Guide to operating the m4 from my knowledge so far

Troubleshooting
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1

Any time the machine doesn’t know it’s belt lengths:
retract (probably will be a fucked reading)
extend
retract(check reading, should be okay)
extend
attach belts to anchors
apply tension
(If after apply tension it is still in state unknown, you need to do the
retract/extend dance)
release tension
put a mallet under sled to wedge it up (my preferred method)or some boards under it
bring the z all the way down till noise
set z stop
bring it up to where it wont hit the material when you set the sled back down
set sled back down
set z home
apply tension

New bit and workpiece:
(If machine is ready to cut still, if not follow last steps)
Install bit
center machine (i just apply tension and go off of that)
set xy home
set material thickness
release tension
carefully lift cnc and slide in your workpiece under it keeping the cnc as centered as possible & line workpiece up vaguely to the center hole
tension belts
tell cnc to go to its home or in the program move it around and line it up with the location you want and set a new home
finish lining up workpiece to center
screw down wood in the middle
set z home (make the weight transfer from the bit to the router)(easier to tell if its still on the bit if its not tensioned yet)
apply tension
pick your file
jog outline
turn on router
cut

1 Like
Newbie-Questions
2

Caleb Yager wrote:

After crash:
retract (probably will be a fucked reading)
extend
retract(check reading, should be okay)
extend

important step, attach belts to anchors :slight_smile:

apply tension
release tension

only needed if there is a bit in the router.

put a mallet under sled to wedge it up (my perfered method)or some boards under it

bring the z all the way down till noise

I believe this change is in v1.18, please check

(CRUCIAL ORDER until they update it in future firmware releases to be automatic)
set z stop
set z home
if you dont set the z stop first it will have a incorrect reading for the z home
bring it up to where it wont hit the material when you set the sled back down
set sled back down

set normal z home relitive to material height

New bit and workpiece:
(If machine is ready to cut still, if not follow last steps)

I would release tension, fasten your workpiece in place, then do these steps

Install bit
center machine (i just apply tension and go off of that)
set xy home
set material thickness

done earlier

release tension
screw down wood in the middle

or use the probe.

set z home (make the weight transfer from the bit to the router)(easier to tell if its still on the bit if its not tensioned yet)

apply tension
pick your file
jog outline
turn on router
cut

David Lang

1 Like
3

important step, attach belts to anchors

very true, I almost added it but i figured it was self explanatory but i will update it because it is very important

only needed if there is a bit in the router.

true, i was just saying that in that section for when it has crashed midcut or before cut and already has a bit installed and needs to be “recalibrated“ rq

I believe this change is in v1.18, please check

like we don’t have to reset the z stop and home every time now when it crashes?

I would release tension, fasten your workpiece in place, then do these steps

i agree “i was just saying that in that section for when it has crashed midcut or before cut and already has a bit installed and needs to be “recalibrated“ rq” and already had the piece installed beneath

done earlier

done in the event of a crash earlier yes but not for the new piece

or use the probe.

yea, I really need to build one

4

Caleb Yager wrote:

I believe this change is in v1.18, please check

like we don’t have to reset the z stop and home every time now when it crashes?

if it crashes, you need to reset Z stop, but that should reset Z home

I would release tension, fasten your workpiece in place, then do these steps

i agree “i was just saying that in that section for when it has crashed midcut
or before cut and already has a bit installed and needs to be “recalibrated“
rq” and already had the piece installed beneath

but a few steps later you talk about screwing down the wood.

and it’s probably better to not call it a crash (even though that’s the normal
cause) but rather ‘any time the machien doesn’t know it’s belt lengths’ which
can be a crash, or an unclean shutdown, or the belts moved to much between power
off and power on, or ‘something strange happened’

If after apply tension it is still in state unknown, you need to do the
retract/extend dance.

but do not call it a need to calibrate, that term is in too much documentation,
posts, videos, etc as meaning ‘find anchors’

done earlier

done in the event of a crash earlier yes but not for the new piece

or use the probe.

yea, I really need to build one

get a short pigtail like these:

and then I drilled holes through the side of the cap where the board was, but
two bolts through the holes with this pigtail on the inside, then I can use
either clips or magnetic jumper wires like these
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Professional-Silicone-Flexible-Switches/dp/B0BY1GVR6M/

(I like the magnets, if I forget to detach them they will fall away)

I haven’t decided if I want to cut the other end of the wire and leave them
permanently attached, or just use the magnets to hold them to the bolts.

David Lang

1 Like
5

oh nice, ill check out the update

honestly im very confused about what we are talking about on this one at this point

agreed, better terminology

ill add this too

yea i knew it was a bad term for it but couldnt come up with any other term at the time so i just put quote un quote marks around it

thank you, will do asap

6

Caleb Yager wrote:

honestly im very confused about what we are talking about on this one at this point

In the second section, you put the bit in, apply tension, then do other stuff,
then say screw down the wood in the center.

I’m saying that you should releax the tension at the beginning, then do
everything that needs relaxed tension (inserting the belt, setting z home,
putting your wood in place, etc) and only apply tension after that.

David Lang

7

i apply the tension and set the xy home then release the tension and slide the piece under so i can line it up pretty good to the middle by just eyeing it up with the center hole then tensioning it and telling it to go home then screw the piece down once i have it sufficiently centered