via CNC Shark program. On that software, I have to move the X, Y, & Z to where I want zero for all to be. I then have to tell the software that 'this is zero' for all axis (one click does it all if desired'). Then, when I start my program, it starts from there.

If I ever move my X or Y and don't tell the software to re zero, it will assume the previous place to start.

Here is a picture of my screen that runs on the computer that has a USB interface to my controller. Notice in the upper left corner, it says zero X,Y,Z. There is where I click after I position my router.

If you are running a newer version or a different program altogether, there should be someplace that you click to say, I have set zero to be here.

Hope this helps.
This does help a little. Mine is the newest version.
I have a feeling that when I'm setting my X,Y, zeros to the work piece I am actually telling the machine where zero is and then the program is telling it something different. Or visa versa! And I can't figure it out in the Vcarve program.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:12 pm
by bill z
Watch this Youtube video about the HD Shark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XBKdNdMcc

Is your machine like this? If so, he does an demo of how to zero (return to home position).

Hope this helps.

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:49 pm
by OCEdesigns
bill z wrote:Watch this Youtube video about the HD Shark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XBKdNdMcc

Is your machine like this? If so, he does an demo of how to zero (return to home position).

Hope this helps.
Yes I have this machine and pendant control.

I watched that before and just now again. I guess this is where I might be confused. I am setting my Zeros just like he did but I am doing it on my work piece. I guess I am trying to figure out if when I make the program, am I doing something wrong and the program is saying to start some where other than my home (zero) position?

And thanks for your help so far. I know it's had for me to explain everything!

Re: Not starting where I think it should

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 8:13 am
by OCEdesigns
UPDATE with help of people here and another forum I figured out my "Simple" mistake! I was setting up my program with the datum point in one corner and the machine X,Y, zeros in a different corner. I feel stupid but glad it was a simple mistake and over look on my part. Also had the wife looking at the program screen and machine and she noticed right away what I didn't!! She asked "Why are you setting zero there when it looks like it should be over here"

Thanks for the help! I'm sure I'll have more questions as I (we) learn all this programming.