wgrigsby
02-21-2009, 07:26 PM
I'm a retired Die Maker and I worked on sheet metal dies for twenty two years. This taught me a lot about what happens when it is drawn, formed, trimmed or priced. Also dies are a type of machine which I built and repaired. So I feel I have a understanding of how machinery works.
Having said that, I will a say that what I have done was to improve the Quick Release Chuck on "my" machine and that I take the responsibility for what I did. Don't do this unless you are ready to do likewise.
Since my machine was new I've had trouble with the chuck while putting the bits in or taking them out and this what I will address here. let me say I love this machine and what it can do. But like all machines the more they can do, the more problems you will have.
The Quick Release Chuck is small and complex piece of machinery. I have taken it apart and made changes in areas that I felt would help it work better which is always easier to do than designing one from scratch. first to take it a part I drilled a small hole over where the screw that holds it together is locate. then I removed the cover over from the slot that it travels in. I then removed the screw and disassembled the inner and outer sleeves from each other.
I saw that the inner sleeve assembly had part of it made from a piece of sheet metal which was right up my alley. When forming, trimming and piercing sheet metal it will deform in different ways. I did some checking with a flat "mill bastard" file and found some deforming all around the outside surface which would be normal for that kind of operation. While normal it would be better if it was smooth. So I smooth it out using the file and sanded it with some fine sand paper.
I also did the same for the inside area of the slot that the head of the screw slides in when opening and closing along with the outside of the screw head itself. The reason I did this is that when sheet metal is cut, trimmed or pierced it only cuts half way through and brakes the rest of the way out leaving a not so smooth surface. the area that the screw head slides on would be better if it where to be flat and slicker.
Also on the outer sleeve I put a small raduis on the conners as in the drawing. I have talked about this before in other post.
These changes have it working as slick as a whistle.
I'm not criticizing Carve Wright for the way that it was made, just pointing out what I did to it and I believe how to make it work better. It would have driven the cost up to have done it any different than they did. The pictures may help to understand what I have done and If this any help to Carve Wright or the owners of them, That is why I'm posting this. I also placed this on my blog that is at the bottom of this page.
Having said that, I will a say that what I have done was to improve the Quick Release Chuck on "my" machine and that I take the responsibility for what I did. Don't do this unless you are ready to do likewise.
Since my machine was new I've had trouble with the chuck while putting the bits in or taking them out and this what I will address here. let me say I love this machine and what it can do. But like all machines the more they can do, the more problems you will have.
The Quick Release Chuck is small and complex piece of machinery. I have taken it apart and made changes in areas that I felt would help it work better which is always easier to do than designing one from scratch. first to take it a part I drilled a small hole over where the screw that holds it together is locate. then I removed the cover over from the slot that it travels in. I then removed the screw and disassembled the inner and outer sleeves from each other.
I saw that the inner sleeve assembly had part of it made from a piece of sheet metal which was right up my alley. When forming, trimming and piercing sheet metal it will deform in different ways. I did some checking with a flat "mill bastard" file and found some deforming all around the outside surface which would be normal for that kind of operation. While normal it would be better if it was smooth. So I smooth it out using the file and sanded it with some fine sand paper.
I also did the same for the inside area of the slot that the head of the screw slides in when opening and closing along with the outside of the screw head itself. The reason I did this is that when sheet metal is cut, trimmed or pierced it only cuts half way through and brakes the rest of the way out leaving a not so smooth surface. the area that the screw head slides on would be better if it where to be flat and slicker.
Also on the outer sleeve I put a small raduis on the conners as in the drawing. I have talked about this before in other post.
These changes have it working as slick as a whistle.
I'm not criticizing Carve Wright for the way that it was made, just pointing out what I did to it and I believe how to make it work better. It would have driven the cost up to have done it any different than they did. The pictures may help to understand what I have done and If this any help to Carve Wright or the owners of them, That is why I'm posting this. I also placed this on my blog that is at the bottom of this page.