NEWBIE LIGHTS THE CANDLE

[Tim]

Okay....just got my new Romaxx up and running! ;D

This is soooo.....much fun! I do have some questions though since this is the first time I've used a CNC.

1. I installed the XML file for 60 i/s (until I learn more) Which is the best speed to use once I become more familiar? Mach3 shows a motor tuning video as part of start up. Do I need to do this?

2. What's the best way to run the spindle power cable?

3. Should I be concerned about the spindle speed?

4. What are some good starter bits for the Ryobi trimmer

I know I'm going to have more questions soon.

Thanks

[samcrow]

I am jealous! Mine is not in yet. General CNC stuff like your question 3 is often addressed in the forums at cnczone.com. One link I got from there did address your question 3. www.denford.com/Calculate%20Speeds.html
I hope it helps. Keep us up on your progress.

Sam

[Nick]

1. I installed the XML file for 60 i/s (until I learn more) Which is the best speed to use once I become more familiar? Mach3 shows a motor tuning video as part of start up. Do I need to do this?

Use whatever your comfortable with. I use 300ipm rapids. Cutting speed is dictated by the cutter, material, and depth of cut. Most wood seems to like about 75-100 ipm. Personally, I like to use smaller cutting depth and higher speeds.

2. What's the best way to run the spindle power cable?

Inside the black plastic tracking. You have the machine with the recepticles on the front, right? I'd run off that recepticle, around the corner, up into the track, follow the track around, and around the back of the Z stepper. You can open up that track, carefully, look at it real close and it says "push" (or something like that.) to open up each segment.

3. Should I be concerned about the spindle speed?

RPMs? The Ryobi is a 1/4" collet, which is pretty much ideal for the RPMs the router runs.

4. What are some good starter bits for the Ryobi trimmer

1/4"x1/4" Carbide end mills. I like 4 flute. You can get them from any local machine supply house for about $5-10 or order them from someplace like www.jlindustrial.com.

Nick

[Nick]

Tim,

Send me an email, I want to ask you a question.

-Nick
[e-mail]

[romaxxcnc]

Hi Tim, reply interspersed.

1. I installed the XML file for 60 i/s (until I learn more) Which is the best speed to use once I become more familiar? Mach3 shows a motor tuning video as part of start up. Do I need to do this?

//Most of the videos cover what is already done in the XML's I provide with the machines. Motor tuning is already set. Actually when changing an XML from one of ours to another one of ours, thats all that change. Just the motor tuning. And the speed is totally at your discretion. Whatever you're comfortable with.

2. What's the best way to run the spindle power cable?

// As Nick said, right thru the cat-track. Remove the 4 screws that hold it and the open the clips, lay the power cable in and re-install. And yes by all means use the lower receptacle to control it. An M3 anywhere in the code turns it on and M5 or M30 turns it off. Or press the "Spindle" button on screen. The upper receptacle, is toggled by an M8 and turned off by an M9 or M30. It can also be toggled by the "Flood" button on screen.

**Remember to ALWAYS unplug the spindle from the recptacle when changing cutters**

3. Should I be concerned about the spindle speed?

// One could devote a whole book on this subject (well, a good booklet anyway). It all depends on the material size and type of cutter, depth of cut, etc. etc. The machines presently are set up for one spindle speed, however there are some routers with spindle speed control built in. We are looking at incorporating an varying AC voltage control for the lower front spindle receptacle. Then we could use an S-value in the G code i.e. M3 S1500. That would turn the spindle on and set the spindle speed to 1500 RPM or close to it. Getting back to the original question, With 1/4 inch tooling, the fixed speed of the spindle works satisfactorily. If the material is blackening, speed up the feedrate. It's better to take light cuts and multiple passes. Ex, one pass 1/2" deep and 60 ipm or 3 passes .17" deep at 200 ipm. 3 passes are faster, the bit stays cooler, it's easier on the spindle bearings, less chance of burning the material and less chance of displacing the workpiece from the fixture due to lighter cutter load. But the best teacher on that is actual experience, see what works well and what doesn't.

4. What are some good starter bits for the Ryobi trimmer.

//Again as Nick said, A good carbide 4 flute endmill works great. I'd use standard carbide endmills and forgo the expensive router bits as much as possible. They are very sharp, very durable, very good quality and due to their increased production numbers, they are much cheaper and readily available. The selctions are pretty much limited to flat nose and ball nose. For others, I'd look at Whiteside engineering. Or Whiteside routerbits. They have a very good selection and many woodworkers endorse them as one of the best suppliers.

I know I'm going to have more questions soon.

// Feel free and thanks, Ron

[samcrow]

Where are the instructions for using the manual pulse generator (MPG)?

[romaxxcnc]

Hi Sam,

Just press the "tab" key which opens a small window, select MPG jog mode and which axis.

Thanks, Ron

[Tim]

Hey....When I first start my CNC up (using MACH3) the router pulses turning on and off repeatedly. This is with the emergency button pushed in! Once I release the emergency button on the machine and hit reset on MACH3, the problem seems to go away. Just a little scary on start-up.

T

[romaxxcnc]

Hi Tim,

The start up procedure now with the new interface:

Have all cables connected.
Start Mach3
Wait for it to boot up completely
Then twist out Estop on machine
Then hit reset in Mach3, this fires output four and energizes machines power supply.

The only way it can pulse like that if there is no signal from the PC and the Estop on the front of the machine is on. One of the relays, the chargepump relay now fires up the machines power supply. No signal from the PC and the relays could float high and low but will not stay on or off.

You say its doing this with the Estop pushed in? The only way it could do that is if the E-stop switch is faulty and not shutting off. It controls all power to the machine. The 120 comes in and goes directly to that. If it's off nothing can happen, unless the switch is bad. It is a hardwired Estop. Not logic controlled.

If the LED is flashing on and off, it may be getting a few volts from the port. But it's not the power supply on the machine. The LED just shows that there is power on the interface.

Let me know,

Thanks, Ron

[Tim]

I followed that start-up procedure. The spindle turns off and on while the e-stop is in. Happens every time. I can hear something clinking on and off inside the table. When this happens I push the e-stop in and it stops. Twist the e-stop back on, reset Mach3 and then everything runs fine and the e-stop always shuts it down. Only problem is when I first start up.

Tim

[romaxxcnc]

Hi Tim,

Thats a strange one. I'm trying to figure out what could be causing that. The console is wired like this:

The power cord is connected to an RFI in the front console, essentially just a connector. From there, the hot goes directly to the Estop. The Estop is just a switch, either on or off. In the off position, it cuts power to the entire machine. Including the two front receptacles. So logically if the Estop is working and I've never seen one that didn't, but it's possible, it would be impossible for the router motor to energize as the power going to the receptacles go through that as well.

The only thing that could cause that, that I can think of off hand, is the receptacle that the machine is plugged into is wired backwards. i.e. the neutral is the hot. In other word connected to the small blade of the plug. It can be checked by taking a volt meter set to AC volts 250 range and go from the Ground on the receptacle to each blade and check it. The shorter slot should be 120.

If you aren't sure of how to check for that, get some help with it.

Do not run the machine anymore until you've proven that the receptacle is wired properly and has a legitimate ground.

Let me know,

Thanks, Ron

[samcrow]

Newbie 2 up and cranking out "Anything"s.

[romaxxcnc]

Quote: "Newbie 2 up and cranking out "Anything"s. "

Well, if you get tired of that one, let me know and I'll send a new G-code program.. LOL

Glad to hear it's going well.

Thanks, Ron