Thank you!
Can you have your racks on the left side, sure.
Can you setup soft limits for the left side, no.
soft limits can only be setup on the right side, and back side.
Tool Rack Layout
The reason is front left is XY 0.
When you setup soft limits you say don’t travel past this point, if you setup your softlimits at or around 0, it can only travel in that area once it enters that area. You also cannot have your toolsetter outside the workable area.
Soft & Hard Limits Soft Limits
Ok so I am in danger of colliding with my tool setter and/or the tool racks in this set up? Are you saying I could mirror this set up to the right side and set my tool racks outside of the soft limit. I was hoping to have them all in line with the tool setter. If it is the case that I have to move everything to the right side. Is there any way I could have you explain like I am five how to set it up with the tool racks outside of my soft limit in line with the tool setter.
Yes, the racks can go on the right side, and you can setup a soft limit there… you said 55" X travel, its too easy to put it over there. The whole tool rack doesn’t need to be in a travelable location, and can hang off if counting inches, as long as I’d say 51% of the rack is in a travelable spot it’ll work, but err on the side of caution and do a 60/40 split… again if that is of importance, but with 55" I don’t think it is.
then there is no need to have such tight spacing (since its all dead space with the soft limit) (refer to the above article when using a dust boot).
I believe the racks are either 2 or 2.5" wide, so at a generous rate, you’ll lose 3" on the X axis.
As for the tool setter, there is nothing saying that you have to have it touch off after every tool change, and mine is in a known mobile position, so that when I change the bit out of the holder, I slide the tool setter in place and update the tool length on the f4 screen. If you choose to though, perhaps secure it from under the bed below the surface so you can still slide material over it. Same rule as above and the “doesn’t have to be fully in the workable area” applies, and you can have it half and half or maybe even less, as long as the bit can hit the plunger.
Ok so I will mirror the entire set up in the picture to the right side . I was hoping to set it up on the left side as shown in the picture for ease of loading material. But I suppose that isnt possible. I’m going to work on moving themings around. Can I ping you again if I run into a problem. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reaching out so quickly
sure, again heed the warning of the tool setter in the soft limit area.
Just chillin in the shop, and had the forum on an open tab.
So let’s say I want to mount the tool setter in a static position. Is there a way for me to set it up on the right side in line with the tool racks or would it have to be offset to the left of the soft limit to function properly?
as long as you can jog to that location, and the bit (I would use a vbit) can activate the plunger.
When it activates the plunger, it barely touches it, but your picture would work just fine
One question - how did you guys setup your tool racks on the left side of the Shapeoko 5 Pro and not run into this issue? From early photos and videos of the Masso conversion kit, it looks like the tool racks were on the left hand side. I started to set mine up the same way in order to mimic PwnCNC’s setup. Should the tool racks be on the right?
The tool racks can be placed anywhere… in any configuration given proper spacing given the circumstances. so people with them on the left, are just not going to be able to use soft limits.
The reason with they’re unusable on the left is soft limits limit based from that point to the right, or from that point back.
What soft limits are, is they restrict the machine where it can physically travel, but the software says no, hence why their soft, and not hard limit
the good thing about soft limits is that even though the software locks you out of that area (ie not able to jog or utilize a program in the no go zone) is it’ll still go over there to change tools.
To see if I understand correctly, if I leave the tool racks on the left like in my drawing (represented by the orange dots) and I have my X,Y 0,0 coordinates at the green X, can I “tell” my machine that the X,Y is at 0,0 on the green, but it can travel to the orange dots for tool changes? Is there anything special I have to do?
If you’re somehow able to get it to register the green x is xy0 (and not the absolute corner), you wont be able to travel to the orange because thatd be an X negative. Now you can make the green x your homing location (idk how or why), say x12,y0… but there’s nothing that will stop it from jogging over there. I touch on it in my post for moving the homing position, for me, front right Moving X Axis homing location 1F Elite
If you want to setup soft limits you have to put your tools on either the right or the back side (or along the back and the right).
if you want to have them on your left side, you just can’t utilize soft limit protections
Hey I’m trying to set up my ATC positions now. I’ve defined my soft limit in x to give room for the ATC tool holdes do I have to disable the soft limits temporarily to set them up as they are outside my defined limit and cannot travel to them to ascertain their position?
In a word, yes. You’ll need to temporarily disable soft limits to jog over there and get your XY(z)
Looking good
Ok. Got that sorted. Now I’m having an issue with it dropping the tool from outer space into the tool rack. I have determined the correct pick and place height but it still does it. I’ll post a video of the issue.
Oh nvm. Can’t post videos. That stinks
Check that your hoses, inputs, wires aren’t switched? Otherwise I’m gonna have to have you send an email to support@pwncnc.com
I will re run through the videos online from PWN CNC that I used to wire and set everything up. Shoot me an email so I can at least send you the video of the problem I’m having. Thank you. My email is albretsanthony@gmail.com
If you’re relying on the video, they didn’t invert the inputs
