Looks like you really wanted it. Go to bed!

I think the question is "Looks finished, but does it move?" I can now answer that with a positive YES.

1 small problem so far, the e-stop is activating on its own with no button pushed. When it does ............. it stops. Any ideas? There is no pattern, when you click reset it may stay for 10 seconds or minutes.

JR.
Check the PMDX wires that feed the Estop contact on the board.
Excess electrical noise could be causing this. Check the cable routing and see if a little more separation helps. Additionally, in the Mach control setup pages there is a setting that helps Bounce/debounce the signal inputs to the board. I know you can adjust the standard inputs, I'm not sure about the Estop input.
Also, check for an intermittent ground connection on the estop loop that goes to the PMDX.
That's all I can think of at the moment.

BTW - CONGRATULATIONS! That's a HUGE step and kudo's to you! Well done.
Sean

It MOVES!! :D:D

but then it e-stops :confused::confused:

JR, Sean is sending you in the right direction. There is interference which could be a bear to track down. . . . . .

Too few grounds, or too many grounds (both can be culprits). Easy to start checking for too many - disconnect some to see if the problem goes away.

Shielded cables must be grounded one end only (not both ends)

PMDX must not be grounded.

Try plugging computer into same, or different, circuit to the control box.

Shorten E-stop cables by disconnecting some buttons.

Check E-stop wires not inside the same shield as mains wires (E-stop buttons must have two separately shielded cables.

It air cut almost to the end of the roadrunner file before the e-stop kicked in :D:( It jogs over 8' in 5 sec. including ramping up and down, it's fast.

E-stop has it's own shielded wire.

CONGRATS J.R.!!!!!!!! I'm happy for you Bud.

You might consider disconnecting your e-stop circuit from the terminal strip and replace it with a 2 or 3 inch loop of wire so that the circuit is completed and the system will still run. Then cut for a while and see if it will quit on you. At least that way, maybe you can narrow the problem down to either the cable circuit or the control box.

Thanks everyone it was only the debounce setting of 0, set it to 1000 as per Sean and the mach3 forum and it runs perfect.

Ran the roadrunner file 6 or 7 times without any problems whatsoever.

Thanks Doug, it IS music to your ears ............ really

Confession time. The power supply problem last nite was operator error. Wired the 5 volt DC backwards - to + and + to -, didn't seem to hurt anything :o

Now we're talking. I am glad it was a quick fix! Funny thing about that debounce setting. I often have to debounce all my proximity switches when programming to detect a vehicle on the track. Its really a guess sometimes. I am joyous for you and full of envy that I'm not done yet! Have a great night listening to the sounds of music. P

That was then... What about now? Cutting? Pictures?

Way to go J.R. !!!!

It really is fun watching everyone's progress.

Agree with Marc, more pictures please.

Great job J.R.:).....Looks like you might have to take #0000004;)

J.R. your work is an inspiration to me. I hope to have a MechMate 1/2 that nice when I am done.

John

Thanks
I have plans for a video release later today, maybe a pod-cast or a sim-u-cast ............ just joking about the last part, don't even know what they are. If I can figure it out ..... You-tube, I have never uploaded there before.:cool:

Greg S/N 0000004 or S/N 0000005 are both easy to say. I just have a hard time with tthhhuuu....rrreee.

Doug I hope you know I'm just having fun with this, and there is no substance to it at all, I'm as proud of your machine as I am of mine....well almost.....:):D:cool::o:p

Gerald get your stick pin ready!!!!!!!

Congrats J.R., hopefully you will all start seeing more progress on my machine soon, been gathering bits of steel and other sundry stuff.

All you guys are just making me put more pressure on myself :o

J. R.

Congratulations and I am eager to see more photos and videos. What do you plan to cut?

I know you are just kidding around JR and I've been enjoying it. However, I wish it wasn't a joke because I'd be more than happy to swap machines with you so you could have SN#00003 and I could have your masterpiece!!!

Nils the first cut was the surfacing of the table. It took 2 passes about .0025 each and now I have a flat table. I tried to upload the video to youtube ...didn't work. I'll try again Saturday.

So it does cut! :D

It does cut, here's proof. Got tired of looking a file, this one comes with mach3.

J.R.,

Doug's first project showed a picture of the machine "actually" cutting. How do we know you didn't get that from somewhere else? ;)

Just yanking your chain guy. Looks great. I guess you get S/N 4 (Only Gerald makes it offical).

Maybe I'll get 6 or Lucky 7. :)

Now you make me feel really bad....I did get it from somewhere else and paid good money for it.....darn

Just joking:D:D See if this works. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80NUVcCn1M

J. R.

Your cutting looks great. Any serial number is a great number.

Hey J.R.
I just wanted to say, Congratulations!!! I am mainly a lurker on this forum but am constantly checking in to see what is going on with the MM builders. I grew up in Wilmington (Hoggard HS graduate), although I live a couple hours further up the coast now, I have been checking in to see how your build was progressing as well as Gene's in Wilmington. This forum is a perfect example of how small the world is, as I also went to graduate school with Sean Reish. Next time I am in Wilmington I'll have to come and see what you have created (no worries though, I barely get back to Wilmington every three years or so). With what you and Doug have completed in the last week, I think I will have phone orders in to Gecko, Oriental, Antek on Monday morning.
Gerald's design ... along with this great forum, beats the other NC machine ... (no names mentioned) ... hands down.
Happy cutting,
Carl McCoy

JR
Just watched your movie. Congrats! You've done an excellent job. Work of art!

Paul

Okay J.R., I'm officially banning you from the forum. :D You aren't satisfied with just cutting a couple of words into an old 2X6, you have to cut a work of art for your first project. I think you purposely waited a couple of days until after I posted a picture of my junk just so you could embarrass me again.:rolleyes:

Bravo J.R.!
Looks great!

If Greg J. is looking at 6 or 7....guess that puts me somewhere around 10:D

If I get number 50 in about July, I will still be absolutely thrilled!!!!!!!!!!

Doug, I like people with a good sense of humor. You make me laugh and that's a good thing. Thanks :)

JR,
Great looking sign. Congratulations. Hope mine will cut as well as yours. :)

J.R.,

That video will get nominations at next years Cannes Film Festival. ;)

Seriously, my wife said it was " a cool thing!!". I think it's a cool thing also.

Your putting allot of pressure on me. I'm spending extra time and effort on my cable management system just to keep up with the "4's". :D

You made me sit right through the video...........and about two thirds through there was a glimpse........
.
.
.
.
.
and then right at the end . . .
.
.
.
.
.
.
the logo!
(had to verify it was your machine) :)

Help yourself to a serial number sir! :)

Your MM is Great work of art J.R.
Congratulations on being # 4.

Four! Doesn't roll right off the tongue, does it? Sounds more like someone about to get hit in the head with a golf ball. Tooooo bad. I guess you didn't hold off quite long enough. You are soooo right. Five would have sounded a lot better.

:rolleyes:.

Better start on another. Maybe you can get #1o. That would sound pretty darn good.

Great Job. Fooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

JR 4 JR4 JR----4 JR's4 JR'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr4 JR......4

Marc U rrrrrrright

JR U need to start working on the next one.. :)

BTW ......... Great Job.

JR, that "o" in Artsoft, is there a glitch at the 3-o'clock position, on the inner curve? Any signs of machine resonance and rough cutting, particularly on those slow curves in the word "Mach 3"?

Had to giggle at the amount of z-travel you used to pull the cutter above the surface between one letter and the next. A very safe way to start - it should miss the g-clamps! :)
(As you build confidence, and the customers start lining up for their signs, you will reduce that height to about 1/8" to save time ;))

1. No glitch. It's the point where it raises and lowers each Z move, I corrected some be extending the X & Y travel. It's rounding the vertical corners, there is a setting in Mach that fixes that just can't remember where, but I'll find it.

2. Not much, it will easily pass my scrutiny test.

3. Remember I didn't setup this file Art did. That was the second thing I changed (to Z.25) the first was the feed rate from F1.3 to F35. I've got to assume the file was setup for a milling machine and Alu.

For anyone who wants them here is the original Art'slogo.tap.txt and the one I modified version Art'slogo3.tap.txt
This logo from start to finish took 2 minutes 5 seconds to cut.