Run Your Second Job

These are the instructions for the SO1 and are here for historical reasons only.

If you are building an SO2, please see the instructions at http://docs.shapeoko.com/

More detailed versions of this are available at:


 * MakerCAM Tutorial
 * First Job on docs.shapeoko.com

Ready?
Let's see what we have done:


 * Unit assembled?
 * Electronics connected?
 * Software installed?
 * First job run?

If you've met all three of those criteria, then you're ready to run your next job!

This is the fun one, because now you actually get to make a thing. You can really ShapeOko for the first time!

Set?

 * 1) Open up GcodeSender (Windows) or Universal-G-Code-Sender (Mac / Linux / Windows).
 * 2) Select the correct com port from the dropdown menu on the left. Mine is COM17, yours is probably COM3 or COM4. If you plugged in your arduino after launching gcode sender, just hit the refresh circles next to the dropdown menu. That will rescan for new hardware.
 * 3) When you've connected to your arduino you'll see something like this: $ dump settings. GREAT! That means we're talking to the arduino.
 * 4) you might have to toggle the /n/r /n options at the top.
 * 5) Go ahead and type '$' into the input box. This will dump GRBLs current settings to the screen.
 * 6) Assuming you have set 8x Microstepping on the X&Y axis and full step on the Z Axis:

Your settings should look like this...

Grbl 0.8a '$' to dump current settings $0 = 43.74 (steps/mm x) $1 = 43.74 (steps/mm y) $2 = 320.00 (steps/mm z) $3 = 30 (microseconds step pulse) $4 = 500.00 (mm/min default feed rate) $5 = 500.00 (mm/min default seek rate) $6 = 0.10 (mm/arc segment) $7 = 28 (step port invert mask. binary = 00011100) $8 = 25.00 (acceleration in mm/sec^2) $9 = 0.05 (cornering junction deviation in mm)

If something isn't set correctly, you can set it by typing the value you want (e.g. $0=87.49). Settings are stored in EEPROM and will be retained when the Arduino is turned off.

Go!
First, grab the [[Media:coaster.txt | gcode]], some tape, and a piece of 1/4" thick cork. Tape the cork down to the waste board in the middle of the work area. Make sure it is as flat as possible, and won't come loose during the job. Put a 1/8" end mill in the spindle, and tighten it down. The origin of the job is in the lower left hand corner, so center the ShapeOko over the lower left hand corner of the cork, and bring the Z-axis down until the end mill just touches the cork. That's zero. Turn on the spindle, take a deep breath, and stream the gcode. If all goes well, you'll end up with a sweet cork coaster!

There's also a video walkthrough of the process. You might consider watching it before you do this project.