However, when I click “extend the chain” the motor spins the “wrong” direction and the chain falls off. How do you tell WebControl you’re using chain off top/chain off bottom?
Why list both possibilities on the “first steps” guide page if there’s no instructions on how to change it?
To get the sprocket at the 12 o’clock position the left and right buttons work. It’s just this “extend chains” button that doesn’t work.
@dlevans I don’t have my machine up right now, but I believe you need to go back into your Quick Configure settings and set your Chain around Sprocket settings. This is Step 3 in the link you provided above. In WebControl, go to Actions → Quick Configure
Quick Configure
Go to Actions->Quick Configure and enter the requested information. This lets the controller know enough about the setup to allow you to calibrate the machine. Don’t forget to press submit
From there you need to let it know which direction you are having the chain connect to the sled (over or under). Based on what you are saying is happening, you have it set to the opposite of what you are looking for if it is going in the wrong direction. You picture of how your chain is makes it look like you want it to be “under” but it is set to “over.”
I hope this helps. Again, I’m sorry if I don’t have all the terminology correct as I don’t have my Machine quite set back up yet, and I can’t get to it at the moment.
It’s set to top (the chain goes over the gear to the sled). This makes the motor spin to the right, dropping the chain. I set it to “under” and the motor spins left pulling the chain. I still think there’s something backward but at least it’s not dropping to the ground anymore. Onto the next steps.
so with your picture, you want to have it rotate counter clockwise with the
chain then coming off the bottom to go to the sled.
If you have it set to bottom in the settings, then check that you don’t have the
two motor leads reversed (left motor plugged in where the right motor should be)
During some of the calibration it says to adjust the z access but the pop-up prevents you from doing that in the software and then it just got hung because I didn’t know how to go back to where I was. Also, one of the chains fell off while the sled was moving and I don’t want to have to go back through all that again.
I might try again in another few months. Thanks again for the help.
It can be a bit intimidating/frustrating getting a system up these days, especially as there are multiple varieties of firmware, motor, control boards, Z axis, etc…
However don’t give up. Take a break for a day or two then come back to it and work with one of the many helpful members here on the forum to get yourself up and running.
There are more than a few people on here who will be happy to work with you to get your system up and running over PM, text, email, phone, or video call.
Don’t give up, you’ll be cutting before you know it!
@dlevans I’m sorry for taking so long to respond form my earlier post, It has been a busy few days for me. As @TimS said, if needed, I can reach out to you via text or video call if needed to help get you through this step.
The thing to understand here is over the top mounting means the chins will extend from the top of the sprocket to the sled as in the picture below:
This image is for the left motor. The right motor is mirrored. This will have your excess chain hanging down on the side for your machine, where other instructions will show how to use the springs or Bungee cords to keep the tension there (and help prevent the chain from slipping off the sprocket during operation as you mentioned you also had issues with). When you set the sprocket to the 12 o’clock position, and place the first link of the chain on, you want the excess to be hanging to the left of the sprocket for the left motor, and to the right for the right motor. When you press extend chains, the left motor should turn clockwise to extend the chain towards the middle of the frame. I usually keep hold of this part of the chain to ensure it comes off the sprocket and not get wrapped around (ask me how I know!!). Do each side 1 at a time. The right motor should turn counterclockwise to extend the chain.
If you are wanting to be set up for bottom feed, your excess chain will be in the center and can use the instructions for using the spring/bungie to keep tension of the chains along the top beam of the frame. Everything that I stated in the above paragraph for Top Feed is now opposite. your left motor will rotate counterclockwise and your right will rotate clockwise when extending the chains, so set your first link on the 12 o’clock sprocket with the excess accordingly. This is how I have my Maslow set up (or did…still working to get it finished put back together).
I hope this helps to clarify how it goes, and if you still have any questions or need help, just send one of us a PM and we’ll work out how to go about a phone call or something. I know you have been referencing the github instructions, but here is a link to the WebControl Wiki here on the forums that has videos on how to do each process. Take a look and let us know if there are any other questions.
I’ll also leave you this link which is what we call the Maslow Manual, which is mostly complete (All of the basic steps for set up and calibration are in there, there are some advanced stuff which is what makes it incomplete - I think). Either way, it is something I do reference from time to time when my machine starts acting squirrely and I look to troubleshoot.
Please don’t give up. you have gotten to the point where you have put for the time and effort, and you are almost there. I was in the same place as you almost 6 years ago, and got it working. I know you can get over this hurdle and can get cutting very soon.
