I wrote this in a previous post regarding this problem , but it looks like it was closed:
“I am having the same problem with my 4 XXL. I was drilling a hole to fit a clock mechanism and the bit went down to the aluminum part holding the spoil boards causing damage on one of them. I follow the advice given here, initialize the machine again, and ran another job to test. It is a concentric circle with a 3” separation to create a 3# wide ring, 1 inch deep, created the tabs to hold the piece with a .250” high. The machine went to the spoil board, without even create a tab, which gives me the idea of maybe more than 1/4 inch off from the Z axis that I zeroed in. I normally use the bit zero, this time I set the Z axis manually and it caught my attention that I zeroed X and Y with the bit zero, and then jogged back to zeroed the Z axis. Immediately after I put zero on the axis the machine went to the bit setter, like if I was changing tools and then will ask to change the tool and go back to the bit setter again. Could that be that either the bit setter is not working properly or there is something between the zero in process and the travel to the bit setter that changes the Z axis? I don’t use my machine for commercial purposes, just as a hobby, so don’t use it frequently, but I need it to work properly, and specially not to cause damage to my work and the machine parts. Please let me know your comments"
Try setting up a very simple file which only removes a very shallow depth of material (but enough that it can be measured), then go walk through the steps of securing the stock, setting the origin, managing all tool changes, &c. — at each step note:
There are two different Z-axis mechanisms for the Shapeoko 4 (and possibly other models). When you first set up your machine you have to tell it which one you have. It’s almost impossible to tell the two apart using the illustrations in the assembly instructions, and Carbide 3D isn’t willing to do anything crazy and radical like putting a stick-on label on your Z-axis mechanism to tell you which one you have.
This was the problem I had when I first started using my S4. It took many rounds of back & forth to identify the issue, and no doubt many other users have had this problem as well.
But you can’t fault Carbide 3D for not adopting my crazy and radical solution. Do you know how expensive stick-on labels are, and how much time and effort it takes to stick one on???
Hello William. I did everything you suggested. I set the same piece of material, and programmed the deep of the cut to .125" and it went to .almost 1/4 of an inch deep. I took some videos and picyures that I will be glad to share with you but they are too big to post here. My email is jose@npti.edu. If you want to take a look at them I will be more than happy to send you the links so you can see the process and give a hint of what is going on.
Thank you Karlbunker. The machine is settled accordingly to the mechanism she has. Is a Shapeoko 4 XXL that I got brand new from Carbide3d and it worked fine up to now.
