help! i inherited a 1515 and have no idea where to even start!

Maybe your best bet is YouTube if you're a hands on guy?

 

First principles - the machine control software uses co-ordinates to control movements. It has more than one co-ordinate system (a set of three numbers that specify a point in 3d space - X co-ordinate = right/left, Y co-ordinate = back/front, Z co-ordinate = up/down. The main co-ordinate system is the MACHINE co-ordinates - the zero point is set by homing. Confusingly for beginners this sets the back,right,up corner as zero, even though that is the MAXIMUM for each co-ordinate for each axis - as you move away from that corner the co-ordinates become more negative. The MACHINE co-ordinate system tells your controller where the edges and corners of your machine's workspace are.

The other co-ordinate systems are WORKPLACE co-ordinate systems - there are at least six of them but most people only use the first one. The WORKPLACE co-ordinate system zero has to be set (set XYZ in your control software) in the SAME PLACE (eg the front,left, top of workpiece corner) as you set your origin (a reference point) in your cam software. This tells your controller where in the machines workspace you put the workpiece so it knows where to start any cutting movements. The workplace co-ordinates can be either negative or positive depending on which direction they are going relative to the workplace co-ordinates system zero - X +ve = right, Y +ve = back and Z +ve = up.

IOT relay - Internet Of Things relay - eg IOT Switching Relay Power Strip - used to switch things on/off automatically using a job file (job files are g-code files created by the "post processor" in your cam software they have to match your controller as there are many "dialects" of g-code).

Spoilboard (or spoilerboard) is the board fixed to your machine that you mount your workpiece on - it's intended to be consumable - when cutting through a workpiece you will inevitably damage the spoilboard. Surfacing it involves removing a thin skim of material using your machine to ensure that it is A) flat, B) parallel to both the X and Y axes.

Jogging is making a movement under manual control rather than using a job file. You don't "need" a widget for it - control programmes such as Openbuilds Control have jogging controls built in.

A macro is a small (usually) programme that carries out a specific task. It can be written in a variety of programming languages such as JavaScript or even in g-code.

G-code is a set of simple text commands that your machine controller understands that controls the movements of the machine.

Sorry, but you have quite a steep learning curve ahead of you - the only reassurance I can give you is that we all started in the same place you are - you will be amazed at how quickly things begin to make sense.

Alex.