Update, it gets error 8 when attempting to home.
That seems to mean it’s busy:
“Error 8: Grbl ‘$’ command cannot be used unless Grbl is IDLE. Ensures smooth operation during a job.“
Yeah, I have the error list. I dont know why it started or how to fix it.
Is it already trying to home when you connect to LightBurn? (Do you have Home on Startup enabled in the device setup?)
It doesn’t do anything then. I says in the console “homing” but goes past it in a few seconds.
I was suggesting that if you have that enabled you should turn it off, because it might be that the device is trying to home already when you are entering your commands.
I will try that. Is there a way to set lightburn back to defaults? I tried uninstall but it seems to have remembered everything. Or, is there a g-code sender you can recommend I test my hardware with? Right now, jogging isn’t working right either.
To reset everything to defaults:
- File => Open Prefs Folder
- Quit LightBurn
- Delete prefs files
For GCode senders, any serial terminal will work, and the console in LightBurn will do the job too, though it only sends after you press enter.
Thanks. I’m going to try defaults.
If you do not have a moving Z axis . Grbl is busy because it is waiting for the z to home. Rather than add a z switch disable it in the config.h and reflash your board
I have a Z axis with limits. It was working, now, if will only move a tiny bit when homing.
I have it back to where it’s homing. I for some reason, had to invert the limits. Strange. I may know why.
Anyway, it’s back to where now maybe I can understand the homing instructional video.
Thank you for your help, I’ll let you know how it goes.
I have the machine homing now. After homing, I can get my current position and it shows:
X=-195.01 Y=-4.99 Z=-5.00 U=0.00
I have the homing retract set at 5mm, and the machine set at 150x150mm
When I attempt to run a job, the laser hits the top limit.
0,0 is bottom left.
What am I doing wrong? What other information can I give you.
Grbl 1.1f settings below:
$0=10 (Step pulse time)
$1=25 (Step idle delay)
$2=0 (Step pulse invert)
$3=0 (Step direction invert)
$4=0 (Invert step enable pin)
$5=1 (Invert limit pins)
$6=0 (Invert probe pin)
$10=1 (Status report options)
$11=0.010 (Junction deviation)
$12=0.002 (Arc tolerance)
$13=0 (Report in inches)
$20=0 (Soft limits enable)
$21=1 (Hard limits enable)
$22=1 (Homing cycle enable)
$23=1 (Homing direction invert)
$24=25.000 (Homing locate feed rate)
$25=500.000 (Homing search seek rate)
$26=250 (Homing switch debounce delay)
$27=5.000 (Homing switch pull-off distance)
$30=1000 (Maximum spindle speed)
$31=0 (Minimum spindle speed)
$32=1 (Laser-mode enable)
$100=88.890 (X-axis travel resolution)
$101=88.890 (Y-axis travel resolution)
$102=250.000 (Z-axis travel resolution)
$110=500.000 (X-axis maximum rate)
$111=500.000 (Y-axis maximum rate)
$112=500.000 (Z-axis maximum rate)
$120=10.000 (X-axis acceleration)
$121=10.000 (Y-axis acceleration)
$122=10.000 (Z-axis acceleration)
$130=200.000 (X-axis maximum travel)
$131=200.000 (Y-axis maximum travel)
$132=200.000 (Z-axis maximum travel)
Your machine appears to be using negative workspace coordinates, which is normal for some reason on CNC setups, but not with laser setups. You can either use a workspace offset to shift the origin so the workspace is positive, or there’s a flag in GRBL (when compiling it) to make it not apply negative workspace.
This will explain the workspace offset: https://github.com/LightBurnSoftware/Documentation/blob/master/CommonGrblSetups.md
And here is info on the negative coordinates change: https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions#why-is-grbl-in-all-negative-coordinates-after-homing-or-it-so-annoying-and-not-what-im-used-to
I’d be happy to change whatever GRBL make my machine works the simplest. It’s a new setup. I dont have to maintain any compatibility with legacy software.
I’m used to putting the work to the top left corner and it works. If there is a way I can make this happen. I cant seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong. Like I say, it’s a new install, Grbl on a arduino clone board with CNC outputs for limits, motors, etc. I’m happy to change anything to make it work the way My K40 does.
I’ll be happy to buy a new board. Anything.
If you read the “Common GRBL setups” doc page I linked above, it walks you through setting up a workspace offset. That would do it.
Ok, I ended up discovering my Arduino was not compiling my updated config.h. once I figured that out, I included the line: #define HOMING_FORCE_SET_ORIGIN. Then I set the mask on homing direction to left front using $23=3. Now when I home, origin gets set to zero.
Thank you for all the assistance. I learned quite a bit from this. your help was appreciated.
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