My first successful CNC thingy!
After I got the mill fixed, I was dying to make a part. The Spectralight software includes a couple of default programs, so I grabbed one of those.
I ran into a couple of problems.
First, the mill was trying to do tiny moves. I figured out last week that it was set to millimeters instead of inches. That was an easy fix, by changing an option in the setup program.
Second, when I sent a tool change command (M06) the Mill moved the head up until it hit the hard stop on the Z axis. Bad times. I had properly set the Zero, so that was unexpected. What I figured out was that I needed to set a home position for the mill. This was another option buried off in the setup screen. Once the Home position is set then the mill "knows" where to stop before hitting the hard stop.
With that done, I ...
(Cue dramatic music!)
Cut ...
(Music rising to a huge Crescendo!)
This!!!
Ok, so it's not Michelangelo's David, but it is my first CNC Part. I am ecstatic!
I ran into a couple of problems.
First, the mill was trying to do tiny moves. I figured out last week that it was set to millimeters instead of inches. That was an easy fix, by changing an option in the setup program.
Second, when I sent a tool change command (M06) the Mill moved the head up until it hit the hard stop on the Z axis. Bad times. I had properly set the Zero, so that was unexpected. What I figured out was that I needed to set a home position for the mill. This was another option buried off in the setup screen. Once the Home position is set then the mill "knows" where to stop before hitting the hard stop.
With that done, I ...
(Cue dramatic music!)
Cut ...
(Music rising to a huge Crescendo!)
This!!!
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| My First CNC Part! |
Ok, so it's not Michelangelo's David, but it is my first CNC Part. I am ecstatic!
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