Hi all. I just got my Revolution for the BB controller today and I am at a loss at how to run this thing. I’m currently having issues with the probing that I am working through with support, but on a broader note, I am just not understanding the origin point that I should be using. With my CNC I got up and running with YouTube videos, but the rotary videos are few and far between from what I have sen.
I am using VCarve Pro. Should I be using the Cylinder Axis for the Z Zero and then the bottom left corner for the XY Datum? I am having a hard time understanding what the probe does for me. Also, if I don’t use the probe, where should I be probing if I am running a rounding toolpath on square stock? Cylinder Surface and center? I tried to run a toolpath and the bit ran straight into the piece at full depth, so I clearly did something wrong there.
Thank you for any information you can give me regarding this or any other tips for a rotary noob.
I’m no expert using the rotary but I have figured out a few things from past experience.
For V carve make sure you use the rotary job setup when starting a new file.
I set the job to cylinder centre because you can calculate the part based on the diameter you want
I set the Y job to centre of the piece because I leave extra material at the chuck and the tailstock so I don’t crash into them. They get cut off later just like a manual lathe job.
I used the probe for tool height but I manually set the Y and X zero so I didn’t crash.
Secondly, what ever file you are using, set the machine with the tool in place, then remove the bit and do an air cut run. You can save your self a potential crash.
When you output the file make sure you have updated the post processor and select wrapped Y axis or wrapped X axis depending on your rotary orientation.
I have been using V carve Pro for my practice pieces but I’ll have to upgrade to Aspire if I want to do anything more complicated.
@DaltryWoodworks
Hello Ryan, Ken 5 has given you most of what I would say, obviously just getting started with the OF BB Rotary but I have been using rotary on my CNC Mill for a while. Vcarve isn’t true fourth axis so there are limitations like overhangs, but the wrapped approach works pretty well.
I like Z0 on cylinder axis and I like center of the job for X axis. The probe will set your Z 0 at middle point of the chuck which is perfect. I like the Y 0 that the probe offers because this will be dead center over the part. Edit: my mistake, I’m not sure where the probe is sending Y but it is not center of the chuck??? My other system sets y at center.
X probing is awkward because it doesn’t know where you have set X 0 in the software. I set X 0 manually.
One note for BB rotary- if your rotary travel seems wrong ( ie rotates too much ) it’s because there is a glitch in the firmware that is not overwriting the motor 2 setting in rotary mode. You can see the solution from support in my post “BB rotary moves in inches?” in this section of the forum.
Out of curiosity, what probing error are you getting, I got my bb rotary set up as well this week and am also stuck on a probing error that I am working with support on, for me it proves the z and x axis but stops tight against the probe and throws an error, never getting to the y axis…
I’m experiencing the issues that OneFinity listed previously with the buggy probing. One way we got around it not probing correctly is to probe Z only, and then probe XYZ, and it seemed to work fine. However I have to probe when the blank is not loaded, because once the probing is done it will run the bit into my blank as it doesn’t go high enough in Z to miss it.
The Post Processor for VCarve Pro is also brand new, and I’m not very educated on the workings of a CNC, so I am unsure if the issue lies with the controller or Vectric. An additional issue I have ran into is that when I hit go, the spindle is moved to X0, but Y doesn’t move. So if I start the Y axis at Y0, it runs fine, but if I have the Y axis 3" behind the blank, its just carving air 3" behind the blank.
So in Vectric setup you need to select rotary and once file is done make sure you have updated your post processor and select wrapped Y axis or the A axis won’t rotate
Secondly increase your Z clearance in setup typical default is 0.2 inches so increase that to 0.8 or more inches
@DaltryWoodworks
Ryan: Just a quick note for you on your post, you might have already realized this but you must start a Vectric rotary carve exactly at the true Y0, (center of axis for the chuck, looking down from the top.) The gcode from Vectric will not provide code for moving to Y0 at the start. There will be no Y gcode moves at all.
( You can enter work zero offsets in Vcarve, but that becomes tricky and in my mind isn’t really needed. Also possibly above my pay grade🙂 )
Its kind of like saying it isn’t really 4 axis milling, it’s just three, X, Z and A. Y must be adjusted to center of axis prior to running the gcode.
Note to be careful of, (ask me how I know).
When you are manually setting X zero, if you use the joystick, it’s easy to pull Y slightly off 0 unless you lockout the Y on the joystick with the top button. Always check to see that Y hasn’t moved.
Another obvious one but as Y probing isn’t working well for some of us, manually setting Y 0 can be done very easily with the indicators (crosshairs) between the chuck and the stepper. I use a v bit and it can be dialed in nicely.