Frustrated already

[TerryT]

Thanks for the e-mail. Now another issue... (I am full of them today). When I received the unit I followed directions and checked the head pressure. Out of the box it was 108. I checked the trouble shooting and it gave directions to lube the clutch with the spray white lithium grease. I did that, rechecked the head pressure.. 99 pounds. Sprayed more in there (it started leaking down toward the keypad so I guess it was lubricated good) and remeasured and it was still 99 pounds. The only troubleshooting I found for high head pressure was to remove the handle and spray in the lube. Is there anything else I can do?

Make sure you lube the 4 corner posts. Also make sure you are getting lube way back inside the clutch and not just the outside of it.

[Roy Fleshman]

I have some of the same issues and spent over $5K. I will contact them on Monday to try and resolve missing parts, overchange, etc.

[PSQRD]

Thanks for the e-mail. Now another issue... (I am full of them today). When I received the unit I followed directions and checked the head pressure. Out of the box it was 108. I checked the trouble shooting and it gave directions to lube the clutch with the spray white lithium grease. I did that, rechecked the head pressure.. 99 pounds. Sprayed more in there (it started leaking down toward the keypad so I guess it was lubricated good) and remeasured and it was still 99 pounds. The only troubleshooting I found for high head pressure was to remove the handle and spray in the lube. Is there anything else I can do?

I had a similar problem and tried all the steps you mentioned. It wasn't until later someone told me to remove the crank handle as if you were going to lube the clutch assembly, look at the crank handle and there should be a series of very thin washers, try removing one washer at a time, re installing and checking your head pressure. Keep in mind you should be checking your head pressure a few times to get an accurate numbers. Sorry for all my commas, I hope this helps!
Paul

[mtylerfl]

...I checked the trouble shooting and it gave directions to lube the clutch with the spray white lithium grease. I did that, rechecked the head pressure.. 99 pounds. Sprayed more in there (it started leaking down toward the keypad so I guess it was lubricated good) and remeasured and it was still 99 pounds. The only troubleshooting I found for high head pressure was to remove the handle and spray in the lube. Is there anything else I can do?

I recommend cleaning ALL of that white lithium grease off the four posts (use WD-40 on a rag to help get all the grease off, but don't spray WD-40 on your traction belts - lay on bunch of towels to protect them while cleaning off the grease.)

I did not know the current instructions still say to use the grease on the four posts. I have had my machines for over eight years, but realized within about two years that the lithium grease was not the best choice for use on the four posts...it gums up with age, gums up with cooler temps, and attracts sawdust like mad. This often leads to uneven head pressure which can then lead to further problems down the road. So, use a DRY LUBE on the four posts instead. Don't use a silicon spray and don't use WD-40. Use a garage door dry lube with Teflon - this is typically labeled as "made with PTFE". I buy my dry lube from Amazon or Home Depot (my home depot only carries the silicon-based spray now, so that's why I buy the PTFE version from Amazon now).

I don't know of anyone who has used their machines on a regular and long-term basis that still uses the lithium grease anymore. Either we use the dry lube or some folks use graphite lube on the posts. I spritz a little on the posts before each project run and crank up and down a few times. Smooth and slick movement, doesn't gum up and doesn't collect sawdust.

Here's a link to a Tips article where the four post lube is discussed:

Maintaining Accurate Board Tracking – ISSUE 27 January – February 2010

There is a lot of other info there you will benefit from, as you are starting out. In fact, read as many of the Tips & Tricks as you can. Almost all of them are geared to help you avoid problems and to spend time enjoying the machine without headaches.

[lynnfrwd]

I have some of the same issues and spent over $5K. I will contact them on Monday to try and resolve missing parts, overchange, etc.

I looked at your order. All I could see missing was rotary software.

The store is supposed to automagically add the licenses when packages are ordered by the customer online. It appears this is not happening at all or only some of the time (rhyme or reason would sure help figuring it out).

I added the rotary software license and it appears that you may have added designer 3 to a package that already had it included (not sure how it happened), but we can get that overpayment fixed. Other than that not sure what else is going on. Call us Monday after 10 CST.

We are on our third shipping guy in about 3 months, so I know that has not helped our customer satisfaction. We are not at all happy about the situation either. Hopefully, things will settle down now. Jeremy seems to be very attentive and picking it up quickly. There is a lot to learn for someone that has never known the CW before.

Please bare with us, hopefully we have gotten our personnel issues under control. Now, controlling the behavior of the online store is another issue.

[Roy Fleshman]

Thanks for the rapid response on here Lynn, I am sure it will be fixed or explained to me on Monday or Tuesday. With so many moving parts it is understandable for things to happen as well as for me to be a little confused. I have enough to keep me busy with what I received for a few weeks.
Thanks

[cestout]

If you ar going to remove your crank handle to lube the clutch or add or remove washers, rotate the hancle so the knob is up, when it fall it is straight down. Now remove it and you will have no problems aligning it when you reinstall it. Thing that errect the head pressure are lubing of the posts (including threaded), alignment of the posts, lubing of the clutch, clutch spring tension (adjusted by adding or removing washers = add to raise, remove to lower).
Clint

[TerryT]

Teflon - this is typically labeled as "made with PTFE". I buy my dry lube from Amazon or Home Depot (my home depot only carries the silicon-based spray now, so that's why I buy the PTFE version from Amazon now).

I have been using the Teflon dry lube from Lowes for a couple of years now. It doesn't contain silicon. Works well for me.

[semibreve42]

I would have created a new thread for this, but two days after registering for this forum I still get "not allowed' messages whenever I try basic stuff, like opening photos. Nor is there a new thread button for me. I'm guessing that the admins must grant new users appropriate permissions? Hopefully this happens to me soon.

In the meantime I have a few questions. I ordered a Carvewright, 3/8 cutting bit and Designer 3 a couple of days ago, scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. Reading through this forum I just saw someone else who was surprised that his new Carvewright didn't come with a 1/8 cutting bit. I had also assumed it did, since reading through many reviews here and elsewhere it was listed, but I guess they stopped including it, which is disappointing since as far as I can tell without it, I'm limited to only doing raster images? Furthermore on the shop pages the 3/8 bit is seemingly advertised as a sturdier version of the 1/8 cutting bit, but I also saw it described somewhere as the jointing bit.

Some of the first projects I'm planning on cutting involve fairly large circular cutouts, which is what I got the 3/8 cutting bit. Now that I've been playing in designer I can't figure out how to specify that bit for my cutouts. Am I missing something, or is the 3/8 bit only for jointing?

So I went on the website to buy a 1/8 cutting bit since I'll be needing one of those too, and $12 for shipping. Seriously? You can buy a medium flat rate box at USPS and fit 50 bits for that price.

I've been reading the forums, I realize this is a small company making a premium, limited market product, but it's annoying paying $39 for a bit that used to be included with a product (and doesn't cost nearly $39 to produce) and then being asked to pay a greatly inflated shipping price. Padded envelopes from USPS are free and ship for $5.95. A little foam to pack them costs $.50. Frustrating.

Finally, to anyone reading this who is going to purchase a Carvewright and has a visa signature card, you can purchase an extended warranty from visa for significantly cheaper then the one offered by Carvewright. $119 for 3 years or $189 for 5. It covers anything the manufactured warranty covers and shipping.

Finally, does anyone have any suggestions for 3rd party roundover bits I can use? Because of the inflated prices I will buy only the minimum amount of stuff from Carvewright as possible.