Clear Board Sensor

[Lrupri57]

This gets stranger and stranger. I went to the sensor reading and pushed the truck across to see where it dropped to zero, the sensor was centered directly above the board edge, so much for a off set sensor. I then decided to see if I could run the sensor calibration. I put the tape on the board edge to fool the clear sensor. The unit went to measure the board width (OK) then it went to measure the length (OK) came back and then gave a Z axis stall........................OUCH

[bergerud]

Did it z stall because the bit came down in the wrong place? On the board instead of beside the board. If so, back to Al's idea, maybe a loose or dirty encoder disc could explain all of this. The machine seems to be loosing track of the y position.

[Lrupri57]

Yeah, you are probably right about it coming down in the wrong place because of the tape throwing it off in the Y position. The Z drive was replaced as part of the upgrade as I could not get a new 16 wire cable. I'll have to pull the sensor and change it which I knew I would probably have to do, thought I could get more experience at looking at these things before I shotgun it with changes trying to get it to work without knowing for sure what the fault is.

[bergerud]

I do not think it would bob in the wrong place because of the tape. It is supposed to define zero when it hits the end of travel and bob relative to that. The touch at the brass roller should be independent of where the board is. Could the y belt be slipping when it homes? It may worth taking a look at the y encoder.

[Lrupri57]

Machine is carving as I write, changed the sensor and it went through most steps and then had a Y error. Put the 3/8 bit in and did the calibration tests. Put a board in that I wanted to carve and it is doing that now. THANK'S EVERBODY!!!!!!!!

[Digitalwoodshop]

Machine is carving as I write, changed the sensor and it went through most steps and then had a Y error. Put the 3/8 bit in and did the calibration tests. Put a board in that I wanted to carve and it is doing that now. THANK'S EVERBODY!!!!!!!!

Good Job !!!

AL

[bergerud]

Machine is carving as I write, changed the sensor and it went through most steps and then had a Y error. Put the 3/8 bit in and did the calibration tests. Put a board in that I wanted to carve and it is doing that now. THANK'S EVERBODY!!!!!!!!

We need closure on this!! Was it the board sensor or a y calibration number gone rogue?

[Lrupri57]

I beleve it was the sensor because it allowed me to go a little farther. But also I found out that I then got a Y axis stalled error occasionally that was caused by the Y motor pulley sometimes rubbing on the back of the Z truck (close clearance there) moved the pulley in a little bit and that went away. I went ahead and did the calibration check because I never did that after changing from sand paper board drive to the rubber belts. Okay, the board I cut came through running in the Best Quality mode great. I have to go back in and glue the things that should be glued. This all started because I got sick of our norther winter last year and I bought a place in Florida (stole really - estate sale $13,000), all the manufactured double wide homes have sign's in from of their places with their names and where they are from. Now you just know I had to make my own, hence tackling th CW once again.

[Lrupri57]

What light color wood do you recommend that will hold detail, I've heard Maple as it can be gotten at most places like Menards or Lowes?

[CW-HAL9000]

Maple is great, I very often use a knot free pine from lowes or Home Depot. There is a Southern Pine or Lowes also calls it a Radiata Pine which is Knot free and tighter grain. In some areas of the country people use Poplar but in my part of the country I find it is too soft and when carved it leaves an abundance of "fuzzies". I would say 70% of my flea market and craft fair carves are knot free pine because of its low cost.