3000mW blue cnc laser engraver Universal Engraver

[sigswood]

Now that you have the ISP built - you can load the GBRL program into the Arduino directly and not have/use the boot loader. Don't know if you are getting the laser flashing on when you boot the controller but not having the boot loader makes it go away.
You can have a lot of fun and learn a lot by playing with these things.

On a similar path I spent last night figuring out how to load the boot loader into a Blue Pill (STM32 board) That I am going to load GRBL 1.1f into. This board will work in the Adrunio development environment. I am planning to make a small adapter board so I can replace the nano with this much faster processor.

No, I am not getting the laser flash when i turn on the power button, i get the stepper motors move a tiny bit, but that is no issue.  I actually have been looking for alternatives to this arduino bootloader, however, everything i have found cost a lot more money, and i have two arduinos as one came in the  mail today, and i have this raspberry pi set up to reflash the loader if it messes up again.  I am also going to use the second one for testing T2laser software which is where i corrupted my original arduino, by loading multiple firmware trying to get it working.

Now on to more testing and reflashing bootloaders,

[wild.bill]

I am using T2 and all of my nano's are loaded with 1.1f direct with no boot loader. Not much difference between 1.1e and 1.1f but mine is a custom build for homing separated for x and y. Only down side is you need to use an ISP to change any software since there is no boot loader.

A lot of the early controllers didn't have a pull down on D11 so there was a pulse which caused the laser to light with a quick pulse when the nano booted.

[wild.bill]

Bill - You might want to looking into the grbl esp32. Very active group. i have a simple board that just maps the ESP to Nano pins.

I am liking the STM32 Nucleo 64 because its designed to work with UNO shields, and I have an UNO CNC shield ready to go on. This dates back to when I was using a UNO with the shield on my 0510 ACRO laser prior to installing the smoothie board. If this works (and it should) it will be faster because the Nucleo 411 is 100mhz and the Smoothie is only 80mhz and it should be less than half the cost of a smoothie board. I should be able to get the esp32 code working on this board, worst case is editing the output pins.

I need to go through all my old stuff and see how many UNO shields I have and what they are.

[ggallant571]

The STM32F307 Nucleo board is Nano footprint compatible. The only problem I've had is using the 12V supply. Currently powering the board via USB. Need to insure that the 12V is off prior to the STM functioning.

[wild.bill]

I don't see that board listed any more

[ggallant571]

STM32F303K8 $10.33 at mouser.com

[sigswood]

so now i have three arduino nanos now, i have tried multi different hex files on here, the non-pwm version is the one i probably want, however, neither of the 1.1e versions work for me at this time.  i have tried multiple times, re-imaged in T2laser and on my new raspberry pi flasher that works really well.  I have tried using the manufacturers firmware, nope does not work, 1.1e pwm, nope not working, 1.1e non-pwm not work, tried all of the .9 versions, woodpecker, jtech, eleksmana, none of those have worked, so now i am having to wait for the Eleksmana se to come in the mail so i can use t2laser software, would love to be able to test this, as i think it would be much better the Benbox, as i really want to use some of the features.  I can see them, wish i could use it, but that "carrot" is just out of reach as of now.
oh well

[ggallant571]

Can you connect to the Nano with a terminal emulator such as teraterm on Windows or gtkterm on Linux?

[sigswood]

not too sure if you can or not, i am thinking you should be able to, if you use the correct com port and baud rate, not sure how to do it, i have used the arduino ide app.

on a different note, my Eleksmaker mana se came in today, wiped down the packaging with lysol wipes and got the board out and cleaned it with 91% isopropyl alcohol, because i am paranoid with anything coming from china going through new york mail facilities, yeah i know the virus breaks down over a period of time, and it took 14 days to get here, but i still don't want to ease the mind.  anyway it is will be a few days, and i can order my new laser, then i will be ready to replace this knock off controller with a real (almost) controller that will let me use alternate software on it.