New to Shapeoko and just recently received and assembled a Shapeoko 3 XXL. Started using it without the Bitsetter or the Probe and results were working ok. Installed the probe and bitsetter then immediately had problems with inaccurate z-height (cutting higher than intended) as well as a confusing work flow. Couldn’t find appropriate information on the documents about how to actually work with the bitsetter (or probe). So, I decided to just disconnect both the probe and bitsetter for now and go back to basics. However, the bitsetter configuration will not die even after the hardware is physically disconnected. I’ve uninstalled Carbide Motion 4 twice and removed the Carbide drivers. Yet when it’s a fresh install, the machine initialization and homing still goes back to the bitsetter location and wants to run the process. This results in the z-axis stalling at the bottom of the bitsetter probe (!?) and I have to manually abort.
I am new to this whole process and would really like an appropriate outline/tutorial for full workflow with the bitsetter. As for now though, I would appreciate an explanation to completely remove the bitsetter from system information and just get back to the regular homing sequence because as of now, the machine is stuck in this loop. Please advise. Thanks.
I’ve tried again and got it to work. It seems that the settings needed to be updated after machine connection, but before initialization. That seemed to get rid of the bitsetter connection, but still keeps the machine setting as ‘Shapeoko 3’ (if that matters…). Thanks for your quick reply and I hope to learn how to properly clarify the bitsetter workflow soon. Is there any information that you can point to?
Open Carbide Motion, connect and initialize the machine.
CM will ask you to put in the first bit in the router. If you skipped step 1, you need to click “Change Tool” in the “Run” menu instead.
Once the bit is inserted, CM will measure how long it is using the bitsetter
Now in the “Jog” screen, do the zeroing operation by jogging to the ‘top of the bottom left’ of the work piece, and “Zero All”
Now load the gcode and hit Run
CM will measure your tool again on the bitsetter, but that’s ok, it’s the same bit as it measured before in the same position, so the adjustment it makes to the zero you set in step 4 is… zero.
It is critical to have CM measure the length of the tool before setting the zero, or in step 6 it will add the difference between the last and current measurement to your zero point… which is really not what you want
Thanks for the insight and information. This does help to get a grasp of the sequencing using the bitsetter. In step 4, is that where you can also just use the probe? And if you use the probe, then you don’t need to ‘zero all’ or do any kind of zeroing?
I have been looking at the “Shapeoko CNC A-Z” but haven’t had a chance to review extensively - it looks like a great resource to review. Thank you.
when using the probe, pay attention to “hanging over the edge” versus “sit on top”, depending on what/how you probe that is different. The GUI will show a picture of what to do, it’s key to match that and not do the other one…
(been there done that donated the t-shirts to goodwill)