Hi all! Just now getting mine ordered, and it will be here Monday! Stoked! In the meantime, I was curious… Can the Maslow cut from SD card? Or is it strictly over USB?
It talks over USB from the computer to the arduino which drives the motors. I think you need the usb, but your design could be on an SD card, I think. I don‘t see a reason why it shouldn‘t work.
What computer and OS will you be using?
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I have a Dell laptop (Latitude E5430 with 8gb ram, 1tb HDD, and a card reader) running Windows 10. It’s not bad, but I was hoping not to have it right next to my maslow so saw dust stays out of it lmao I guess I could get a super long USB extension, but I’ve not had great luck with those in the past with my 3D Printers.
Hi @wcs39204 and welcome to our group.
The connected computer is having a serail discussion with the controller over a serail connection. As designed the computer running Ground Control is constantly checking if the Maslow is keeping up and will not be able to run from a SD card alone as on a 3D printer. You need a computer to hold the conversation during the full cut.
I hope this helps.
Thank you
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I am using a really old laptop with lubuntu (the light version of ubuntu) on it. Runs great and I really don‘t care about the laptop (I care more about my calibration files to be honest). And everything is free if you have an old machine. If you know windows you can handle ubuntu with all the info that is out on the net.
The arduino does not have an sd slot and does not run Groundcontrol. So you need some computer close by. Dust is an issue though, you got that right. I use a dust collection system and there is still plenty around.
Long USBs can be very problematic. You got to be lucky if you get beyond 6 feet and get it to work.
I would also recommend to always have the controls close to your machine to take action if needed (or have an EPO button).
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Thank you both! I might build a junker desktop for use with the Maslow then. Seems it would be better in my small shop that way.
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you may want to look at webcontrol running on a Raspberry Pi (and controlled
either through the netork from another computer or via your phone)
David Lang
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Ah now that sounds like something I’d be interested in, I have a raspberry pi that i’m not using for anything. But I can’t find any direct info of how to set it up. I’m no pro at the pi, but I have successfully gotten retropie to work numerous times, and I follow directions really well haha
look through the webcontrol topics, one of them includes a premade pi image for
you to run
David Lang
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Thanks David! I’ll do that right now!
Any thought if running this thing via blutooth?
Km
the arduino comes with a USB/serial interface, using bluetooth would cost more,
so it’s not something that matches with the ‘keep everything as cheap as
possible’ design approach 
if your goal is to eliminate the wires, the best approach is to use a Raspberry
Pi and run WebControl on the Pi connecting to the arduino with a really short
USB cable and use wifi to access the webpages on the pi.
you could make it work with bluetooth, but you will probably spend as much or
more making it work than you would just getting a Pi.
David Lang
I am working on an esp32 controller which will have bluetooth, wifi, and USB connections. I’m still a ways from being done, but it is in the works 
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