Absolutely, I can answer this type of question and anything other questions you may have with your new-to-you CNC router.

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[789] Can you help me with selecting a power supply ( and a few other components ) for the stepper motors that came with a homemade CNC Router I just purchased.

Yes, I will need to know more specifics of the machine so I can recommend the correct electronics.

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ok I Build my CNC machine table and now need a complete set for motor and software how you can help me

Yes, I can help with the limit switch and homing configuration in Mach4 along with how to zero to reference a workpiece.

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[789] can you help with Mach 4 configuration, limit switches/homing and zeroing my project

Ok, sure. Let's get the discussion started. Please respond with your questions on this FAQ

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Hi, I am thinking of making a CNC router that I can use in woodworking. I am very happy if you can help me with the necessary parts for this

Mounting the extruder to the whiteAnt can be done a couple of ways. One is to take the 4 mounting holes located at the lower portion of the z-axis rail support and use long screws protruding out. Take a thinner material and drill the four holes matching the locations of the 4 screws and screw on nuts to hold it in place. The other option would be to use the metal bracket and fasten to the edge of the rail support.

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CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME HELP OR POINT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO INCORPORATE MK 7 EXTRUDER WITH BOOK PLANS FOR 3D PRINTER?

Have you tried to blow the debris out with a compressor?

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yes i tried with a air compressor but it not work's. I'm in trouble with this problem. how can i open it?

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I have big problem with my water colling system on CNC. I think some things are internally clogged on water cooled spindle.. It's not debris, It's heavy than debris.. Please help me immediate if you can..

The plasma nozzle must be close to the cutting area and you will need some way to keep the nozzle at the right level with some type of device. The spray is downward, so you will need a contained area with a sheet of water at the bottom to extinguish he spray. You should have no problem using our machines for this application since you would need to product the table bed.

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CAN YOUR PRODUCTS OF MACHINES BE USED TO CREATE PLASMA TABLE?

Do you have a TL or a TH for triggering the laser? If you power the digital side of your laser power supply with 12V and tie the gnd with the PWM gnd on the pokeys57CNC controller, you may be able to use the PWM on the pokeys57CNC controller. Before you do this, I would suggest that you contact polabs support (http://support.polabs.com/) and ask them if this is possible.

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Using a Pokey57 CNC and Mach 4 can you tell me how to connect my laser. The laser has three wires.. Ground - 12V Power and PMW.

Sure, the USB interface has a place for 4 axes of limit switches.

Each axis can have two limit switches: one for the ++ (positive) end and one for the -- (negative) end. The positive end would be the limit switch at the end of the machine that, say the machine has a 4'x8' area, reaches a bit after the 8 foot mark. The negative end would be the limit switch behind the 0 foot location behind the origin. If the origin is in the middle, the negative would be at a little more than the -4 foot end and the positive would be at a bit more than the +4 foot end. Note that you can have more than one switch on each pin where the NC is connected in serial fashion and the NO is connected in parallel fashion (this can be seen on the diagram in the multiple limits switch section). The software configurations for the limits switches are under File -> Settings -> Limit.

A typical limit switch has three connections on it. These connections consist of COM (common), NC (normally closed) and NO (normally open). The COM would generally go to GND and the NC or the NO would go to the pin. If the NC is used, then the the switch is constantly connected until the switch is pushed (engaged) then the connection from the pin to gnd is broken (open). Use the settings in software to set whether in NC or NO configuration.

Let me know if this information was helpful (or not) by adding information to this question. Thanks.

User response:
Thank you very much for this helpful information. I'm still a little fuzzy on how the 6 limit switches physically connect to each other and to the USB breakout board. You've stated one switch (home) goes to positive and another switch (limit) goes to negative. Are all the GND prongs from all 6 switches connected to each other and going to GND on the breakout board, or no? And the NC prongs, how exactly are they connected to each other? And to the board? There has to be a diagram somewhere shows this visually, no? I don't know how to wire the switches in series or in parallel. I have already physically installed all the switches on the machine and ran the wires to where the board is. Now I just need to know where to plug these wires into the board. Also, taking into consideration that I'm using the Planet CNC software, the only settings I have pertaining to limit switches is "Enable/Disable" for each axis, and the actual limit for each axis. Nothing about NC or NO. Is that only in Mach3?
Thank you.

buildyourcnc response:
On the USB interface, the COM on the switch connects to GND and the NC or NO connects to the input pin (i.e. x++, y--, etc.)

Limit switch configuration is rather difficult to understand, especially with series and parallel. You can think of series as a single wire going from GND to the axis letter input terminal (i.e. X++ or X--). If the wire is broken, then the circuit is open (or the switch is engaged in a normally closed scenario). Normally closed is like an actual wire, and when engaged, the switch "opens" (breaks the wire). This is why we recommend in some systems that you can put many switches in series on a single pin. When one of the switches is engaged (breaking the connection) then the entire circuit of switches is broken and the machine stops.

In a parallel scenario, the state of the circuit is always broken until the one of the switches is engaged and the circuit is then closed or connected. The topology looks like a ladder. All the switches connect to both sides of the ladder and the switches are like the runs of the ladder (the horizontal bars that the feet are placed while climbing). Imagine all of the switches broken in this scenario (normally open). It would be like the ladder could be split in two, but if one of the ladder runs (switches) is closed by engaging it, then that run would connect both sides of the ladder and the two sides of the ladder would have a connection.

There is a diagram on the USB page of the various limit switch configurations. If you need more information (visual and/or otherwise), please let us know and we will immediately add that information to benefit everyone.

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I have nearly completed the CNC machine from the book, but I am using it with a USB breakout board, and have no idea how to wire the 6 limit switches to the board. I'm having difficulty following the diagram on the USB breakout board screen. Can someone please help me?

For information on our current projects and/or future machine setups please refer to our R&D section (https://www.buildyourcnc.com/ResDev.aspx) for more info!

Also you can create a custom request! if your request is not been thought of or created.

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Are you planing on building a CNC lathe ? or intergrating one as a module on an existing CNC router table ?

CamBam specifically creates the g-code (machining operations) instructions to be loaded into Mach3. Make sure in your CamBam g-code file parameters, you are using the Mach3 post processor. If you have already done this, let me know. If you are not sure how to do this, let me know.

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I am having trouble connecting the cambam program with my Mach3 to my 4X8 Blackfoot CNC machine. Where can I get help on this issue. Have had my machine since 2015 and have not been able to use it. Thank you

It will depend on how you configure the machine to use the Laser and plasma. Is the laser on a separate gantry? That will determine the way you will connect the laser control system or if you use a typical CNC controller. The plasma will need inputs of THC on, THC up, THC down and outputs to trigger the plasma torch. I recommend the Pokeys57CNC for the plasma and you can also fire the laser with it, but you will not be able to do engraving with the laser unless you use a laser controller. If you use a laser controller, you will need to either build circuitry to switch the digital signals from which controller you will be using, or if you have the laser on a separate gantry, you can use a traditional laser controller connected to the stepper motor drivers on that gantry.

Users response:
I was planing on using same gantry, and installing plasma and laser module on z axis along the side with current router. Perhaps if it’s needed installing another z axis on current z axis. So that when I use plasma, router z will be homed and plasma z axis will be able to utilize thc.

When you say “If you use a laser controller, you will need to either build circuitry to switch the digital signals from which controller you will be using,”
If i install laser controller, pokeys and router motion card, do you mean all ( axis and router/laser/plasma) signals or just the one that controls router/laser/plasma?
I was wondering if I could jump (parallel connect) axis signals from card to card without ?
Also do you prefer ethernet card or usb?
I really do appreciate your help :) thanx again.

Buildyourcnc response:
Not a problem at all.

Remember that with all of that weight on the z-axis, you will not be able to do efficient raster style engraving.

By putting the laser on another gantry, say at the far end of the table, then you would be able to use a laser controller that controls its own stepper motors and the nozzle can have fast swing motion for engraving. With the laser on the z-axis of the spindle (like see on the greenBull), you will only be able to do vector motions for the laser.

You can also have a CNC interface and laser controller controlling the same stepper motor drivers, but you will need a few tri-state buffer chips where you can use a toggle switch for which controller has control of the drivers.

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How should I control a plasma torch, spindle and a laser on my CNC machine?

We recommend our electronics combo for the scratch build kit, which you can find on our site here: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-3axis-425-elcombo. This is our standard general purpose 3 axis electronics system, and includes (3) NEMA 24 425 oz-in stepping motors, (3) Drivers (3.0Amp 24-40 Volts, with 1-1/64 microstepping), (1) 36v 8.8a Power Supply, (1) Interface Board either USB or Parallel. (The USB version requires PlanetCNC software; the parallel interface board gives you a variety of options, Mach3 being one popular choice.)

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I am going to build a CNC 4x4 plasma table. The frame is made of 1 1/4" pipe and the gantry will be made of either 2"x 2" or 2"x 3" tubing. What size stepper motors do you suggest?

"Soft limits are used to decelerate machine to stop before machine is stopped hard way at limit switch or before it crashes. I recommend "Soft Limits Decelerate" and "Soft Limits Strict" settings are also checked. Sometimes we need to disable soft limits and there is a command for this in menu "Machine/Soft Limits". When soft limit is triggered position display will be yellow."

Are the soft limits "grayed out"?
Here is a link to a very useful forum post from the Planet-CNC crew:
http://www.planet-cnc.com/faq/machine_setup/



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i keep getting scratches when engraving pictures on dog tags

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Using USB Controller Board with Planet-CNC software. The S/W recognizes limit switches but not soft limits. Help?

The available options for the blackFoot, is only structural components with hardware, and structure components/hardware with electronic components.
However we currently do not have any plans available for public use/distribution.

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Do you provide plans and/or parts to build the blackFoot CNC table?

Any of our products that we sell on Buildyourcnc can be shipped anywhere in the world unless there are federal restrictions to your country.

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Do you ship Pokeys CNC Interface Board to india?

We do have a relay board that words like a standard relay.

Here is the URL of the relay board that we offer:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-breakout-Relays-relay-board-250V-12A-5V

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I HAVE YOUR MACH3 USB BOB, DO YOU GUYS SELL A TORCH CONTROL RELAY CAN WIRE UP TO TURN MY PLASMA ON AND OFF HOW WOULD WIFE THAT TOO THIS BOB?

To use a touch plate on any controller, all you need is a conductive flat material with a known thickness and some wire and alligator clips. Solder a wire to the touch plate and connect the other end of the wire to the free input terminal of the controller. Connect a wire with an alligator clip to the ground of the controller (on the Mach3 USB controller, this ground is the DCM terminal, or the digital gnd on the 24VDC power supply). Connect the alligator clip to the end mill.

You can either use a script to serve as the probe, or you can use the ref all home button and setup the touch plate as a home switch.

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I connect wire to cmd- and to in2. I cant getbit to work, what arecthe corresponding ports and pins to usenin mach3? Please help.

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[575] Can you tell me where to find a script (for Auto Tool Zero button) to zero Z axis from a touch plate?

Yes, you can send your electronics to us for repair, or retrofit to work with either Mach3, Mach4 or LinuxCNC. You can send us an email at customerService@buildyourcnc.com to set up your appointment.

Some of the types of CNC electronics we will consider.

- We will work on electronics from other manufacturers as long as you are ok with the Mach3, Mach4 or LinuxCNC control software for your CNC machine or CNC router.

- We will repair or retrofit used CNC electronics.

- Some customers find that electronics are overwhelming to put together so we will finish these electronics wiring and assembly for you.

The cost for these includes labor cost for the time it takes to finish the CNC electronics repair or retrofit and for any parts that need to be replaced or added.

Here is an example of CNC electronics that we worked on for a customer:

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Can you finish putting my CNC electronics together for me?