4x8 Gantry Build...

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

OK, we actually got our card tonight. I moved the computer out to the garage and started following CandCNC's instructions for Mach3. I have the motors plugged in and they are all locked. I tuned the motors using the parameters you (Matt) sent me in pm.

The program will not come out of reset. I am getting the "External E-stop Request" error. Possible solutions include the EPO jumper is not in place... but it IS. OR the Table I/O card is not connected... but it is, through the grey flat cable.

Any ideas?

BTW it's a real pain the ass that there arent 2 crimp spade terminals included with my gantry kit. I dont have those little connectors at home to connect the limit switches on the z axis, so yet another delay until tomorrow when I can get some. Doing this at 8 pm on a weekday to try to get this table going and... That's just ridiculous.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

Ok, we fixed the error by reconfiguring the port to match in Mach.... continuing on now...

[jeepsr4ever]

Auxillary parallel port card may limit your system dramatically. A motherboard mounted parallel port card allows enough system resources for fast dialog between controller and PC.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

Auxillary parallel port card may limit your system dramatically. A motherboard mounted parallel port card allows enough system resources for fast dialog between controller and PC.

We bought and installed this card to our motherboard:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o03_s00_i00

[jeepsr4ever]

May or may not work well enough for full speed. I know people have had problems with that type of card.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

Ok, what card should we be using? Could you please post a link to something that is going to work.

I think I am understanding you now that I reread your post... we need a new motherboard?

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

This is Jason's wife, Katie. I was working with Mach 3 last night to perform the motor tests. We were having some issues with the direction of the x axis, along with some other problems. I was entering in the G code to test the direction of the x axis, and when I changed the polarity, it was still going towards 0,0 and not away, like it should have been.

Is there a trick to entering the G code? I would enter in one line and execute, but after that I would have to exit the gcode function, use the arrow keys, sometimes reset, and even then it only worked 50% of the time.

Is there a different scale for the Z axis? I entered G00 Z1.0 and it moved all the way out, not one inch. The x axis is also off by 1/8" on the scale when moving it with the arrow keys and watching the position. The y seems to be just fine, on all accounts.

[jeepsr4ever]

That is the problem with auxillary cards and/or Windows 7. You need a motherboard integrated parallel card set. Also when you change the settings you need to reset Mach. From manual data input press the MDI tab in Mach to enter Gcode.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

That is the problem with auxillary cards and/or Windows 7.

Which problem? Could you please link me a motherboard that you think would be acceptable?

I'll let Katie respond to your other comments.

[jeepsr4ever]

Can you see the parallel port and serial attached?