So i am at the beginning stages of setting up my Shapeoko 5 Pro 4x4 and my Hello World test ended like this.
Test 1 (Center) - i got a good zero at first, i hit run and the pen jumped about 4 in off the material and ran the tool path. I stopped the run, re-set the zero and ran it again. The path started out great but lifted off the paper toward the end.
Test 2 (right) - i kinda crashed the pen on this one and it ran pretty thick.
Test 3 (left) - I got a good zero this time and the program ran the same as the first (center) and the pen lifted off the paper toward the end like the first run.
what could this mean? could my machine be out of square somewhere? does mt table have to be perfectly level? is it possible that my table has a bend which is causing the machine to deck to bend?
I imagine this will happen to the other tool paths.
By running the hello world you proved your machine can function. As far as the perfection of the hello world that may have to do with how you had the pen secured. You will likely never use a pen again. You should move on and try carving something.
The SO5 was made to cut material and that is your next step. Do not worry too much about the hello world because it was a success in that the machine worked.
It will help “Hello World” if you put a pad or magazine or catalog under the paper to act as a cushion, but as @gdon_2003 notes, it’s only intended as a check on basic machine functionality/operation — it’s not a plotter.
Regarding your question regarding the flatness of your table, Yes it needs to be flat. But as @gdon_2003 and @WillAdams said you now know everything works. You can worry about surfacing the table as you get into it more.
And yes, you have a large community here to help out. Show us your progress, always nice to see what people make.
@Buckworks
That’s awesome. “It’s a live”
As others have said, it is just a test to test out the functionality of the machine. It looks to be working. Yes for the table, the flatter the better. and there are lots of good suggestions from the good people in this forum about tables design. For now I would just say have fun, learn and practice. Later you can look at the table to make sure it flat and stable. You can also flatten (surface) the top of the slates to match the cutter, look into the tram of the cutter …etc Like @Zman said worry able it latter. it is running, cut some thinking
FYI I have never flatten (surfaced) my slates, And I did a rough tram. That is perfectly fine for my projects.
