Planet CNC software + Shapeoko 3

Software
1

Hey guys,

I Don’t really like the control software options for GRBL to run my SO3, I’ve tried the following:
UGS
Carbide Motion
Chillippr
BCNC

I have been looking at running Mach 3 on a Gecko G540 or Planet CNC software on their controller. While doing some research I saw that it is a GRBL-based controller, my big question is whether or not the Carbide board would support that software? I know there are a few commands that the board doesn’t support, which I am OK with, but i like the style of the USB CNC software that comes with the Planet CNC. If I can use the original Board that would save me ~$500 in electronics.

Any thoughts? Am I missing any of the other software options? If it’s all too hard I can carry on using BCNC which suits me the best at the moment, but I’d like if it was a little more ‘industrial’

2

You’d have to replace all of the electronics- there’s no way to take GRBL out of the loop but keep the motor drivers.

Before you take that plunge, wait another week or so for us to get the GRBL 1.1 + CM update out for early adopters. It’s a great update that fixes a lot of things that we were unable to address until GRBL was updated.

3 Likes
3

One nice “industrial” upgrade is to get a Contour Design Shuttle Xpress to use as a jog wheel:

http://ergo.contourdesign.com/US/product/shuttlexpress/

Tormach sells rebadged ones: https://www.tormach.com/store/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=30616 as does http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3414&category=

Mentioned on the http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Pendant wiki page

4

I can do that, I just wanted to see what’s out there, wondering if I was missing out on any obvious options. After doing a bit of reading I can probably do what I need to with grbl 1.1. The upgrade of electronics would be a pretty long term goal anyway.

Thanks for the response! I also just backed a suckit dust boot for the XXL I just ordered, second machine!

5

Any updates on the GRBL 1.1 update?

1 Like
6

Will, do you know if this is compatible with Carbide Motion?

7

The Contour Design Shuttlexpress should work with Carbide Motion insofar as one maps buttons to match the keyboard shortcuts which CM affords. I don’t believe CM supports the jog wheel — I’d love to be wrong, but I need to pick up a powered USB hub for my tablet before I can try that out.