Had a chance to check grbl. Here are the settings I am using
Grbl J-Tech Photonics 0.9g [’$’ for help]
$0=30 (step pulse, usec)
$1=255 (step idle delay, msec)
$2=0 (step port invert mask:00000000)
$3=3 (dir port invert mask:00000011)
$4=0 (step enable invert, bool)
$5=0 (limit pins invert, bool)
$6=0 (probe pin invert, bool)
$10=18 (status report mask:00010010)
$11=0.005 (junction deviation, mm)
$12=0.002 (arc tolerance, mm)
$13=1 (report inches, bool)
$14=1 (auto start, bool)
$20=0 (soft limits, bool)
$21=0 (hard limits, bool)
$22=0 (homing cycle, bool)
$23=0 (homing dir invert mask:00000000)
$24=25.000 (homing feed, mm/min)
$25=500.000 (homing seek, mm/min)
$26=250 (homing debounce, msec)
$27=1.000 (homing pull-off, mm)
$100=40.000 (x, step/mm)
$101=40.000 (y, step/mm)
$102=188.972 (z, step/mm)
$110=5000.000 (x max rate, mm/min)
$111=5000.000 (y max rate, mm/min)
$112=500.000 (z max rate, mm/min)
$120=12000.000 (x accel, mm/sec^2)
$121=12000.000 (y accel, mm/sec^2)
$122=50.000 (z accel, mm/sec^2)
$130=790.000 (x max travel, mm)
$131=790.000 (y max travel, mm)
$132=200.000 (z max travel, mm)
ok
Your grbl settings for the J-Tech 9g looks fine. Have to tried to adjust your potentiometers on the gshield yet?
Rick, I had some challenges with tech’s 9g grbl and my x-carve. I couldn’t get it to work for some reason. I eventually cleared the hurdle by wiping and resetting the arduino per the guidance found on this forum and then updating the grbl hex with the 9j version. The 9j is nice as it works for picsender, ugs, and easel and you don’t have to change grbl again. With that said, Jeff at picengrave had some updated settings that helped. For example max S is no longer 255, it is around 1100 and min is around 85. Just a recommendation to update versus going back in grbl hex sequence.
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I just adjusted the POTs. That didn’t resolve the issue. It seems to be pausing for a fraction of a second every now and then. It looks like a stuttering motion. It’s strange.
In PicSender, do you have the GRBL PWM Code and Position Sent selected?
You may want to take Jeremy’s suggestion on using the standard grbl for the X carve. We never could determine why the J-Tech PWM grbl works very good for most, but not for all.
I might. I think I have another Arduino somewhere. Another interesting issue I am having is the image that is burned is not coming out the size PEP5 says it should be. It’s much smaller. Almost half the size.
Rick- check on your pixel resolution. If you set up the picture with 0.1 pixel resolution and then have the settings setup for .05 then you will see the 1/2 difference show up. Your challenge could be in your settings.
Where would the second resolution option be? The only one I see is in PEP5 and I have the pixel resolution there set to 0.0060
If you open up your picture in the edit mode. Check to see what pixel resolution is there. That page will also indicate the size of your photo. If you adjust it to a particular size and then change the resolution in the PEP5 settings you will see the effect in the size.
So I set the pixels in both places to 0.0060. The size of this particular picture says 3.8 wide and 4.1 high but it changes to 2.8 wide and 2.9 high when I generate the G code. Any clue as to why.
In the Picengrave image editor it has Auto sizing based on the Pixel Resolution (step over and step ahead) you will be using in the settings for generating the gcode. However since you are still testing in Demo Mode, the save image is disabled.
If you use a default .01" Pixel Resolution, it will engrave the same size as your original image, but there will be gaps between the laser’s burn lines. Try using the Vertical 2X or Horizontal 2X engraving angle with the .01 Pixel Resolution.
What happened since our email conversations? I though you had everything working properly…
Im not using demo mode. I have the full version. The size issue was present before. I just didn’t pay attention til now when I started doing high res pictures. As for the stuttering, the only thing I changed since then was the acceleration rate to what you suggested. It seems to go nice and smooth in 45 mode but horizontal and vertical mode causes stuttering.
Edit- So I guess my question would be if I have a photo that is 1280x960 pixels how would I set that up in PEP5 to get something around a 4x6 inch engrave. Sorry for all the questions but I do appreciate the help.
Open your image in the PEP5 editor. In the Adjust Image Size select “Auto”. Click on the box next to “Pixel Resolution (size)” and a window will open. Type in the .006 and click OK. Now the Engraving Size will show by Width & Height.
Above the “Preserve Aspect Ratio” is the Pixel Width & Height of your image. Use the up or down arrows in either to adjust your engraving size. You can also type in your Pixel sizes also. Don’t pay no attention to what the image is doing until your finished re-sizing it, then click on the image and it will size to fit your screen. .
OK. I did all that and everything seemed good until I imported the image in to PEP5. The engraving size does not match the size of the edited image and I’m not sure what I am doing to cause that. I made no other changes than sharpness.
As I explained before, the only Pixel Resolution setting that will engrave the same size as the opened image would be .01" or .254mm.
By calculating the size difference you show, it looks like your using .006" Pixel Resolution. You will need to resize it in the image editor using the Auto option and input the same .006 Pixel Resolution your using in the main page settings for generating the gcode. Adjust the Pixel Width or Height until it’s the engraving size you desire and then save it again.
Thanks a lot Jeff. I’m really sorry. Something upstairs wasn’t working right this morning and I ended up confusing myself. I think I have it now. I kept looking at the wrong values in the program. Now that I am looking at the right measurements what you are saying makes sense to me. The only way to find out is do a test engrave!
No problem Rick. It will get easier as time goes on after having more experience with the whole process.
Made a whiskey box. Laser engraved with my X-carve, jtechphotonics 2.8w, picengrave pro 5 and picsender software. I gave it as a gift with a nice wild turkey whiskey bottle in it with the brown easter grass stuff. I asked the person to take a photo of it when it was opened up with a glass of whiskey next to it. Might be a neat product placement pic.
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