If anyone running VCarve or aspire would like the post processor file to drop in your post processor library hit me up.
It would be really good @Bigmontel if you could post a new thread in resources section and upload the modified post processor there. Not everyone will want to use the same post processor, but seeing what you have done will be very helpful. Alex.
I’ll post it or send it tonight or tomorrow. It was honestly a lot more simple than what i was imagining.
Well, apparently i figured out how to split gcode but can’t figure out how to upload the .pp file. It’s not allowing me to select it to upload.
Ok, so I tried what Alex suggested and changed the file extension from .pp to .txt to upload it. The original Post processor file was the x-carve (inch) .pp. I have used this one since I built my Workbee 1010 and it has always worked great. So I copied it and edited it per the post processing guide. Attached is a word doc with highlighted text of what I added or changed to the file. Also attached is the actual file but renamed with a .txt extension. You will need to change it back to a .pp file in order for it to work in your post p folder. To use the file change it to a .pp, open a project in aspire or vcarve, go to file in the top left, select open application data folder, and drop the file into the Post P folder. that's it. it should show up in your drop down list. Note: this Post p file was made to split at 50,000 lines of code. I also made another copy that splits at 75,000 and 100,000. This way depending on the size I can change the number of splits.
I also wanted to note that I ran the finishing 2,3,and 4 files last night and it worked flawlessly. Returns to work zero when completed with each finishing file and then picks right back up where it left off on the next file.
Another tip i used was to ensure my work piece never moves and set my limit switches to exactly the same as my work zero so i can just re-home and do probe wizard and its in the exact same position at the start of every file.
Hi @Bigmontel, thanks for posting this, but over time this thread will fade into history. It would be great if you could find the time to post this in the helpful tools section of resources so that people can find it more easily. Alex.
Alex, I definitely plan on it. I ran out of time this AM so I’ll get it uploaded tonight or tomorrow morning.
Finished carving my project. Nine separate files including the rough, finish 1-7, and profile. Turned out nice, just needs some stain & finish.
Alex, I use the openbuilds control. Are you saying if I home my machine with the home button, then zero my work piece, start a job, pause in the middle of the job, turn machine/computer off for the night, turn on in the morning, reconnect computer, hit resume, it will continue from where it left off? Or will the machine just remember where the work zero is, say lower left corner.
No, grbl will remember where your workplace zero is relative to your home (machine co-ordinates) position. It will not remember where you had got to part way through a job. If you read through the thread you will see that people were talking about separate g-code files that shared the same workplace zero (different tools used on the same workpiece). If you home your machine, set workplace zero, and run a complete g-code file you can then turn everything off. When you turn things back on you can re-home your machine and it will remember where workplace zero is so you can run the next g-code file. Alex.
Okay....I didn't think so but wanted to ask before I dive into learning what bigmontel posted about the Vectrics post processor. I'm super interested in splitting up bigger jobs due to family life and not being able to devote more than a couple hours at a time to the machine. I'm not following where bigmontel entered this post processor info: TAPE_SPLITTING = 1000 100 "%s_%d.tap" 1 "YES" Is this a macro or a whole new post processor added to Vcarve? EDIT ***Nevermind....I see bigmontel's instructions above in post #38****
Yes - just rename the file with a .pp extension. The post processor @Bigmontel used is not the one most commonly used - for grbl machines most people use the grbl (mm) (*.g-code) or grbl (inch) (g-code) post processors. You should be able to modify any of the Vectric post processors as Bigmontel has - it looks pretty straightforward. You can access the instructions for editing a post processor from the help menu in Vectric software. Alex.
This worked like a charm! I've searching for so long for a reliable way to break long carves up into mini carves. Although I have not had a chance to try a carve yet I was able to split my 7+ hour carve into 7 one hour carves. Cant wait to try this out! Thanks Again Bigmontel and Alex!
Great! Sorry for the late response but I’m glad you were able to get figure it out. I learned how to tape split for the same reason. Run machine for 1.5 hours. Shut it off, play with kids. Next day, repeat.
Hi, would like to put out my procedure for MY LONG JOBS. my jobs are only about 4-5 hours total start to finish. But that's long, for me. Alex and Peter please check this and correct me when I go off track. This is for newbees. When I do a job I have this procedure and its working for me. Secure work to spoil board with screws countersunk about 1/8", I tried all the clamps and tape, didn't work. Mark center with masking tape and x mark it. power up machine and home it. Zero registers. Head over to the x and sneak up on it till you are satisfied. Note the registers for X and Y. Make up Macro and insert these numbers. Home machine, zero and hit macro. check results. (macro best thing since sliced bread) Get some metal duct tape, stick it on an outside edge. (stuff is only .003" thick) use this for you Z probe. So to work. Home, Zero, Macro, Zero (I'm assuming your drawing uses center) manually move to Zero pad, use Zero Probe Wizard (same as sliced bread) hit retract. You are good to go. If at any point you THINK you might have missed anything or moved something. REPEAT above. It doesn't take much time. After any part job (my jobs typically have about 8-10 tool changes) you can power down anything, computer, cnc. and come right back to where you were. My longest jobs are about 1 1/2 hr or less, but that's a long time for me. I cant imagine 8 hour jobs. I wont trust my machine so I baby sit it constantly. (kinda cool watching it) Now I know I missed the insert tool here, and the surface off the material and some other stuff but hey you did build the machine did't you? This is for the guy that has a couple of tool changes and was scared to turn anything off or restart it. Thanks again to all the helpers along the way, you know who you are. Remember, trust the software, it works, and its only getting better.
Seems a bit over-complicated @Steveathome , I usually home machine, jog to workpiece origin (I normally use FRONT, LEFT, TOP so that I can use an XYZ probe, but CENTRE works as well), set X,Y,Z zero. I then usually jog Z up about 5mm just in case I screwed up safe height and run job. You seem to be setting XYZ zero twice - once at machine home and once at workpiece origin. Alex.
Yep, old military training. If it works dont change it. I do it this way because I built this machine and I didnt have any experience or confidence that it would work as well as it did, and I was trying to teach myself Fusion and Control at the same time. Wouldnt have made without you, Peter and the Swarfer
If 'over-complicated' as Alex calls it lol, makes you feel safe and secure, then that IS the right way! We all develop our own little habits and tricks, thats the fun of this hobby, theres hundreds of ways to do the same thing! I mostly rely on homing and Grbl storing the last setzero coordinates automatically, but on machines without switches that I don't use regularly, I make some kind of physical mark where XY0 is (jog plunge endmill into material for example, or quick laser test spot). If anything happens I can jog back overthere until the laser test spot lines up, or the endmill can dropdown into previous XY0 hole, and that gives me some reference. On machines with an XYZ probe, even easier, just reprobe the front left corner. hehe Many ways, all of them awesome!
