#linuxcnc Logs
Dec 30 2020
#linuxcnc Calendar
01:20 AM pink_vampire: hi
01:26 AM roycroft: hello
01:34 AM Deejay: moin
01:46 AM jymmmm: Deejay: howdy
01:46 AM jymmmm: Pinky!!!!
05:17 AM mrec: clamping acrylic to a small cross-table is a science
05:18 AM mrec: 2mm acrylic sheets especially
05:21 AM Tom_L: morning
05:30 AM rs[m]: FYI for the serious hardware hacker https://www.crowdsupply.com/1bitsquared/glasgow
05:30 AM rs[m]: (no affiliation)
05:37 AM mrec: forget it
05:37 AM mrec: ice40hx8k ....
05:38 AM mrec: 139$ for that?
05:38 AM mrec: FX2 is not bad but it's usb2, FX3 or the FTDI USB 3.0 chip should be the minimum.
05:41 AM rs[m]: the appeal is the completely open toolchain
05:42 AM Tom_L: 3.8 woke me up this morning
05:43 AM mrec: open toolchain gains nothing.
05:43 AM mrec: build the hex file and load it, the host software for it counts.
05:43 AM mrec: there are usb 3.0 boards out there.
05:44 AM mrec: the FX3 EVB from Cypress/Infineon it has all important pins routed
05:44 AM rs[m]: you generate host software on the fly
05:44 AM rs[m]: https://m-labs.hk/gateware/nmigen/
05:44 AM mrec: it can be used as logic analyser with sigrok even for debugging usb 1.1
05:45 AM rs[m]: probably the wrong tool if you want to debug your bitcoin mining asic on FPGA
05:46 AM mrec: it's usb 2.0 as mentioned.. and the buffers are also a bit limited on the ice40hx8k
05:46 AM mrec: very old stuff
05:47 AM mrec: fx2 costs around 2.50$ - 3$
05:47 AM rs[m]: can you suggest any alternative in same price range
05:47 AM mrec: ice40hx8k ... let me guess 2-3$?
05:47 AM mrec: ice40up5k costs 3-5$ (I don't know the exact price of that but it's already better than the ice40hx8k)
05:48 AM rs[m]: no idea. i thought about building it myself but didn't want to bother with BGA soldering
05:48 AM mrec: I have built such hardware before
05:52 AM rs[m]: so no alternative?
05:52 AM mrec: fx3 + some altera/intel fpga + whatever you need just get the breakout boards together
05:53 AM mrec: if you want to do some fpga development there are many boards out there
05:53 AM rs[m]: a bunch of cobbled together breakout boards is just that
05:53 AM mrec: ya and much higher performance
05:54 AM mrec: fx2 + fpga is really old stuff.
05:57 AM mrec: I guess that board costs 20-30$ to manufacture.
06:01 AM rs[m]: yeah, probably
06:02 AM rs[m]: delivery date end of may is a bummer
06:02 AM mrec: there are some phased out bitcoin miners available for 20-30$ as far as I know with 100mbit + fpga
06:06 AM rs[m]: as i said, the appeal of this thing, apart from the form factor, is the toolchain and integration in nmigen
06:07 AM rs[m]: not a high-gate count high-end high-speed FPGA
06:18 AM mrec: I have no idea what nmigen is.
06:24 AM rs[m]: it is some kind of high level fpga synthesis tool useable from python
06:29 AM mrec: it's probably using yosys
06:30 AM mrec: I'm fine with the latticesemi devtools
06:32 AM mrec: I have tried to multiplex some data with the ice40hx8k I think it only has around 128kbit sbram
06:32 AM rs[m]: https://m-labs.hk/gateware/nmigen/
06:33 AM mrec: I finally end up with ice40up5k, which wasn't that easy since my hw description heavily depends on optimization
06:37 AM rs[m]: here is a tutorial https://github.com/RobertBaruch/nmigen-tutorial
07:21 AM mrec: did anyone try to cut acrylic sheets with a straight flute endmill?
07:39 AM -!- #linuxcnc mode set to +v by ChanServ
07:39 AM -!- #linuxcnc mode set to +v by ChanServ
08:10 AM JT-Cave: wow I finally got stdeb to build a gui deb that installs...
08:16 AM mrec: my problems are mostly clamping issues, I'm on 5mm(sec)/0.4mm(depth) layers with a 3mm 2flute endmill
08:17 AM mrec: I could cut the entire thing but the crosstable is so small I just can't clamp everything
08:18 AM mrec: it's a 2.1mm acrylic sheet
08:19 AM rs[m]: 8mm endmill, 4mm sheet, about 1500mm/min, 10000rpm IIRC
08:19 AM rs[m]: full cut
08:20 AM rs[m]: there were some minor vibration issues due to problems with the vacuum suction pads
08:26 AM _unreal_: stdeb?
08:30 AM mrec: vacuum suction I should have that one...
08:31 AM mrec: vibration and clamping are my issues
08:31 AM mrec: I will get an adapter table for better clamping.
08:31 AM mrec: vacuum suction is definitely a big plus too
08:34 AM _unreal_: what are you trying to vac clamp?
08:36 AM JT-Cave: and I got my program to show up in the menu I wanted so off to start my day
08:39 AM mrec: me nothing (since I have none at the moment)
08:39 AM mrec: I'm cutting thing acrylic sheet 21.mm
08:39 AM mrec: 2.1mm
08:39 AM mrec: thin*
08:43 AM serp: for a moment i was wondering how messed up my perception must be if you were thinking 21mm was thin
08:46 AM _unreal_: ok
08:47 AM _unreal_: serp, ya I was for a sec tooo
09:28 AM mrec: 600mm/min also seems to be ok for 2.1mm (with my crappy clamping)
11:03 AM _unreal_: I hate it how fusion keeps changing shit
11:04 AM _unreal_: now there is a BIG green box over my part I'm trying to setup GCODE for and I dont know what it is what its for but its the work area and I cant get rid of it
11:05 AM _unreal_: does anyone in here use fusion?
11:15 AM W1N9Zr0: poke around in the view toolbar at the bottom of the screen, the green box is likely the stock material
11:21 AM -!- #linuxcnc mode set to +v by ChanServ
11:23 AM roycroft: well, my usps parcels are out for delivery for the fourth day in a row, and my fedex shipment that went from seattle to oakland is now back in seattle
11:23 AM roycroft: i guess they figured out that they should not have sent it to oakland
11:31 AM JT-Cave: don't worry you will get your packages on January 21st or when the hair on my forehead reaches the back of my neck
11:31 AM roycroft: they'll arrive when it's too late
11:31 AM roycroft: sadly, it's ups who are currently the more reliable shipper these days around here
11:31 AM roycroft: that's not saying much
12:25 PM -!- #linuxcnc mode set to +v by ChanServ
12:27 PM enleth: roycroft: let me guess - there wasn't an actual failed delivery attempt, so they won't let you fetch the parcels from the post office yourself because "it's still in transit"?
01:50 PM JT-Shop: just noticed today that the click plc has input filters...
02:00 PM roycroft: well my fedex delivery is now in springfield, right next door
02:00 PM roycroft: maybe i'll get it before the end of the week after all
02:13 PM _unreal_: interesting, found the only cad room I've seen on IRC efnet, #autocad
02:13 PM _unreal_: and people are even talking in it kind of
02:25 PM Eric__: andypugh, I can just power up the cpus on a stmbl one at a time for firmware update, right?
02:31 PM _unreal_: what is stmbl?
02:47 PM andypugh: Eric__: Yes. In fact I normally do, so that only one PSU is needed.
02:48 PM andypugh: _unreal_: It’s a servo drive
02:49 PM andypugh: _unreal_: See the README here: https://github.com/rene-dev/stmbl
02:50 PM _unreal_: interesting
02:51 PM andypugh: Eric__: How many do you have to flash? It might be worth looking at making up a USB cable with a power-take off to a boost-convertor to make 24V. I am half-way there, in that I need 2 USB cables.
02:53 PM Eric__: andypugh, I'm going with 2 usb cables because I don't like soldering much
02:54 PM andypugh: I spent all day soldering. I had two dead STMBLs, and a total of 5 that needed to be assembled.
02:54 PM Eric__: soldering is one of many reasons I wish I had gotten my cataracts fixed last fall
02:54 PM Eric__: now my eye doc has gone missing
02:55 PM Eric__: andypugh, what was wrong with the dead ones?
02:56 PM andypugh: One dead one had a flipped ACT4088. That’s a 6-pin chip about as big as a spiders egg. The other had the same chip flipped _and_ another fractionally bigger 8 pin chip (LM358)
02:56 PM andypugh: where did you get your stmbl from?
02:59 PM Eric__: from you
02:59 PM Eric__: group buy
03:03 PM _unreal_: LOL
03:07 PM andypugh: Eric__: Right, then all those were tested before being sent out.
03:07 PM andypugh: And they have firmware already installed, but it’s a bit out of date now.
03:07 PM andypugh: The current way to flash the F3 board is via the F4 board.
03:08 PM andypugh: Is the drive fully assembled, or still at the bare-board stage?
03:08 PM Eric__: I think the firmware version you used didn't have that capability
03:08 PM Eric__: it's bare board
03:08 PM Eric__: with the missing electrolytic installed
03:08 PM andypugh: Might as well flash them both with the latest by individual USB then
03:09 PM Eric__: that's what I was thinking
03:09 PM Eric__: any future updates would be much simpler
03:09 PM andypugh: The chaps have decided to go away from the funny little 3DP clips for the top fan holes.
03:10 PM andypugh: The current scheme uses two of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-Mounting-Case-Fan-Screws-Silver/dp/B0002AFTD6
03:10 PM andypugh: ie, case-fan screws to connect the metal case to the fan. It seems to work better.
03:11 PM andypugh: Eric__: Bit of a coincidence that two of us are working on drives bought at least 2 years ago.
03:13 PM Eric__: I'm sure it's less of a coincidence on my part, I'm only good at procrastinating
03:14 PM Eric__: andypugh, is there a new case design to use the screws?
03:14 PM roycroft: those are very similar to "euroscrews", which are used to secure drawer sliders to carcase sides when using the 32mm cabinet building system
03:14 PM andypugh: No, exactly the same case. I have built all mine from the group order with them just now.
03:15 PM roycroft: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draw-Runner-Screws-Euro-Countersunk/dp/B00T30LGPQ
03:15 PM Eric__: thanks for mentioning that, I was wondering how i was going to get the fan clips
03:16 PM andypugh: If you can find any (I had them in a box of generic “computer screws”) then you probably should use them and ignore the silly 3DP parts.
03:16 PM andypugh: If you got the kit from me then I think I included them.
03:18 PM roycroft: the euroscrews do not have an amd graphics coprocessor, though, and those case fan screws do
03:23 PM Eric__: I think I only got the big cap clips with mine, I also need to figure out the spacers for the irams
03:24 PM Eric__: I'm sure I have some of those screws in my junk pile
03:30 PM _unreal_: now I know where a mystery bill came from , AUTODESK billed me for fusion
03:30 PM _unreal_: last month
04:01 PM CaptHindsight: is this a new STMBL? Didn't the driver get discontinued?
04:08 PM CaptHindsight: IRAM256-2067A2 Obsolete
04:21 PM _unreal_: quiet
04:31 PM _unreal_: wow even pink was on and no one talked to her
04:37 PM Tom_L: i thought fusion was free...
04:41 PM andypugh: Eric__: I am pretty sure that I put spacers in the kit too.
05:12 PM _unreal_: it is free
05:12 PM roycroft: not much is really free
05:13 PM roycroft: not much that is truly free is worthwhile, boobs notwithstanding
05:15 PM _unreal_: so my laser etcher should be arriving monday
05:15 PM _unreal_: 25"x25" work area :)
05:15 PM roycroft: my fedex delivery just arrived
05:15 PM _unreal_: its free enough for GOV work
05:15 PM roycroft: and now i'm kind of bummed
05:16 PM _unreal_: ?
05:16 PM _unreal_: that my laser etcher is comming?
05:16 PM roycroft: i got some flanged receptacles and a power inlet
05:16 PM roycroft: for a 250vac power strip to run some of my machinery
05:16 PM roycroft: but i also need some 125vac outlets for lights and other ancillary items for the machines
05:17 PM roycroft: while awaiting this late-arriving shipment the thought occured to me that i could make a dual-voltage power strip
05:17 PM roycroft: but that would require a different flanged inlet
05:17 PM roycroft: and more wait time
05:18 PM roycroft: oddly, an l14-20P inlet is less expensive than an l6-20P flanged inlet
05:19 PM roycroft: i have a 50a split voltage circuit in the shop for my brew system and gtaw welder, which i rarely use, and never at the same time as i use any of the machines
05:20 PM roycroft: and i have several coils of 10-4 soow that i've had for years and years that i'm likely never to use up otherwise, so it makes sense to make it a split-voltage power strip
05:21 PM roycroft: i'm tired of moving an extension cord around from machine to machine while i'm working
05:21 PM roycroft: i just want to plug everything in at the same time
05:22 PM roycroft: i supposed i'd want to put a 20a breaker on the power strip if i am to plug it into the 50a circuit
05:23 PM roycroft: this is getting more complicated and more expensive the more i think about it
05:23 PM roycroft: so back to plan a
05:23 PM roycroft: i can always rebuild it later if i want to
05:32 PM JT-Cave: yeah I need a triple 15a 240v power strip with a few 120v receptacles for the center of the shop
05:32 PM JT-Cave: almost got the planer back together but I need to make some spacers for the sprockets on the infeed/outfeed rollers so they line up better with the gearbox
05:33 PM JT-Cave: sproket
05:34 PM JT-Cave: well crap gotta go out in the rain and disconnect the hose from the spigot
05:39 PM _unreal_: daa what?
05:39 PM _unreal_: heh
05:39 PM _unreal_: wow this RPI is slow
05:40 PM _unreal_: when it comes to raw power
05:40 PM _unreal_: its funny I have an 800mhz arm based system called a cubox a gen1 and it runs faster IMO then the RPI
05:40 PM _unreal_: single core as well
05:47 PM Tom_L: JT-Cave, loose power this morning?
05:49 PM JT-Cave: no, it was raining lol
05:49 PM Tom_L: bad satelite connection?
05:49 PM Tom_L: 3.8 woke me up this morning
05:50 PM JT-Cave: yeah a drop of rain and I loose connection then I have to go outside to the garage and power cycle the modem
05:51 PM JT-Cave: I would have slept through that lol
05:51 PM Tom_L: i normally would too
05:52 PM JT-Cave: got the sure step drive today that can be controlled by ascii over serial and have most of that sorted out
05:52 PM Tom_L: gonna use those for the range?
05:52 PM JT-Cave: yeah
05:53 PM JT-Cave: just need to figure out how I want to home it... thinking a micro switch on top of the track with a slot for the actuator
05:54 PM _unreal_: ! that reminds me I need to see if that new laser etcher has any homing switches or not
05:55 PM _unreal_: if it has limit switches I sure as hell cant see them in the photos
05:55 PM _unreal_: shit photos
05:58 PM JT-Cave: well life as I know it just changed today... wife worked her last day
05:58 PM _unreal_: I am really proud of my little control shell
05:58 PM _unreal_: ?
05:58 PM _unreal_: by choice?
05:59 PM Tom_L: was good knowin ya :)
05:59 PM _unreal_: heh
05:59 PM _unreal_: nice
06:00 PM JT-Cave: LOL sounds like the cook on the Edmund Fitzgerald
06:00 PM Tom_L: heh
06:02 PM JT-Cave: she could have retired a year ago...
06:04 PM _unreal_: so what happened? she get tired of ya and decided to keep at it ;)
06:04 PM _unreal_: just kidding
06:05 PM JT-Cave: time to retire to the couch
06:05 PM Tom_L: agreed
06:09 PM _unreal_: I wish I could but I'm in the middle of updating the software on this RPI
06:09 PM _unreal_: it will be the LASER control unit
06:26 PM norias: hi
06:28 PM _unreal_: no
06:28 PM _unreal_: heh hi
06:29 PM _unreal_: Tom_L, I have a really nice controller for reading limit triggers
06:33 PM norias: so...
06:34 PM norias: i'm going to be messing around with running linuxcnc in a virtualbox
06:40 PM _unreal_: dont do it
06:40 PM _unreal_: it wont work
06:41 PM andypugh: I run LinuxCNC in a VM all the time.
06:41 PM andypugh: Specifically, I have a bunch of VMs on my Mac to run different Linux flavours for testing.
06:42 PM andypugh: The RT is, obviously, useless.
06:42 PM _unreal_: ?
06:42 PM _unreal_: so RT motion does not work in vm right....
06:42 PM _unreal_: ?
06:43 PM andypugh: But to check builds, write .comps for forums posts, run through G-code and to test behaviour, it’s great.
06:43 PM _unreal_: I believe he's looking at trying to use it for direct machine control
06:43 PM _unreal_: norias, is that so ?
06:43 PM andypugh: Yes, absolutely useless for controlling a machine, but there are lots of other reasons to run LinuxCNC. (especially if you are a LinuxCNC developer)
06:44 PM _unreal_: OH i HAVE NO doubt sim works just fine under vm
06:44 PM norias: unreal: no, just as a "virtual" machine to test behavior, etc
06:44 PM _unreal_: then go for it
06:44 PM norias: i.e. i just want to simulate machines
06:44 PM _unreal_: hehe you never stated one way or an other pryer
06:45 PM _unreal_: FINALLY the update is done
06:45 PM _unreal_: RPI's sopooooooooo slow
06:45 PM _unreal_: I'm getting an RPI setup for driving a my laser etcher that is ariving net week
06:45 PM _unreal_: next
06:45 PM norias: i think it'd be interesting if it was possible to get some sort of output from a virtual machine
06:45 PM norias: and connect it to some virtualized phsyics simulation
06:45 PM norias: to give feedback to linuxcnc
06:45 PM _unreal_: you can get output from VM
06:46 PM _unreal_: but its not likely to be stable or consistant
08:24 PM _unreal_: wheres my peeps at?
09:20 PM beachbumpete1: What kind of laser etcher are you getting. I am trying to decide what laser diode I want to try on my 3D printer right now
09:32 PM _unreal_: beachbumpete1, I ordered that one
09:32 PM _unreal_: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HV57Y5M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
09:34 PM _unreal_: I wish someone would come up with a GCODE editor that could view GCODE like a gcode viewer and let you select areas to delete or modify
09:44 PM beachbumpete1: So that is a Co2 laser machine?
09:44 PM roycroft: it's an led laser
09:44 PM beachbumpete1: yeah I see now
09:45 PM roycroft: iirc you want a more powerful one
09:45 PM beachbumpete1: it is just the head and control boards like I am going to get
09:45 PM roycroft: i'm mounting mine on my ender 5
09:45 PM roycroft: i have a quick change tool holder for it
09:45 PM roycroft: so i can swap the hot end and the laser quickly
09:46 PM beachbumpete1: I am looking at either a 10 or 20 watt model
09:46 PM roycroft: yeah, mine is only 6w output
09:46 PM beachbumpete1: yeah that is what I am looking at doing
09:46 PM roycroft: if i go bigger than that i'll probably get a 40w co2 laser tube
09:46 PM roycroft: and make a dedicated machine for it
09:47 PM beachbumpete1: that fellow tech2C used a 500mw laser and was cutting pretty good with it.
09:47 PM roycroft: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3369444
09:48 PM XXCoder: isnt 400w where you can cut metal with?
09:48 PM roycroft: that fits several ender models - cr-10, ender 3, ender 5, and others
09:48 PM roycroft: i don't know
09:49 PM roycroft: i have a milling machine and a band saw for that :)
09:49 PM XXCoder: laser is hella convient in certain aspects
09:49 PM XXCoder: very small radius
09:49 PM XXCoder: also, photons dont wear
09:49 PM Tom_L: beachbumpete1, what you been doin lately?
09:50 PM Tom_L: i'm bettin you got your lathe goin :D
09:50 PM beachbumpete1: Mostly working but I am building a Flite Test Spear flying wing right now ;)
09:51 PM beachbumpete1: also just upgraded my TronXY X5S-400 3D printer to an SKR1.4 turbo board and TFT35 touch screen display.
09:51 PM beachbumpete1: just added a second power supply for the heat bed etc. etc.
09:51 PM beachbumpete1: trying to get this thing working well
09:52 PM beachbumpete1: I have a bunch of parts I need to print on my 3D printer for the wing
09:52 PM beachbumpete1: nice when one hobby compliments another
10:03 PM beachbumpete1: Tom_L: What have you been up to?
10:05 PM enleth: XXCoder: optics in a high power CO2 laser do have a finite lifetime, actually
10:05 PM enleth: you can extend it by having air blow over them to prevent soot from sticking
10:06 PM XXCoder: true though pretty lot longer than endmill I bet, for given diameter :)
10:07 PM enleth: and perhaps more importantly, sealed CO2 tubes also have a limited lifespan
10:07 PM Tom_L: beachbumpete1, just workin mostly
10:07 PM enleth: not only in working hours, but an actual lifespan
10:07 PM Tom_L: put a new spindle motor on the mill finally
10:07 PM XXCoder: yeah what wears out?
10:07 PM beachbumpete1: Sweet
10:08 PM beachbumpete1: what kind
10:08 PM Tom_L: 1.2kw bldc
10:08 PM beachbumpete1: nice
10:08 PM enleth: XXCoder: the gas mix - the epoxy seals around mirrors leak a little atmosphere inside over time, the electrodes sputter, things gas out, etc.
10:08 PM beachbumpete1: I once put a DC treadmill motor on my old Shoptask 17-20XMTC Gold
10:08 PM XXCoder: hmm ok
10:09 PM XXCoder: sounds like can rebuild
10:09 PM Tom_L: http://tom-itx.no-ip.biz:81/~webpage/cnc/Mill_Steel/Spindle/Belt_Guard2.jpg
10:09 PM XXCoder: glass should last basically forever
10:09 PM enleth: XXCoder: also, the inside of mirrors get coated by electrode material and heat up more and more because they start absorbing energy instead of reflecting or passing it through
10:09 PM beachbumpete1: Jeez that thing has grown ;)
10:09 PM enleth: sealed tubes are, well, sealed - rebuilding them is infeasible
10:10 PM XXCoder: hmmm ok
10:10 PM Tom_L: http://tom-itx.no-ip.biz:81/~webpage/cnc/Mill_Steel/Spindle/Control_Pannel1.jpg
10:10 PM enleth: there are serviceable CO2 tubes that can be disassembled for cleaning and part replacement, but they in turn *must* be serviced way more often
10:11 PM enleth: and/or must be paired with an active mix monitoring and adjustment system, which is crazy expensive
10:13 PM enleth: in a cheap CO2 system, the tube is a consumable
10:13 PM XXCoder: interesting. thanks :)
10:14 PM beachbumpete1: Nice
10:15 PM enleth: so you can easily get year or two of useful single-shift life out of a single set of tube and optics, but you'll be shelling out a couple thousand for a new set sooner or later
10:16 PM enleth: a bit less if the laser is doing two shifts, a bit less still if it's running around the clock
10:16 PM enleth: but the fun part is, even if you're barely using it, it'll still die after two years or so
10:19 PM enleth: as in, it'll lose output power to the point of uselessness
10:24 PM enleth: at which point you just replace it because it no longer cuts anything useful at any acceptable feedrate - unless you manage to overheat it first from running it over maximum current, to squeeze a little more life out of it or to get that last job done before overhaul, at which point it cracks with a bang and spills coolant all over the place
10:25 PM enleth: in both cases, what's left makes for a nice wall prop
10:27 PM beachbumpete1: I am still trying to tidy up my machine settings in Marlin 2.0 and my new Cura Profile for this thing.
10:27 PM beachbumpete1: Got stringing and a bit of other issues but for the most part prints look decent
10:33 PM veek: what's UPC and GTIN - anyway to lookup more info on the product https://www.upcitemdb.com/upc/0608763499071 https://www.ebay.com/p/1066081086?iid=173274053905
10:49 PM beachbumpete1: Tom_L: I like that dividing head man. Are you gonna CNC it too?
10:58 PM CaptHindsight: veek: thermal transfer film for making pcb's?