Thank you @charleyntexas! Any chance/plans to offer just a z touch plate the same thickness as xyz plate when just measuring z? I do a lot of repetitive work and have a jig setup on my wasteboard for easy x/y repeatability, but need to remeasure z as each board can vary. These pieces are only 1 1/2" wide and a smaller z touch place would make it easier. Also seeing that using v-bits has put some little imperfections in my xyz that when putting it on a painted board they leave little scratches is I slide it around into position too much. Not the end of the world and easily fixed. But would have no problem paying for a smaller z touch plate taking the same clip. Just a though and thanks again for this information.
Not sure about the Y probe but the X probe push the touch plate hard.
Here is a video of it.
charleyntexas
(Charley Thomas (Onefinity/Triquetra Touch Probe))
43
@FrankP Thank you for the video. After watching it I found a mistake in the code where it was probing the initial X axis way too fast. I edited the code in the original post to slow it down. You should be able to run the code with the edited version and it will probe much slower and prevent the “Collision” effect you were experiencing. As for the various readings you are getting on the Y axis, that is likely due to the resolution of the machine. If you average them then you would have 53.865 for the Y. A better idea might be to throw out the Highest and lowest and average the remaining which in your case are the same at 53.861.
To put things in perspective, this is a difference of -0.004mm and +0.005mm. In inches that equates to -0.000157 inches and +0.000197 inches if you didn’t throw out the High and Low numbers. These are actually pretty amazing when considering the repeatability you have documented is better than ±.0.0002 inches. I doubt you will find any machine remotely close to that repeatability in this price range. Normal machining tolerances are typically ±0.005" and you have demonstrated that the OneFinity more than capable of that.
Not sure I should start a new post - but I’ve used @charleyntexas gcode and it works (thank you for making that by the way charlie!) …but strangely enough - If run the code 8 times in a row it - in the same exact position with the same 1/4" endmill - I get different measurement results on the display every time. So now I’m questioning the measurements… I averaged out all the measurements I got and it seems to be close enough, but is this normal?
charleyntexas
(Charley Thomas (Onefinity/Triquetra Touch Probe))
51
Not trying to be rude but I couldn’t say if it was normal or not because you didn’t list the variation amount. If you share those numbers I could give you a answer.
do you have the endmill upside down or is it possible that the cutter is being rotated slightly between each run thus changing its cutter\surface angle?
Yessir. Endmill was upside down - I didn’t touch anything once the code was ran. Just thought it was odd giving me different dimensions everytime. Engraving and cutouts are fine.
Sorry I didn’t explain these results, The OneFinity Dungeon Master has been keeping me busy!! Just kidding, they don’t really have a Dungeon Master but they have been keeping me busy. OK, the chart above:
Most of it is self explanatory but I made a typo, the second row that is labeled Largest Discrepancy for the Y Axis column. It should be 0.0022 inches not 0.0220.
The Recommended Value is the Average measurement calculated from all of the measurements taken and what I suggest is entered in the controller for the measurement to use.
The Calculated Error is the maximum variation that you may expect to see when zeroing with the recommended value. I didn’t show it on the chart but it is a + or - value meaning the maximum repeatability discrepancy should be plus or minus that amount and it is highly likely it will be less than that.
Hopefully that all makes sense and will clarify the information. So now the question is, “Is this discrepancy cause for concern?” In my humble opinion, there is no reason for concern. That is unless you are making parts for NASA. If you are making Welcome to our home signs or Flags and such, you will never detect the discrepancy. In fact, you are more likely to take off more wood than that just finish sanding.
I was going to ask about the inch measurement Charlie
Though I would expect the values to be more consistent, like Charlie mentioned, we’re talking about 1 thousandth of an inch. The router probably has 3 thou runout. Everything is relative
Hey Charley, I’m new to this and am trying to understand the need for the touch probe. It seems to me like its beneficial to have a touch probe for x and y when you plan on placing your blanks on random parts of the bed. But what if you plan on registering your blank in the same spot every time. Like you would on a commercial CNC with pins.
Also, what if the material you are cutting is less than the recess of the touch probe like thin aluminum? Would it still be beneficial to use the touch probe in that application?
Thank you, sir.
charleyntexas
(Charley Thomas (Onefinity/Triquetra Touch Probe))
59
Good questions Stephen,
If you always place your blanks in the same spot and build that into your tool path then X and Y zeroing is not necessary. However, like you said, if you move them around then X and Y zeroing can mean the difference is making firewood or parts because it will get you back to the absolute X Y zero in the case of an aborted carving… even if you take the workpiece off the machine and start it again in a different location. As for zeroing thin material, The X and Y will be accurate as long as there is an edge to press against. for the Z, simply flip the touch plate over and zero to the milled out portion after you get your X and Y set. (You can zero just the Z axis alone or all three together.)
This is my first post. Ordered my journey x50 early May. The question I have about the probe is can it probe the axis in X and set the angle on a work plane. So if I place my stock on the bed, and it is on there is a slight angle, can I probe 2 points in X and adjust the rotation of the part to make it straight by adjusting the G54 work plane? Before this machine, I had a custom-built one with belts that I could do on my controller.
