Okay bit setter is on the way. I been reading n set up and use. I have both the bit setter and probe. Read use of bit setter it says after start up machine will move to bit setter and ask for tool. Since I have the probe when will it let me probe xyz
That’s correct. The machine will start by determining the initial offset length, and will then adjust using the BitSetter for each tool change, and one can set zero whenever and wherever one wishes.
If I’m understanding correctly. After the machine goes through it’s set up. It will then move to the bit setter so the tool can be installed. Once the tool is installed and bit setter does it’s thing. I can then move to the lower left where my probe is and run the probe. Am I correct?
Correct, except the complete sequence is:
- initialize machine
- machine moves to front/center to allow installing a tool (optional)
- once resumed machine goes to BitSetter to measure tool
- after measuring machine returns to front and center
- control is yielded to the user who may now probe or set zero
Thank you that makes it crystal clear. Hope to have my bet setter later this week or first of next week. Thanks again
I found this video to be helpful in understanding the sequence of events when using the BitSetter. If you aren’t using V-Carve software skip past the first 2 minutes.
Note that the first time the program asks for a bit to be installed it does not call for a SPECIFIC bit because the gcode file has not been loaded.
After you have probed the workpiece for x,y & z and run a gcode file it will ask for the bit called for by the job to be installed. Then the length of the bit will be measured again by the BitSetter and the job will start.
As has been stated many times on this forum do not move the bit unless prompted by the program. I speak from experience 
Bill
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Will, I will test this but from reading your comment a question occurs:
How does the BitSetter routine progress if no bit is placed in the collet?
Is there a max Z travel after which the routine aborts?
…or the probe for the BitZero v2.
If there is no tool in the tool holder you should load one when prompted — do not try probing for a tool without one — yes, the probing operation will time out, but I don’t believe that any effort has been made to set that to a distance which would be safe w/o a tool and you risk damaging something.
I tested this out prior to Will’s response. Without a bit (or probe) in the router it will bottom out and start to chatter. I had my finger on the pause/feed button as I anticipated this action.
Bill
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I ask because we have 175 people trained on Shapeoko w/o BitSetter and I’m trying to figure out how to introduce it safely. We’ve owned BitSetters for a long time. We’ve installed them and then taken them off. The workflow was too unexpected a change.
Then you put Advanced Vcarve in Carbide Create which we use for teaching.
Half our students want to try that feature but they can’t without a BitSetter.
They’re beginners so I don’t want them parsing gcode in a text editor.
I was considering reinstalling the BitSetter if conditions had changed:
- We now use Sweepy and not SuckIt so boot crashes won’t happen.
- We still don’t know if the bitless BitSetter routine is easy to recover from.
With 175 people used to a certain way of doing things,
change needs to be well-planned and introduced safely.
I’d love to safely introduce BitSetter as our new standard.
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Darn!
I was afraid of that.
Thanks for having tried it out.
At what point do you load the file
Load the file before sending it — I worked up a version of “Hello World” which uses the new version of the software:
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