Tool Setting Options For Routers and Mills

[Jay Morris]

I had already tried those, but thanks Dan and Gary. It works now, p71 was a negative number, after making it positive it returned the correct z position. I had thought about changing it before but the wizard put it as negative, and who am i to second guess a wizard.
Thanks.

[ShawnM]

Can anyone report back that is using the wireless XHC tool setter on whether you like it or not? I have my own wired version which is just a fixed plate in the front, right corner of may table that works just fine but was curious about the XHC version.

I'm interested in a version with a spring loaded top so as not to drive my sharp tools into a fixed plate at 7.5 ipm.

I finally have my custom M6 macro setup exactly the way I like it without all the menus, user inputs and unneeded moves for my workflow and I'm super happy with it now. I made the last few changes today and so far so good. It's the closest thing to an ATC that I can get it. Thanks again to Scott, the original creator, Clint for his help and mods and Swissi for helping me the last bit of code to make my idea work. Truly a great forum.

[slodat]

I'm quite happy with the wireless tool height setter.

Are you up for sharing your M6?

[Dan M]

I like my XHC as well, the only thing I don't like is the battery life. For now I'm chalking it up to the possibility that I put old batteries in it when I first got it since the batteries didn't last very long with limited use which was confusing. Since I changed them the new ones have already lasted longer than the first set. Other than that it works as close to perfect as I can tell. I still use a movable plate in conjunction with the XHC which is bolted off the table so it's not in the cutting area. For 48 bucks plus 12 dollars shipping off Amazon I think it's hard to beat for how well it works.

Dan

[ShawnM]

Thanks for the reviews I was a bit worried as the machine I bought used that I retrofitted came with the XHC mach3 usb controller which was mediocre at best and it also came with XHC pendant that worked intermittently and seems to be dead at the moment. So the XHC name scares me a bit and I was even worried about interference and battery life. Since it’ll be mounted permanently to the machine I’d probably wire up a power supply for it and not worry about batteries.

Thanks for the info and it is cheap enough to at least try one.

[ShawnM]

I'm quite happy with the wireless tool height setter.

Are you up for sharing your M6?

I missed your last question about sharing. I'm going through it and cleaning it up right now and will try to make a video on how it works and post a link. I'd be glad to share it once I have it all cleaned up. I commented out a lot of unneeded stuff to test it and I want to go back and remove all the unnecessary junk. Then make a video to share.

It's rather simple now without all the menus and options and unnecessary moves I didn't need.

Swissi helped my with the last bit of code that now allows the M6 to count how many times it has run. If it is the first time it runs all my code and this is where you initially set Z0 with the movable touch plate and measure the offset. Then on the second and consecutive M6 tool changes it jumps another part of the code since it has already set Z0 and measured the initial offset, so there's no need for that again. After I change to the next tool tool and press cycle start it goes immediately to the fixed plate, measures the new offset and goes right back to work with no more input from me. Between tool changes I hit cycle start once. No menus or questions and no multiple cycle starts, I didn't need any of that.

I'm going to add a remote cycle start button on the machine when the next version of the software comes out.

[Racedirector]

Very interested to see what you have done, this would make M6 behave alot more like my old LinuxCNC M6 where it knew the first run was different from any subsequent run.

[Racedirector]

I'm going to add a remote cycle start button on the machine when the next version of the software comes out.

I too am waiting for more inputs, my machine has Start, Stop and Pause pushbuttons plus a Touchoff pushbutton in place already, just nowhere to connect them to in Acorn.

[cbb1962]

Between tool changes I hit cycle start once. No menus or questions and no multiple cycle starts, I didn't need any of that.

Yes, please post your M6! It sounds like you have fixed what I don't like about the M6 I modified,,,

[Devlin]

This post is about using the mfunc6 manual macro. A request for a change or someone tell me if I’m doing it wrong. After setting the Z to 0 it gives the prompt to hit run to continue. The spindle moves from z on the board to an up position and pauses for a second the starts to run the file. I don’t have my spindle hooked up to the control board yet so I have to control it manually. Also my dust boot is off for the zeroing of the z. So after I hit th run button I have to quickly put the boot on then hit start on the spindle. Sure would be nice if the was another commanded wait after the z lifts up giving the ability to do all those things then hit continue.