LightBurn with mini-gerbil
I am using the mini-gerbil, and I am having problems setting up Lightburn. As received the mini-gerbil works with the g-code sender CNCjs without any major issues. So I know that the hardware works with my K40 laser.
Looking at the grbl machine settings as received, I believe that the mini-gerbil is using the K40 homing position as the origin. Also, from the max value of each axis in the machine settings, it appears that what LightBurn is calling the X axis, the mini-gerbil is calling the Y axis. With the mini-gerbil, X is downward from the home/origin position.
When I try to run a job or jog in the Y direction, I get one step, then the stepper hits the exhaust housing, making the stepper lose steps (with great noise). I think this is because LightBurn thinks Y is towards the K40’s home position. I think I get one step is because of the homing offset.
Before I go changing all the settings on the mini-gerbil, I would like to see an example of grbl settings that would work in LightBurn on the K40. Would anyone be willing to post their working settings for LightBurn on a K40 using grbl (or ideally, mini-gerbil)?
Any help would be appreciated.
On the LightBurn forum, K40JF posted his settings for LightBurn using a older K40 Gerbil. After looking at his settings, I did the following things:
1. Changed $2 to 1 from 0. This is the step pulse invert mask (flipped the X axis). This change seemed to be necessary to correct my issue.
2. Changed the default jog speed to 30 mm/sec from 100 mm/sec. This was necessary to jog in the X axis on my machine (could be a belt issue).
3. Adjusted the max speed of the X ($110) and Y($111) axis to 3000 from 5000 and 8000. Made the machine run smoother.
4. Set the origin of my device to Rear Left from Front Left. For me, this was a better perspective of the bed.
5. Changed the Start From setting from Absolute Coordinate to Current Position. Not necessary, just more convenient when matching a job to odd material.
With these changes I was able to run a job in LightBurn successfully with my mini-Gerbil.
I am sure people who know more about the mini-Gerbil and LightBurn may have a better solution, and I may also have a belt tension issue. However, this seems to have worked.