I’m trying to help my Dad with his new Longmill mk2. We downloaded Carbide Create and made a simple file, generated the gcode, and imported it into gSender.
I tried all the post processing options, and the ones that worked gave constant “bad number format” errors, a dozen or more in the first 8" of travel. (I had set 0,0,0 above the part, was trying a dry run to make sure it behaved as expected.) I checked through the code, and don’t see anything out of the ordinary. The lines it’s complaining about appear identical in format to the lines above and below.
I tried checking the firmware to update GRBL, found a couple of versions older than what it currently has, decided to leave it alone.
I’m at a bit of a loss. We’re running a Mac laptop.
I’m fine with trying a different post processor or CAM software, just having trouble finding one that works.
For background- I used to use Sheetcam and Mach3 to run a plasma table and CNC table at my old job. So I have at least some vague idea what I’m doing, but it’s been years.
I started off using the “Basic G-code” postprocessor. It gave me errors about missing tool commands, I assume it wanted some M commands.
So I tried again with postprocessor “GRBL” and kept getting bad number format errors. Like eight of them in a 4" arc. A bit of googling led me to believe that the firmware might need to be updated, but the only files I found are older than what the mill currently claims to have.
I’m open to different CAM software, but I’d really like something with a free demo mode so I can make a part start to finish before dropping money on software. (That’s why we ended up with Carbide Create, free demo.)
If someone wants to try exporting in grbl mm that might reduce some of the errors related to imperial units / arc movements and decimal places. Unfortunately I do not have any experience with Meshcam.