Email Support | Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm Sun: 12pm - 4pm CT | Call Support: 312-775-7009

Which X-Carve is Right for You? Learn More.

Quiet Cut Spindle Upgrade & TinyG

David Ditzler

Project by

David Ditzler

General Information

Here is a list of what you will need to Upgrade your Shapeoko to use it with the TinyG controller and the Quiet Cut Spindle. This project also gives a step by step instructions with photos.

Like this project
Material Description Price
24v Power Supply (90w)

24v Power Supply (90w)

Type: Power Supply, Output Voltage: 24 VDC, Input Voltage: 100-240VAC @ 50-60Hz, Output Wattage: 90W

Enclosed Power Supply

Enclosed Power Supply

Output Voltage: 48VDC - 2014 - 2017, Current: 7.29A, Power: 350W

ER11-A Collets and Nuts

ER11-A Collets and Nuts

ER11-A Collet 1/4in

$7.17

Heat Shrink Tubing Kit

Heat Shrink Tubing Kit

Type: Kit, Color: Mulit-color

Power Cord

Power Cord

Length: 6 ft, End 2 Type: Pre-Stripped (bare) - 2013 - 2017

Quiet Cut Spindle

Quiet Cut Spindle

Power: 300W, Voltage: 48VDC

Spindle Speed Controller

Spindle Speed Controller

DC Spindle Speed Controller

$35.00

TinyG CNC Controller

TinyG CNC Controller

Type: CNC Controller, Version: v8

This project's Bill of Materials is not complete.

$42.17
from Inventables

File Description Unit Price

ADD-CODE_TinyG-PWM-settings-spindle SpeedController.txt

Settings for TinyG for PWM control

$0

Download Zip

$0
from Inventables

1

Extend spindle motor wires

Temporarily mount the Quiet Cut Spindle in the Shapeoko. Measure the 2-conductor wire needed to extend motor wires to where the 48VDC power supply and speed controller will be located. Measure twice, cut once. Extend motor wires by soldering on new wires and covering with heatshrink tubing or by using crimp connectors. Soldering and heat shrink is the preferred method.

2

Wire 48VDC power supply

NOTE: check the input voltage on Power Supply. The default setting is 220V. Use a small screwdriver to slide the switch if needed. Wire a grounded power cord from Inventables. I stripped the wires to expose the ends and connected them to the power supply. They come with one end stripped as well to skip that step. They are color coded. For 110V in the USA green is earth, white is neutral and black is load. You can use a power strip for both power supplies so you can power the gShield and the spindle all at once.

3

Wire 48VDC power supply to speed controller

Use some more of the 2-conductor wire hook up the 48VDC output from the power supply to the input side of the speed controller. Note the speed controller can accept both AC and DC power so polarity does not matter on the input side of the speed controller.

4

Wire spindle to speed controller

Wire the spindle directly to the speed controller. Make sure to match the polarity. Red is positive, black is negative.

5

Change jumper on speed controller and remove potentiometer

Because we are using the speed controller with software via PWM we need to change the jumper position to disable the potentiometer and enable PWM. Move the jumper closest to the PWM terminal to do this. Also remove the potentiometer as it will not be needed, but save it if you want to use it later on a different build.

6

Wire TinyG to speed controller

Use two wires to connect the PWM controls to the speed controller. The terminal labeled PDM on the TinyG is the positive wire (shown in yellow below). The ground terminal is on the same terminal block.

7

Hook up 24VDC power to TinyG

Power the TinyG with 24VDC. Make sure polarity is correct. There is a terminal on the TinyG just for power.

8

Connect to TinyG & confirm default settings

- Click the Re-Scan button (upper right) to find what USB port is available
- Click Connect Button
- Click on the Axis tab (upper left)
- Confirm default settings on Velocity Maximum (circled below in photo), it should read 600

9

Load Shapeoko settings in TinyG

- Click on Machine Settings tab (upper left)
- Highlight Shapeoko config (right column)
- Click Load button (bottom right)
- Wait for the settings to load and then power cycle the board (re-boot)

10

Confirm TinyG Shapeoko settings

- Reconnect to TinyG
- Click on the Axis tab (upper left)
- Confirm default settings on Velocity Maximum (circled below in photo), it should read 1600

11

Add PWM settings to TinyG

- Click the Gcode tab (upper left)
- Enter PWM settings line by line in command line prompt on bottom of screen
- Confirm settings after each line, they will be echoed above

Here are the PWM settings to apply listed below (or used attached file to project) . Enter them one line at a time and hit return.

$p1frq=5000 $p1csl=0 $p1csh=10000 $p1cpl=0 $p1cph=1 $p1pof=0

12

Confirm your settings

Secure the spindle securely in the Shapeoko. Also remove the bit if you have one installed and make sure the collet is secure. Put on your eye protection. Type M03 (with a zero not an O) in the command line to turn on the spindle. M05 should stop the spindle. Type S2000 for a slow speed or S8000 for the maximum speed of the spindle.

Note: the CAM program you are using is probably putting M3 or M5 in already near the beginning and end of the gcode. If not, it is usually an option somewhere or in the post processor. Also M3 and M03 are usually interpreted the same by the machine controller, so either will work. Same for M5 and M05. Please open up your G-code in a text editor or tgFX and preview before running your job.

Michael Popp
I cannot find the tgFX install file. either .exe or .dmg. I have searched their wiki and cannot find anything. Can you help direct me to where it might be?
Michael Popp
John Vasquez
This worked Perfectly.....thank you Inventables loving my new quiet spindle and able to control its speed and turn it off and on from tGFX....
John Vasquez
Jim Foster
I see that the Bill of Materials has two power supplies. The 48v is for powering the spindle, but what is the other 24v power supply used for? If this upgrade kit switches out the gShield for the TinyG controller, wouldn't TingG just use the existing 24v power supply?
Jim Foster
David Ditzler
Yes Jim you are correct. If you have a 24v power supply for the gShield you can just use that either for the gShield or the TinyG so you don't need an additional one.
David Ditzler
Tomas Garces
David, do I have to input the values for the PWM setting every time I open tgFX? I'm not sure if they get saved... seems like they don't
Tomas Garces
riley porter
David you should not have to. I wrote tgFX :) It should save these values to your TinyG's EEPROM. However, we are no longer maintaining tgFX and have opted for http://chilipeppr.com/tinyg to use as the UI. I will contact inventables at let them know. ril3y
riley porter
Mel Ristau
With PWM controller installed I get max 9500 RPM from my quiet cut spindle. With the jumper in the alt. position, I get about 11,000 RPM. Where am I loosing that 1500 RPM?
Mel Ristau
Vas Vas
Which motors are you using for the new system ? Does the addition of the spindle affect the motor performance ?
Vas Vas
Jon Neilon
I am using the 400w Quiet Cut what would be my speed and phase settings for this? Would this setting be the same? $p1frq=5000 $p1csl=0 $p1csh=10000 $p1cpl=0 $p1cph=1 $p1pof=0
Jon Neilon