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bCNC for Windows 10

Discussion in 'Control Software' started by dlhoulton, Sep 12, 2019.

  1. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    I'm seeking advice on how to install bCNC on a Windows 10 PC. I've watched three or more YouTube videos on how to install it but they all seem to do it a little different and non of them seem to work. One used Python 64 bit version but when I go to download it there is only a Python 32 bit Windows version. I've tried to go through the same procedures as in the videos but somewhere something gets going wrong. I first download Python (32 bit ver.) and install it. Then I see where they are installing something called Pyserial or something like that. I'm guessing that's got something to do with connecting up with a serial connection. So I skip that part and go to downloading bCNC or bCNC master and go through the unzip and install. That's when things go wrong or there instructions stop. If there is anyone that can give me step by step instructions or direct me to a clear step by step tutorial that would be great. I'm trying to install it on a Windows 10 PC. My machine is an OpenBuilds WorkBee 1010 and I'm using the X-Carve X Controller. Which is connected via a USB connector.
     
  2. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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    For windows 10, just download the exe zip file and extract it. I am currently running bCNC on a Rasp PI and haven't actually used it to run any jobs from windows but it certainly runs on my win10 machine.
     
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  3. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    Where is the source for the exe.zip file found? Is that all? No need for Python or any other files/programs?
     
  4. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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  5. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    if you are installing python it has to be V2.7 if I recall correctly. but that is being deprecated so bCNC will have to be updated to work with V3 in the near future.
     
  6. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    Thanks Phil. That link worked well. It installed and got the machine moving in the right direction. That was way more simple than in the YouTube videos. I don't know what all the other programs do "Python, etc." but installing bCNC from the link provided worked.
    A couple of question:
    1. I got it up and running by choosing "Grbl1". Is this the correct one? The choices were Grbl0 and Grbl1.
    2. Is anyone using the Z probe option? I'm not sure which settings to use. I know the thickness of my probe but don't know where to put info in. I'm not sure also if info should be input as mm or inch?
    Thanks for all the help so far.
     
  7. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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    I guessed that grbl1 is for 1.0 and later versions and it seems to behave.

    The probe stuff seems complex. I just created a macro (control tab, user area, right click on one of the red 5 - 9 buttons). I use a piece of PCB material that I soldered a wire to as the touch plate. It's 1.42mm thick so I have my macro set that as z after the G38.2 touch.

    inch vs mm - in tools/config select the config button. if inch is unchecked, everything's in mm. not terribly intuitive. Somewhere in their wiki they talk about it. Worth going over the wiki, even if you've already done that.

    Overall, bCNC has a poorly organized user interface and tries to do too much (IMHO) but it runs on a RaspPi. Wish GrblPanel was supported and cross platform.
     
  8. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    Thanks Phil. I actually like it simple and was using OpenBuilds Control. The problem I'm having is I like doing 3D projects and on a few of them I get the "White Screen". Peter explained why and at one point suggested I use something like bCNC. I'm hoping that it will allow me to run large 3D files and not have the "White Screen" anymore. I do like the simplicity of OpenBuilds Control. It was easy to learn and had a great "Z probe Wizard" for tool changes.
     
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  9. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    Well I got bCNC up and working. It will "Home" with no problem. I've set up a "Probe" command and it works. So I then try to open up one of me 3D tool path gcode's. I usually have three tool paths. #1 is roughing out the model (usually don with a 1/4 end mill). #2 is the "Finishing" tool path of the model (done with a 1/8 tapered ball nose). #3 is the "Cutout" of the model (done with a 1/4 end mill).
    I tried opening up each of these (one at a time) to see if bCNC would open them and see how they would be displayed on the screen. The "Roughing" toolpath opens without any problem. The "Cutout" opens as well. The "Finishing" tool path does not open!!! It says "Loading" the file and says something about the "Rendering" was TOO long and interrupted. These files are fairly large. But I chose the ones that would open in OpenBuilds Control.
    I usually do my finishing pass at a 45 degree. What does show up on the screen is a small representation of the starting point and only a small "Rendering" loading of the tool path showing just a fraction of the 45 degree toolpath. Not the whole thing.
    Anybody have any ideas?
     
    Peter Van Der Walt likes this.
  10. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    (sorry this replying isnt helping with your issue but, awesome, so our rendering capabilities now surpasd bCNC's? :) that makes my Sunday!)
     
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  11. dlhoulton

    dlhoulton New
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    Well, I gave up on bCNC. Just could not make it work. So I decided to try UGC. That seemed to be the ticket. Was easy to install, and will handle large 3D files to include the large "Finishing" files. Will take some getting used to the user screen, but it's not really that bad. Has everything I need to include easy Z probe setup and almost instant large file rendering. Installed the UGCplatform 2.0 (32bit) version. For some reason I could not install the 64bit ver. Even making sure I had "Java" installed. Anyway its working great and easy install and handling large files. 3D and Vcarving is good.
     
    sharmstr likes this.

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