Been trying some S2 projects and getting poor results. The router stops at random times during a tool path. Tried replacing USB cable to no avail. Hard to get through a long cut without it stopping, and really no way to recover.
Using Easel to control the machine. Are the other CAM apps better than Easel for sending gcode to Shapeoko 2?
Hi,
This is the technique I mentioned:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CNC/comments/e62hc0/adaptive_clearing_2d_contour_in_fusion360/
Here’s the video that shows the setup:
I recommend installing Fusion 360 on your personal laptop and then connecting it to the Shapeoko using the USB port.
Software: For CAM (creating gcode), I recommend you use Fusion 360, it lags but it has a ton of tutorials and works most of the time. To output the Gcode, you have to tell it which type to output, just like when you’re setting up the lasers. I think it’s Grbl but you can do a Google search once you have the toolpaths.
To send the signals to the chip on the machine, I used [UGS](https://Universal Gcode Sender), which is free software.
Machine setup: You could tighten the wheels on the z axis, move the spindle and endmill as far up as possible, and work on one corner with an elevated workpiece, part alignment left to right. It should not be necessary, though.
Feeds and speeds are important. In theory you will always lower the forces on the machine by running the spindle on max and turning the feedrate way down. I’m not telling you to start a fire, but I suspect you’ll end up with charring on your workpiece and an unsatisfactory finish, long before you manage turn the entire Shapeoko 2 into slag.
You shouldn’t get any wobbling, your straight lines should not twist sideways, if you see a misalignment on the layers, it means your belt skipped, which ruins the part and it should never happen.
It’s hard to troubleshoot based on text, could you upload a video of it cutting? It’s easier to provide feedback and it helps other people. You will definitely get those parts cut out, you just can’t slot into hardwood with that puny machine but when you use any CNC router in the future, you will be way ahead of the game and it will be worth it that you got the software set up now.
Thanks for all the feedback. I’ve used Fusion 360 for laser work, not CNC. I’m comfortable with it and will explore using it in the future.
You mentioned: “You will definitely get those parts cut out, you just can’t slot into hardwood with that puny machine”
Are you saying the Shapeoko 2 is not capable of doing an acceptable job on hardwoods? My 3/4 inch deep slots were near 1/4 wide even though I was using a 1/8 bit (slow feed, 1200rpm). The gantry and spindle head are just a bit wobbly, and there may be some belt slippage. Maybe we can tighten up some of that. Will take a closer look.
Looking forward to Multicam training soon (hopefully)
The adaptive clearing won’t work for my application, I truly need a slot. I would use a scroll saw, but I suck at scroll saw. This is an example from YouTube:
Can you expand on this statement? It physically stops moving? Does it ever recover or do you have to restart? What machine are you using to send g-code to the cnc?
The XYZ movement was freezing, the spindle keeps spinning. Using Easel.
Good news - Jeff Hess may have fixed several problems today. He added some extra grounding wires for the controller and the gantry frame. The tool ran for several hours today with no freezes, AND the crazy mousepad movement stopped on the laptop - working fine now.
Thanks to Jeff!
Starting to think my “wobbly” cuts may be a software issue. The photo below is a closeup of two parts of the same toolpath using a 1/8 inch bit. The one on the left is the first pass 1/16 deep. The one on the right shows the first pass and second pass another 1/16 deeper. See how the second pass does not line up with the first.
The design came from VCarve, profile cut, just a single line. Exported to gcode, and then loaded into Easel to feed to the tool. I don’t think the bit is wobbling, it seems the second pass is just not aligned with the first.
I will explore alternate ways of generating the design/gcode (Fusion 360?) and also try another CAM app (UGS?).
This could be missed steps as well. You could try rerunning at a lower feedrate and/or DOC fand see if you get different results.
Mike, have you tried it since the grounding bus was added Thursday?
Yes, I used the machine on Friday, it seems much improved - no stops!
I think your grounding fix solved that problem.
The new vacuum hose is real nice too.
Thank you!
I’m going to try cutting slower feed rates to see if that addresses my “wobbly” cut problem
Try changing your tool path to cutting a pocket that goes all the way through.
| mikea59 DMS Member
December 12 |
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Yes, I used the machine on Friday, it seems much improved - no stops!
I think your grounding fix solved that problem.
The new vacuum hose is real nice too.
Thank you!
I’m going to try cutting slower feed rates to see if that addresses my “wobbly” cut problem
The instability issue returned. The movements just stopped on Mike and me couple of days ago.
We observed the curser is still stable, but this intermittent hang up issue remains.
I will be at DMS today and will perform some testing and see if I can make progress on WHY it is doing this.
Possible culprits being investigated:
Laptop, machine parameters setup, power or ground integrity to the Shapeoko; assure presence of a “SHIELDED” USB cable
It might not hurt to be a shielded and ferrite suppressed cable. Try to filter out any switching spikes or brush noise from the spindle, especially if it is a brushed motor, and any EMF being picked up from the leads between the stepper motors and their drives.
Also minimize any distance where the USB cable is in proximity to the stepper or spindle wiring.
I ran the Shapeoko today and had NO PROBLEMS. I noted the problems encountered last week were had during use with DMS Surface 1 Computer.
Today I used DMS Surface 2 Computer.
Today I was in Lecture Hall rather than in the open area by the assembly tables.
Today I had a new USB, with ferrite suppression but do not know if it is a shielded cable. I also opened the electronics cabinet and routed the USB as far from the power supplies as possible.
I don’t know if any of this is relevant to our intermittent lockup issue, but it is worth noting the configuration when it works and when it fails.
What is this in inches per minute?
1200rpm
No, it’s not. That dewalt router isn’t capable of spinning at that rpm.
it seems the second pass is just not aligned with the first.
Did you start at the bottom and then cut towards the top of the pic.
The Shapeoko 2 doesn’t have a dewalt router; it has a Chinese 300w spindle with a variable speed controller. It can spin at 1200 RPM though I suspect that was a typo by @mikea59 and it was probably 12,000 RPM, the max rated speed of the 300w spindle.
Yes, typo on my part (sorry). 12,000rpm. Thanks Jay
I think it was 20 in/min - half the Easel default
I did not control where the cutting started, but it appeared not to make a difference as it went through various cutting directions
