New GRBL 1 based controller was installed. Procedure for use is at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Du3X6p42ztuE0RtuAGkbuZxMb-28MpAoRh5uhFDGsZA
These instructions based off of Aaron B.'s Google doc.
This tool is privately owned & on loan to Quelab. Many thanks to Bob for loaning Quelab such an amazing tool!
Langmuir Crossfire Legacy controller:
With Viper-Cut 30A max cutter.
We are running (mostly?) Mach3, which will call LazyCAM for CAM, which converts drawings, such as raster images or DXF, to gcode .tap files.
Set air compressor to 60-80psi. Pressure regulator dial near the back of the cutter should point nominally up. I don’t know the reading at that setting, it was obscured by a post on the cart. We should note that number here. Current setting should also point (mostly) up, about 25A for most thinner material, like 16gu plate.
The current laptop has a bad battery, and you will need to hit F1 to ignore warnings and boot.
Mach3 has had support for other devices removed, so when you start it up, “Mach3 Crossfire Controller” should be the only option. Select it and then select the “OK” button.
Activate the large “Reset” key to enable. At this point, keyboard arrow keys should move the gantry. There are no endstops, so be careful, and zero-out the axes at the desired LLC of the piece.
Check the height gauge, which looks likely to be made from a simple 16gu sheet (0.060”). Ideally you want the height of the cut head to be about 1.5 times the thickness of this gauge above your material.
Videos show fine bed level adjustment, mostly Y axis, by raising/lowering casters. They put the gantry in the center, and twisted arm (8 bolts loosened) for X tram.
CAM: from Mach3, select → LazyCAM. Open DXF for plasma. “Post Code” will create your .tap file.
On Mach3, File → load gcode, and select your .tap file. Crosshairs show the origin. “Regen Toolpath” should re-set the origin to the LLC of the drawing.
Turn the cutter off, and hit green “Cycle Start” for a dry run.
Turn on cutter. I think there is some sort of “Fire” button to check if cutter is firing through Mach3. Ready to cut now.