I’m still fairly new to CNC work, and it’s taken me a while to understand the correct sequencing between the touch probe and the tool setter. I’ve even managed to wear down the top of my tool setter from accidentally driving a spinning bit into it — I wasn’t sure why it kept happening.
I’ve been using AI to help me understand the proper workflow, and I think I finally have the basics sorted out. As I understand it now, the sequence is (1) Install a 1/4" bit; (2) Run the XYZ touch probe on the workpiece; (3) Press and release the E‑STOP, then click the Homing button; (4) Let the machine run the tool‑setter routine; (5) Install the first cutting bit for the project; (6) Press and release E‑STOP again, click Homing, and let the tool setter measure the new bit; (7) Load the VCarve file; and then (8) Click Start to begin carving
Subsequent tool changes during the job aren’t a problem — the machine automatically moves to the tool setter after I install the new bit, and everything works as expected.
My only uncertainty is how to manually trigger the tool‑setter routine without using the E‑STOP. Right now, pressing and releasing E‑STOP is the only way I know to make Masso show the Homing button, which then triggers the tool setter (I have that option enabled on the F1 screen). Is that the only practical method?
Is there a clear, step‑by‑step write‑up anywhere that explains the entire process from powering on the machine to pressing Start? For reference, I’m using the Journeyman Elite with the Masso G3 (v5.13) and VCarve Pro 12.5.
You need to home the machine with a bit in the spindle first, then do your X,Y,Z touch probe, then when you load a program if the bit its different it will prompt for a tool change if not it will move on to machine. Masso remembers what the last bit was in the spindle, I always leave the bit in the spindle, some choose to remove it after shutting down, I do not.
Thanks Pat. I frequently find that at the beginning of a project I’m never asked to change my bit, the machine just seems to think the first bit required is already in the spindle.
With a new work piece on the spoil board I use my tool setter using a 1/4” bit, followed by homing the machine which causes the machine to also probe automatically the 1/4” bit. At that point I want to change my 1/4” probing bit to what is required for the project at hand and to probe this the new bit. While there is no problem changing the bit before I click on START, I don’t know how to probe the new bit first other than hit the Emergency Stop, then rehome the machine, which then probes the new bit automatically. Seems like a torturous process. There must be an easier way.
Have you tried using the M6 command to tell the controller that you’re changing tools? I don’t have a masso, but typically auto tool setting subroutines are triggered by M6. You would go to the MDI and type M6 T#, where # is the tool number you’re telling the controller that you’re changing to.
I would try homing with your first tool and then testing the M6 command to see what happens. If the machine goes and probes the first tool again, then the intended workflow is for you to manually change tools and then tell the controller which tool you just changed to.
Based on the masso documentation, it does sound like you need a tool loaded when you home. It calculates offsets incrementally based on the difference measured between adjacent tool probes. This saves them from needing to know the exact trigger location of the tool setter.
In general, you should only need to home your machine once at the beginning of using it. All of your workpiece probing should happen afterwards, and you shouldn’t re-home. Your homing is probably pretty repeatable so you won’t notice issues unless you’re doing really precise work, but re-homing will technically change the physical locations of whatever points you’ve probed by whatever amount of error your homing process has.
Always leave a bit in the Spindle when shutting down
Switch on and home (using the estop (set then release) then double tap on the flashing yellow button). The machine will then home and then measure the tool in place. You only need to do this at the start of your machining day or if something goes wrong.
Set your work piece zero location
Run your loaded gcode.
If your tool number in your gcode is different to the tool number masso thinks you have loaded (look at the screen and find the tool number, tool number not tool name is key) then it will trigger a tool change routine.
If the tool number in masso and tool number in gcode are the same, the programme will just run
If you need to force a tool change before running your gcode go to the midi screen, type M6 T# (# is whatever tool number you want but must be different to what masso thinks it has loaded) and masso will run a tool change routine.
Never change your bit without being in a tool change routine. If you do, restart/ / re-home masso, curse and promise never to do it again.
One thing I believe needs to be changed/corrected is the order of the M6 and T#.
Masso handles things differently depending on this order, and for almost all machines and situations, requires the tool number to be written first. Therefore…
Guys, I really appreciate all the suggestions. After reading through them, digging into how tool numbers are supposed to be used in VCarve Pro and Masso, and then assigning unique numbers to each bit instead of constantly reusing 1, 2, and 3, things finally clicked. It explains why I was rarely being prompted for tool changes, why my tool setter was giving me so much grief with spinning bits, and why rehoming the machine to force a tool‑setter cycle was never the right move. I also tested the M6 Tx command and have that working now—so thanks for that as well.
If I document something it helps me to better understand it. So, attached is a PDF of what I think is the solution to my probing issues. I have a slightly longer 3-page version as well. This one is a slightly abbreviated version of that.
Nice writeup. Just one nut to pick - the tool setter measures tool offset not tool length. It determines the difference between the initial tool you zeroed with and subsequent tools and the adjusts to account for the new tool stickout.
On the front screen where it shows the snippet of gcode and status. Top right quadrant will give you a tool number and whatever description you have against that tool
