Y axis stall. Truck jammed against front of machine

[locovalley]

I just had a y axis problem where the z truck jammed against the keyboard side of the machine. This happened about 2 1/2 hours into a 4 hour carve and ruined a 30" board. Picture posted below. Any advice is welcomed.

Thanks,
locovalley

[AskBud]

My guess is that the belt, for the Truck or its holder has slipped its seat due to excess pressure (at some time) on a Left to Right carve. This possibly happened with a deep carve across the board with a bit other than the Carving bit. There is also a tension holder on the Right side that may need tightened.
AskBud

[b.sumner47]

It is very important that the carver be level.Looking at the picture it may be some of your problems.Good Luck.Capt.Barry

[locovalley]

Thanks for the replies. I took the top cover off and inspected the belt and tensioner and both looked fine. I inspected the bit adapter and found it to be badly worn. I changed the adapter and will probably go ahead and change the QC before I carve again. I feel confident that the bit was a little loose and caused a jam that made the y belt jump a couple of notches. At least that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Thanks,
locovalley
aka Joe

[Dan-Woodman]

After you get the parts replaced you will need to do ' calibrate offsets" at the machine in options mode. Instructions should be in the manual.
later Daniel

[Digitalwoodshop]

As you can see by the board, it lost some steps in the Y axis while cutting from left to right. Most likely a loose Y belt and most likely the loose Y belt was caused by the Y gear Box big plastic gear sleeve bearing is worn.

Humor me and remove the Y Motor and pull the big plastic gear and check for wobble and wear in the direction toward the center of the machine.

If you have a old Z Motor you can swap the gear box from the old Z to the Y motor.

As for the Y being jammed toward the keyboard, that is because the Zero of the Y Axis is now offset by the gap seen on the board and when you stop the machine it returns to home but because of the offset it jams to the keyboard side and gives you a y Stall until you reboot the machine.

AL

[locovalley]

Thanks Al,

I think I have bigger problems now. I tried to remove the QC to change it out and got it about half way off when the removal tool broke off in the top of the spindle. I had to use the top because I couldn't get the tool all the way up into the spindle from below. I had heated the QC and it was coming off fairly easily until about the fourth turn or so and that's when the tool broke. I'm waiting for a callback from tech support.

LHR sales told me that the Z truck is on back order, so I'm wondering if there's any way to salvage the Z truck I have now. Can the spindle be removed from the truck so I can take it to a machine shop and have the brokem piece extracted? Any ideas are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,
locovalley
aka Joe

[Jeff_Birt]

The broken part of the tool should just be able to be pushed out. The spindle shaft is open all the way through. Try poking it out with a small Allen wrench.

[locovalley]

Thanks Jeff,

I'll give that a try.

I've been serching for directions on removing or replacing the Z truck but can't find anything. Is there a file that contains this information that anyone is aware of? I'm pretty sure that if the tool broke off in the square recess, the spindle is going to be deformed.

Thanks,
Joe

[mtylerfl]

Thanks Jeff,

I'll give that a try.

I've been serching for directions on removing or replacing the Z truck but can't find anything. Is there a file that contains this information that anyone is aware of? I'm pretty sure that if the tool broke off in the square recess, the spindle is going to be deformed.

Thanks,
Joe

pdf for Z-truck replacement is posted at:
http://www.carvebuddy.com/learning_center.html

[Kenm810]

Has anyone ever had the “Y” Truck tighten up on their machine?
Over the last week or so, mine has been acting like the power is on when I try to move it along the “Y” axis by hand.
Everything is clean and the rails have been lubed. The drive belt is not over tightened and drive gears don’t appear broken.
I just did a simple test carving and as the “Y” truck started to move towards bit touch, it stopped reversed direction a couple of times. On it’s way back to the key pad side of the machine after touching the plate, it did the same thing, start, stop, reverse, stop again, reverse two or three more times, like it didn’t know which way to go then finally give a “Y” Axis stall Error.
I re-ran the test twice, same thing. I’ve already replaced the “Y” drive motor a few months ago. --- Any thoughts ??

[Eagle Hollow]

Ken,
You're describing the same thing I experienced. Quite a bit of resistance with power off then the quick, back and forth movements during measuring. Mine seems to have straightened itself out. Don't know why...I have other problems now.

[oldfogey]

I have had my machine do something similar and also have had it seem to become frantic in its decision making. Sometimes I get into a loop that makes me do one or more tasks over and over. Best example is load bit. I load a bit, the machine goes through its measuring and depth analysis and then it makes me do it again. I have taken my newness and lack of experience with the software for causing this. I have found that like any computer, if I shut it completely down and reboot I eliminate the problem.

Happily the machine catches most of the errors I make in Designer and warns me. Today it even told me not to cut so deep.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Ken,

Two things will cause this problem.

I have fine Red Wood dust in the bearings of the Y Truck on machine #3. This has caused the bearings to freeze up and not want to rotate. It worked great right out of the box when I bought it. They are still sealed the best I can see but the red wood dust is more dense than pine dust. It has made a mess of the machine and it needs to be stripped down and cleaned. So I found that the moist humid environment on the east coast has caused the fine Red Wood Dust to HARDEN and the bearings stopped working. In the dry West it ran just fine. SO it could be the Y Truck Bearings but most likely not.

More than likely it is the Y Gear Box, or the Y gear box mounted in the machine is slightly out of position letting the big plastic gear RUB against the U shaped area in the machine frame causing the resistance. It rubs toward the CENTER of the machine, the belt pulling it.

I could remove the Y Motor and then run the Y back and fourth and check the bearings, more than likely they are FINE. Then dissemble the Y gear box and check that Y Sleeve Bearing.

I now have the oiling of the Y bearing C Clip area in the back of the gear box on my maintenance list. A dry sleeve bearing will destroy itself in a short time.

ADDING washers to increase the tension of the spring of the Y truck will wear the bearing sooner too.

So it is all about the Sleeve Bearing.....

AL

[hray]

i to had same thing happen with my carver fix was replment of y truck bearings

[Kenm810]

Thanks Guys,

I've have most of the day tomorrow to pull it apart and check the truck bearings,
plus take a close look at the gear box and mount, also that Y Sleeve Bearing.
--- I'll post what I find.

[liquidguitars]

Also you could check the cable contections as it could be a short.

LG

[Digitalwoodshop]

Remember that old Z Motor gear box is a cheap FIX.....

AL

[Kenm810]

Had a little time before I head for home,

Broke it down, checked everything -- looks like you were right Al and hray, looks it was the Truck Bearings.
Lubed them a little and put all back together. Just did a board measure with no Hic-ups ---- record time for me,
even flipped the Scaner ext plug that was upside down. I run a test carve in the morning.

Thanks you all !! :grin:

[Digitalwoodshop]

What is that light colored material in the picture? I don't have that with 3 machines?

Good Job,

AL

[AskBud]

What is that light colored material in the picture? I don't have that with 3 machines?

Good Job,

AL

It looks as if he has the cover off and tilted, and you see the background of something in his shop.
AskBud

[Kenm810]

Al,

You Mean the carving dust and chips,
I thought all these machines come with a little of that. :wink:




Actually Bud is right, it's a sheet of CardBoard leaning againest the wall behind the machine,
I pulled it apart and worked on it right on the DD Cabinet.
I'm not as good at it as you guys are, but I have my moments. :grin:

[locovalley]

While running the calibration routine #4 calibrate sensors, the machine starts the process OK but when it gets to touching the board it touches the near side OK but when it goes to check the far side it misses the board and dips below the level of the board and starts to move to the near side again but hits the board on the way back and gives y axis stall error 238.

Anyone encounter this? I checked the measure board function and it's OK. The sensor checks all seem to be fine. I cleaned and lubed all the rails but can't perform calibration.

Thanks,
Joe

[Kenm810]

Joe,

I just did a Calibrating job on my Machine a few minutes ago
"Had it pulled apart yesterday for some servicing"
I did watch the 3/8 bit and mine did, "just" clear the edge of the piece of 1/2" x3" 10" MDF I was using.
My only thought is your "Z" truck didn't move up fast enough to clear your board --
check to see if the truck is sticking or the rails need a little more lube.
Maybe someone else may have the real answer.

[Digitalwoodshop]

What is that light colored material in the picture? I don't have that with 3 machines?

Good Job,

AL


It is a optical illusion... Looked like a cloth cover when you look at just the tan area then you see it is just the cover partially removed and it is what is seen in the picture.

AL

[Kenm810]

Hey Al,

Just them Damn Eye Ball Tricks again !! :razz:

[Eagle Hollow]

Ken,

It's time you spill the beans. Someone HAS to be following you around catching each minute piece of sawdust before it falls on anything. There is absolutely no sign of ANY sawdust. Come on now fess up...Who is she???

[Kenm810]

Hi Jerry,

Nope just me, most of the time, But ya can believe me when I say we have our days -- :sad: when you can't even see the floor.
We work on a lot of Fine Art pieces, so my Shop/Studio has a negative pressure ventilation system just like my DD Cabinet,
but on a larger scale. It takes a lot of the dust out of the air before it has a chance to settle on anything.

Now our wood shop in the next room over is a different story, it's always a disaster area,
only vacuums, brooms, and dust pan over there. --- I keep that door Closed when I'm taking Photos. :wink:

[Eagle Hollow]

:roll:Ken,

A clean shop is safe, much more productive and more enjoyable to work in. I do compliment you. You have time to stop by my shop? I have three brooms, 3 vacs, 3 big trash cans, three shovels and 2 rolls of heavy duty trash bags...I'll see if my granddaughter will help. I'll leave a light on for you!

[Kenm810]

Hey Jerry,

I just couldn't leave well enough alone,
I had to keep looking until I found some.
So there ya are Real Dust,
told ya I had some around. :razz:

[Eagle Hollow]

Ken,

Keep in mind that I can send you some extra by express mail if you finally run completely out!!

[Kenm810]

No No Jerry, thats OK !!

I still remember those long carvings
Before I had my DD Cabinet :wink:

[atauer]

No No Jerry, thats OK !!

I still remember those long carving
Before I had my DD Cabinet :wink:

Holy Crap!

That is a lot of dust! How long did it take you to carve up that pile???

[Kenm810]

Ahhhh Would you believe in less than 100 hours?
------ Would you believe in less than 200 hours?

Ahhhh Would you believe just before the Warranty
on my Machine ran out completely ---- Ahhhh --twice :roll:

[Eagle Hollow]

NOW...that's more like it!!

I just spent a little more time looking at that sawdust pile. It looks like a mountain lion laying down on the near end. Now I know you're an artist. Is that one of your projects?

[Kenm810]

More like the Dumpster was full all that week,
so I didn't have any were to put it. :razz:

[Kenm810]

Well that lasted about a day and a half,
before “Y” Truck’s lower right side Fixed Bearing
locked up again, shooting it with Bearing lube
only keeps it rolling for about a dozen or two passes
form the key pad side to the touch plate side of the machine
before it stops rolling completely.
I called LHR and had a chance talked to Berry for a few Minutes,
and ordered a set of fixed bearing, plus (to save a buck or two on shipping)
a replacement Flex-Shaft core and a new Silencer Spring for the parts box.

Just got a conformation Email that the order was filled and ready to go.
I’ll be looken forward to maken some Chips and Dust again by the end of the week. :wink: