Lowrider CNC Jackpot Controller
The Jackpot controller has been sitting on my bench for quite a while. My LowRider was already running reliably with an SKR board, so there wasn't much incentive to change it. With some free time, I finally decided it was time to make the move to FluidNC.
The first step was removing the existing SKR controller and documenting the wiring before disconnecting anything. Fortunately, the migration was straightforward. The only hardware changes required were replacing two connectors to match the Jackpot board. Once those were changed, the remaining wiring transferred over without much trouble.
With the controller installed, I powered everything up and connected to the Jackpot over Wi-Fi. After confirming communication, I reloaded my "config.yaml" configuration and started verifying each axis, endstop, and probe input. It's always worth taking the time to test each function individually before assuming everything is correct.
On the CAM side, I created a basic FluidNC post processor in Alphacam to get the machine moving. The initial version was intentionally simple—just enough to output clean G-code while I verified motion, probing, and general machine operation. As testing progresses, I'll continue adding the features I rely on in my normal workflow.
With the controller configured and the post processor producing usable code, it was time for the first test cuts. A few simple toolpaths confirmed that the machine was responding correctly, the coordinate system was behaving as expected, and the overall migration had been successful.
There is still work to do before I consider the conversion complete. I want to refine the Alphacam post, verify tool changes and probing routines, and spend some time cutting real projects before drawing any conclusions.
So far, though, the transition from the SKR board to the Jackpot controller has been much smoother than I expected. Hopefully these notes will help anyone else considering making the same upgrade.
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