Hello- I am new to the CNC world and am anxciously awaiting my shapeoko pro XL. I have been watching videos and reading the forums to get a head start. I have a question about bitsetter and bitzero. In order of sequence, which should be done first? I have seen videos where both have been done first. Also, setting zero must be done after each bit change, correct? Lastly, is there a particular video that anyone has found to be most helpful. Thanks in advance for your help!
Ken
Welcome to CNC and Shapeoko!
Using Carbide Motion as the controller, you will initialize the machine. After this you will be prompted to insert a bit. The machine will then move to the bit setter and measure that bit. After this you can use the bit zero to set your XYZ zero. One of the best features of the bitsetter is that during a bit change you don’t need to reset zero. You will be prompted to change bits and the machine will then move to the bitsetter again and measure the new bit and automatically set it up to your previously set zero.
Excellent! Thank you for the information and quick reply!!
What @Brew said is correct but here is more info. When you initialize that sets up the internal coordinates that everything else is offset from. During initialization the bit is prompted and goes to BitSetter and is setting the z zero from the last time z zero was physically set. That may have been set the last time you used your Shapeoko. So when you set z zero an offset is made from the internal z zero set at initialization. That offset is remembered by cm and during a job and the bit is asked for and measured the offset is recalled to set the z zero because each bit you install is likely installed with more or less stickout than the previous bit. That is how your z zero is maintained between bit changes.
So the x and y zeros are also remembered. So if the last job was set for top of material and was 1" thick the 1" height from the spoil board is remembered but your new job is what only .5" thick now you use the BitZero to set the new z zero and the previous 1" zero is forgotten and from now on the offset from homing to .5" is remembered even over power cycles of the Shapeoko. The x and y positions are also remembered. So if you run the same job over and over with the same material dimensions you do not need to set zeros again unless the matetrial dimensions change.
Thank you Guy. That is very helpful!
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