Resolved: Project taking a while

So, I’m running a project to cut a new spoil board, but it’s taking a bit longer than expected - about an hour and a half left to run - and as a member (but not the oldest member) of the Senior Citizens Club, I need to get some rest, so I’ve done the following:

  1. Changed the settings so my Macbook Air doesn’t go to sleep, but I have turned off the screen,
  2. Paused the project in CM and turned off the router and dust extractor, and
  3. Turned the lights off, locked the workshop door and am now having a beer.

Have I forgotten anything, please?

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Well, there are those in this community that have had some serious mishaps with unattended machines running. I understand wanting to have a beer and sit for a spell, so during those times I’ve set up a bar stool with a backrest near the machine so I can keep on eye on things.

Is “pausing the project but keeping it all switched on” still running the machine?

I don’t want to lose my place in the ‘project’ and have to start all over again, to be honest, and it’s bloody cold in my shed! :cold_face: - and lonely :worried:

:cold_face: Yikes! On really long jobs I try to break the job up into several different toolpaths. As they run this way I can always stop the machine at the end of one a restart at another. Another option would be to pause the machine, make a note of the current line number, edit the gcode file to that line, pasting the preamble from the beginning just before the previously stopped line number and then continue. There is a lot of instruction here to help with doing that,l @neilferreri writes excellent posts that can be very helpful in this regard.

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For continuing a cut see:

https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/FAQ#Continuing_a_cut_which_is_interrupted

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OK, I got the hint so I paused the process, made a note of the line number (128751 of 272104) then shut the machine down.

I’m using BBEdit, but I just want to be sure I understand a couple of things correctly…

  1. I want to keep the original file (and start the process earlier in the day!), so have saved a copy to delete the ‘used’ lines. Does the saved file have to have the same name as the original, or do I need to edit line 1 to properly reflect the Design File name?

  2. Is the preamble everything before the first toolpath name? In this case from Line 1 to Line 116, which looks like this:

Screenshot 2021-03-05 at 23.36.23

  1. The current line when I paused it was 128751, which looks like this:

Should I delete everything after the preamble up to and including Line 128750, or is there a ‘header’ or ‘marker’ line before that I should delete to? E.g. the G0 command on Line 128692 below?

Screenshot 2021-03-05 at 23.47.01

I’ve attached the duplicate file if someone would be kind enough to provide a practical example!

Thank you.

Wasteboard - From Pause at Line 128751.nc (3.7 MB)

  1. the name in the comments doesn’t matter and the actual file name can be different.

  2. Yes.

You need to find the move down from safety/retract height (which is usually a G0 such as you mention.

So I can delete every line from 116 to 128691 inclusive?

Well, that was easier than I expected!

Thanks, @WillAdams

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Just a question why is it taking so long to just make a new waste board?

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Hope your machine initializes the exact same z …
x and y wont matter so much for a wasteboard

And it’s a good question…

I’ve used a #201 to cut four t-track slots, mounting hole recesses and 165 holes for the threaded inserts, then a #102 to cut 32 holes for the t-track threaded insert holes.

Total time, two and a half hours-ish.

Of course, I now realise it was a stupid thought, leaving it in Pause mode - no action, no issues, right?

Wrong. The stepper motors are still energised and, doing nothing, will get warm and potentially overheat.

Lesson learned, without drama.

Thanks, guys :+1:

Recent discussion about that, not that I am taking any position on the matter:

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Of course, what a great idea! I thought thermal underwear would be enough :cold_face:

I thought it was my beer!

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OK, so I must have done something wrong when editing the file, because this happened:

…and, even though nothing had changed as far as the axes were concerned, there was a slight off-set from the original cut, making the ‘interference’ fit for the t-tracks into a ‘comfortable’ fit.

I do have an oil-filled radiator in the shed (an a dehumidifier), but it’s a cheap and nasty Homebase one, and the lead is just a bit too short, so I have to put it on a plinth! It’s time I bought a new one, though, because this one’s really old.

The thermal gear is in the wardrobe, ready for the winter!

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Good Question. I recently wrote 3 programs for a new XL user and they went: Drill (mill) holes 18min. C’Bore Holes: 12 min, Face Top: 22 min.

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Which is why I will NEVER recommend that a newbie cut/chop/edit a program… Do you know what Modal codes are?

Grab some of that freshly made sawdust, mix in some glue and patch that accidental cut in the new spoil board. As for the rest of the discussion I’m taking notes myself.

I have no clue, no.

I am a newbie who had to (try and) learn to do this late last night as it was recommended I didn’t leave the machine in ‘Pause’ mode overnight. I’ve never paid attention to gcode before then, other than to see what it looked like, never to edit it.

Perhaps now I will!