# Z-axis calibration doesnt work **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Tags:** calibration\ **Created:** [October 4, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309 "2022-10-04T22:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jasonbcox](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/jasonbcox/32/22127_2.png) [@jasonbcox](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jasonbcox)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/1 "2022-10-04T22:09:30Z")
I can fiddle around with the scaling but the “define zero” button never appears. So I can’t set zero, and the ,machine doesn’t actually know where zero is. When I try to do Precision, the machine tries to drive the router all the way down through the sled unless I ( once again ) pull the power during a calibration step . Makermade says to skip that step because it is already calibrated but it sure doesn’t seem that way to me. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/2 "2022-10-04T22:33:52Z")
Z is something you have to set with every bit change. I don’t know the makermade software, but in groundcontrol and webcontrol there is a Z axis menu that lets you run it up and down and set zero (and trigger the auto-probe if you are equipped for it) David Lang ---
**Author:** ![jasonbcox](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/jasonbcox/32/22127_2.png) [@jasonbcox](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jasonbcox)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/3 "2022-10-04T23:09:29Z")
yep, that’s part of the step that Makermade has told me to skip. How could the machine possible know where zero is? the router, the bit, the placement of the router in the clamp, placement of the bit in the router , all variables. i don’t know how you can skip the “define zero” step, and for Makervwrae it has to be done before the precision calibration because that involves cutting holes. ---
**Author:** ![TimS](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/tims/32/17329_2.png) [@TimS](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/TimS)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 1:32am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/4 "2022-10-05T01:32:26Z")
> [@jasonbcox](#): > > the machine tries to drive the router all the way down through the sled unless I ( once again ) pull the power during a calibration step . This sounds like your z axis pitch setting is way off. What setup are you running? M2 or custom z axis? The higher the number the shorter the distance the z with travel. The +/- depends on the position of the motor. If it’s an M2 Makermade should be able to tell you the pitch. I’m not keen on Makerverse and don’t know is the correct pitch is input by default. ---
**Author:** ![TimS](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/tims/32/17329_2.png) [@TimS](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/TimS)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 1:41am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/5 "2022-10-05T01:41:31Z")
To calculate the movement error: E = D2 / D1 Where: E = Error D2 = Distance the carriage actually moved D 1 = Distance the carriage was requested to move To calculate the corrected setting: C = Z \* E Where: C = Corrected Z-Axis mm/rev Z = Z-Axis mm/rev from the test E = Error \*Taken from the meticulous z axis instructions ---
**Author:** ![jasonbcox](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/jasonbcox/32/22127_2.png) [@jasonbcox](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jasonbcox)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:06am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/6 "2022-10-05T02:06:57Z")
This is a Maslow M2 running Makerverse. z-axis pitch isn’t a setting. this isn’t an issue of calculating how the pitch is off, it seems to me an issue of the Makerverse calibration process being at best a work in progress and the instructions being given not aligning with reality. Thank you for sending this math but if that is the process forward, it’s going back in the box. I don’t have time for that kind of wrangling . But thank you, it is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![TimS](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/tims/32/17329_2.png) [@TimS](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/TimS)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/7 "2022-10-05T02:38:29Z")
Don’t give up just yet. I’m pretty sure there is a pitch setting Makerverse. I’m sure someone will comment that uses that software. @MakerMadeCNC ---
**Author:** ![Orob](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/orob/32/16344_2.png) [@Orob](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Orob)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/8 "2022-10-05T19:03:48Z")
you use the shuttle box over on the right to zero the z axis. Move it up or down until you get to where it is even with the bottom of the sled and then press the zero button: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/8/b/8b6d78a250d92140c0d0137d787339c8b7a7c57a.png) If my memory is off, then use the three dots just to the right and it should be in that context menu that pops up. I made [a video on how to use makerverse to calibrate](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8cELr7KeU) the M2 style system that may be useful and I am pretty sure this is in there. ---
**Author:** ![jasonbcox](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/jasonbcox/32/22127_2.png) [@jasonbcox](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jasonbcox)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 8:42pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/9 "2022-10-05T20:42:03Z")
thank you @Orob thats exactly what I needed, why didn’t I think of that? ---
**Author:** ![Orob](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/orob/32/16344_2.png) [@Orob](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Orob)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 1:59am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/z-axis-calibration-doesnt-work/18309/10 "2022-10-06T01:59:01Z")
Probably the same reason I didn’t either the first few times I tried. It isn’t intuitive even for those who are masters of the obvious. But it is there.