So while making brackets to support my home and limit switches I forgot I'd started the machine in the config I was using to test the homing. I was manually feeding to take the corner off a bracket when I clipped the home button in linuxcnc. The machine homed. With the spindle on and home was directly south, through the bracket, through 5mm of steel plate and 1mm of my table
I managed to hit the estop on the spindle as the motor stalled and fortunately the steppers are weak enough to stall without hurting anything. After letting out a burst of expletives I wound the tool back up out of the mess (still in one piece despite a rapid into the table!) But found the spindle won't run. Not a gear issue, and bearings seem free and fine, just no motor movement. All the rest of the hardware attached to the spindle electronics is working so I'm guessing its the output side of the speed controller - anyone any experience of this failure mode? Fuse in back of controller box is fine. Came in from the garage rather annoyed!