Help using small stepper on E1 to deploy probe

Hi guys, im an mechanical engineer with some knowledge on electrical an almost zero practical knowledge on programing.
I need some help using an stepper from a dvd drive that i had laying around to deploy my endstop probe.
My idea was to edit the firmware part were it woud comand to turn the servo to send a step/dir to my E1 driver.
Im wondering that this would be simple programing but im still not there on terms of coding!! Any help would be much apreciated, thanks!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/2018 01:34PM by Freitascruz.

A stepper is overkill, most use a servo but...

For a steeper it needs a stepper driver. You have already mentioned e1

modifying the firmware to add this function inbuilt is probably overkill for something that is only ever going to be done at the start of a print.
And there is no need, all you need to do is change your gcode start file and change a few firmware settings.

Firstly you need to enable a second extruder in your firmware (even though its not really a extruder)

probabbly
// :[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
#define EXTRUDERS 2

Then all you need to do is send some gcode, ie modify you gcode start file.

Basic outline...

G90 ; ensure relative mode
T1 ; use E1 not E0
G1 E{down position) F(a suitably slow feed rate) ; move stepper, NB since its a tool, its still E, not E1

Do probing.. what ever you want to use.

G1 E{-down position) F(a suitably slow feed rate) ; move stepper back where it started
T0 ; back to tool 0;

continue like normal.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2018 06:35AM by Dust.

Thanks for the reply Dust!
I know it is not the simplest solution but I already have some extra drivers and these small stepers, so why not!
When you say modify my gcode start you are saing directly on the printing software(repetier host in my case) right?
And if yes, I would enable a regurar(not moveable) probe on firmware, correct?

However i was wondering if it would be too elaborated to make these ajustments directly on the firmware?!

Thanks again mate!!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2018 12:06PM by Freitascruz.

Ive done as you said but i get an compiling error saying there is no pins assigned for heater_1 on the board!

very likely...

In pins_RAMPS.h find "#define HEATER_0_PIN RAMPS_D10_PIN"

add the line "#define HEATER_1_PIN -1" see if it will accept that