[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, my Tormach is an old series 1 upgraded with all the series 3 hardware. Unfortunately it didnt come with limit switches. Ive just been really careful about my work envelope and have managed so far. It seems PP wants to max out the axis to locate the limit switches before it lets me zero out my parts. Am I just going about this wrong? Or does PP require limit switches to function?

[pickled]

So you upgraded the mill to Series 3 and have no limit switches? As far as I can tell the whole program homing is written around physical limits for reference. You might be able to set soft limits, but I don't think that your machine will achieve the referenced state without limit switches. I'm new to PP too and only messed around with LinuxCNC for a little while on other projects SOOO somebody else might be able to get you into some form of operation, but I am sure that your ball screws would probably appreciate those limit switches. Did you run this way with Mach3? If so you must have had issues with getting the mill head to go +Z as you came into tool changes huh?

[SwampDonkey]

So you upgraded the mill to Series 3 and have no limit switches? As far as I can tell the whole program homing is written around physical limits for reference. You might be able to set soft limits, but I don't think that your machine will achieve the referenced state without limit switches. I'm new to PP too and only messed around with LinuxCNC for a little while on other projects SOOO somebody else might be able to get you into some form of operation, but I am sure that your ball screws would probably appreciate those limit switches. Did you run this way with Mach3? If so you must have had issues with getting the mill head to go +Z as you came into tool changes huh?

Yeah, Mach runs fine this way. Im not sure what you mean about the Z axis and tool changes. I lift the head far enough to change tools, not ram it up as far as it will go.

[MichaelHenry]

Why not just buy and install limit switches? All of three of them would be $76 plus shipping.

[SwampDonkey]

Why not just buy and install limit switches? All of three of them would be $76 plus shipping.

You're right, I actually have them in a box ready to go. I mainly make small parts so never approach the limits of my travel, but yeah, I should totally get on that. I have some nifty proximity sensors, are there any trick to those?

[pickled]

If you have limit switches and the machine is "homed" or referenced in mach3 the head automatically runs up to the pre-defined tool change position. If you don't have the switches you have to manually run it up at each tool change within the program. It's just kind of nerving when you have a reamer sitting in a hole waiting for you to screw up and jog the wrong way so it snaps off.

[shred]

I have an early series 1 and it came with limit switches. Did somebody take them out?