ok in the trial period so trying I am! sometimes id like to use the work area or cnc floor to use as the bottom in the set up instead of the top ? but just want to go down into my work area ??? NOT good ive looked on you tube cant find anything ! so some links to how to set up etc for BOTTOM not top of project help please
pat
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See:
https://carbide3d.com/hub/courses/create/job-setup/
and then set the zero at the surface of the MDF as described at:
https://carbide3d.com/hub/courses/running-shapeoko/movements-zeroing/
Note that this is not a usual approach — I find it easier to accurately measure the stock, set the origin at the surface of the MDF, jog up by the stock thickness, then set the zero at that height.
If you still have trouble, please send in the .c2d file and let us know step-by-step how you are securing your stock and setting zero relative to it and managing all tool changes, and send a photo showing the stock in place and the machine at the zero position relative to it (or a specified offset from that position) and screengrabs showing what Carbide Motion shows for Position and Machine Position (click on either to toggle to the other).
I use bottom of material over 90% of the time when I have a project I will cut through. I have been using bottom of material for a while and since going to that my spoilboard is not being cut up. Plus I dont have onion skins left over. So either I got onion skin or I cut through and carved up my spoilboard.
The only issue with using bottom of material happens if you use quick positions in the jog un CM. If you are used to using that function of Z+6mm you have to jog off your project before performing that or you will crash your bit into the project if over the project.
You should always measure your material carefully and enter that into CC but using bottom of material the measurement of your material is not as critical. It is still important but if you mis measure things the first cut will either be cutting air or be cutting a little bit deeper than programmed. So being off a few thousands wont hurt anything.
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ok im probably not explaining this very good! those links dont help at all ! they just cover setting the zero at the top of the project . in some situations setting the zero at the bottom of the project would be better ,especially when changing bits and nowhere to zero on the top!
I can zero it to the bottom but what to do with the rest of the setting so it doesn’t crash ?
in the first video about setting up he states that he’d cover setting up at the bottom later but doesn’t.is this just a problem with carbide creat pro or and probably is just me ?
ps I in cc pro trial I have a different sender. UGS ,and a different cnc.
hope thats as clear as mud hehe
PAT
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thanks so how do you set your start depth when you have bottom as zero? I also and im just an OLD rookie think a lot of times the bottom would be a better zero! thanks mate
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Either place a BitZero on the surface of your baseplate and probe it for Z only, or jog down so that the tool is just barely touching and set Z zero at that position.
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Start depth, Max depth & Retract are still measured from the top of stock.
Zero position only controls the numbers in the G-code.
As long as the position in the design matches the position on the machine, you should be good.
For a job that has a variable stock thickness & details relative to the top surface, it makes sense to zero on top.
When you have to do a profile that cuts through the stock, you’re concerned about the bottom surface. You can either set zero at the bottom, or you can touch off to the table & type in the programmed stock thickness. e.g. If your stock is programmed at 3/4", type in -0.750".
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Thanks Tod so what you’re saying is if my project is say 1” for you guys ! And I set the zero to bottom on the work surface ! When I press return to xyand x zero it won’t crash it’ll take into account the depth , no night of the project in my case 1 “
Has anyone seen a video on this??
Pat
Also am I still putting x and y zero on the corner or over where x zero aka bottom of project
Not exactly sure what you’re asking… but
It sounds like you’re using the BitZero. If you are setting Z zero to bottom, then you will need to measure Z separately. You place the bitzero on the lower left corner & measure X&Y. Then you move to the bitzero to the table & measure Z only.
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I use the lower left corner and BitZero to measure XYZ. Then after it runs to the bitsetter I bring it back and use the paper method to set Z only.
There is a wasted trip to the bitsetter, but you can’t (or couldn’t) measure XY together. The choices are XYZ or all individually. I find the extra trip to the bitsetter less annoying than measuring X and Y independently.
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I dont quite understand your question. However I will try to explain. Setting the bottom of stock is the same as setting on top. You measure your stock thickness and put that into your CC file. Lets say your material is 1". You set bottom of stock. Any cuts that will be made will start 1" above the spoilboard. Lets say you have a pocket that is .5" deep and you want to cut a second pocket smaller from .5 to the bottom of the stock. In the pocket tool path for the first tool path you would start at 1.0" and end at .5". Then the second pocket that is smaller you would set your tool path to start at .5" and use the letter “t” to tell CC to cut to the bottom of the 1" material. In the above you cut your first pocket to .5" but want a second pocket that is only 1/4" deeper. In the tool path pocket you would start at .5" and end at .75".
The material thickness is the important thing. If you use bottom of stock you simply jog off the stock and either use BitZero or the paper method to set the spoilboard as the bottom of the stock. From there CC tells CM that the stock is 1" thick and it starts all cuts at 1" above the spoilboard. Additionally you have retract height in the setup in CC. So that measurement means that everytime the tool changes position it rises 1" plus the retract height. I always set my retract height to .125" but some people set it a few thousands. The retract slightly slows down your cutting time due to the constant up and down of the bit when changing position on the stock.
thanks gordon , that explains things good.But what about return to zero , does that mean I cant return to zero without raising my z hight im surmising its just going to plunge into my work and try to go to the bottom with zero z on the bottom of stock and with (IM using x &y zero in the centre) and I have to change a bit and say change from an end mill to a bee bit how do I get the exact same location if I cant return to zero ? is it a must to return to zero or are you saying that after x & y are zeroed and I move off the work piece and zero Z bottom aka spoil board. I can start the job from there and it’ll calculate and raise first, above the work piece??? thanks for your patience
pat
When you set top or bottom of material Carbide Motion knows the height of the material from the gcode created from the setup on Carbide Create. If you have not cut a tool path the bit will not plunge to the bottom. The bit only goes to the bottom of the material if the tool path tells it to like cutting a contour around something to cut it out. The only time you can crash the bit into the work piece is when in the jog function and Rapid Positions you can do a Z +6mm and plunge the bit into the material if you are over the material. If you set bottom of material then jog off your project for the Rapid position of Z +6mm and you would be fine. This only applies if you set bottom of material because the bottom of the material is on the spoilboard (bottom of material) and if the material is more than 6MM thick you would plunge into the material.
yes I dont have a shapoko so my sender is universal code sender , should be the same right…thanks guy
I have no experience with universal code sender. I would think it has some configuration for your particular machine. So all I can suggest is to try it and see. Just keep your finger on the stop and/or power button. The beauty of the C3D machines and the C3D software (CC and CM) is it just all works together. When you use 3rd party software/hardware you are on your own to figure out things.
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I use GSender and have the option to go to XY if I want to. The only time I do that is to check if my XY zero is remembered. I never rapid to Z zero. After changing bits I jog the machine to where I need it to set Z zero, spoilboard or top of stock depending on what I set in CC Pro. Then when done I jog up to make room for dust boot, press start and continue job. No need to reset XY zero. If you’re not sure Universal G-Code Sender does the same you could run a simple air job above your spoilboard to test.
thanks John just goto try , as soon as I get a chance thanks all for your help