Board sensor permanent fix

[rbrown]

Kept getting clear board sensor, then I get to a point where it stopped working all together.
I'm doing slots in chipboard shelves so it makes a lot of fine dust.
So I popped the top cover off and removed the ribbon cable cover and unplugged the sensor cable the one with the wires going down towards the bottom of the chuck. (This will give you slack to get the sensor out without breaking wires. Remember to pull the slack back up after you reinstall the sensor.) Then I unscrewed the board sensor and unplugged it and carefully popped the cover off because it was full of dust behind the window. Blew it out and plugged it back in and tested it in my hand with a small piece of scrap wood before I closed it back up... working again.

So I got thinking... this is a real PITA to do and I was messing with it lot. (This was the second time I had to take it apart.) So how can I fix this so I won't have to do this again or carefully try and blow it out every time after a few runs?

So I put the window back in and the sensor cover back on and took some black automotive silicone sealer on my finger and smeared it all over the cover and window, making sure I got it in all the seams, around the window and even over the window. Then before it dried, I wiped it off with a paper towel and made sure I cleaned the window, but left the silicone in the seams around the window and cover. And put it back together and let it dry. Then I retested the sensor before I screwed it back in to the machine.

Since then, I have run 13 boards and haven't had any problems, before that I started having problems after the 4th board. And it stopped working after the 10th board.

Donations are welcome...
Bob

[aokweld101]

are u using a dust collector? if not I would say that is causing the problem, you will cause all kinds of problems in the future if you don't have one, the sawdust will cause stalls in the y,x and z gears. they told me at first that a clean machine is a happy machine.

[rbrown]

No I don't have a dust collector on it yet. I vacuum (made a small tube adaptor for the vacuum to get in the small spaces) and then blow it out after every board. Still had the problem.

The fix works perfect. No more monkeying around clearing the sensor.

I haven't seen a dust collection system for this machine that I like, so I'm thinking about designing one next. But first I need to get this job out of the way.
Only 40 more boards to go... 1 1/2 hours for each board...

[aokweld101]

my preference for the dust collector is the ewrin dust collector Its sold as a third party and works great.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Redneck Blues makes a nice metal collector too.

Just be aware that in the "A" Series machines that is was possible to pull the 4 wire Board Sensor Cable down and it would slip along the SHARP edge of the metal Being pinched, eventually the wire insulation got cut and it shorted out the sensor. I do NOT know if the "B" and "C" made any improvements to this....

AL

[55president]

I've had trouble with the board sensor over the years. I carve vinyl so the "dust" is heavier and both of
the dust collection systems I have and do not work well. I've taken the sensor off so many times I've
broken a screw. So now the sensor is held on with a screw and tape. I've shaved off the back
of the sensor to get the window off and have made replacable plastic windows from a
plastic Dr. Pepper bottle as the window gets scratched.

[lynnfrwd]

No I don't have a dust collector on it yet. I vacuum (made a small tube adaptor for the vacuum to get in the small places)

Be aware, sticking that in while machine is on could fry your controller, if there's any static.