Carvewright Machine Wishlist

[kenrik]

**********

[HighTechOkie]

What problems have you had with the flex shaft?

If its such a bad design, why is it more users have posted about bits breaking or fractured z truck? Seems like it is able to withstand sufficient torsional force and is not the weakest link. It does require maybe 5min of your time every 40hrs or so of cut motor time to pull the core, wipe it down, apply lube and set aside to soak.

I do think it would be possible to mount the motor on the z truck. The z motor might need upgraded to handle the additional weight though.

Rob

[Jeff_Birt]

I've lubed my flex shaft 2-3 times in 2.5 years. I don't see a big issue with it (have not had a problem with it). From a design standpoint I think it was a good idea as it gets the weight of the motor off the Y/Z truck.

[ChrisAlb]

I have to agree Jeff. With over 450 cut hours and still on the original flex, I see no weakness in the design at all. Using the Crane Cam lube I use, I lube the flex every 40 to 60 hours or more and have no issues at all.

Attaching the cut motor to the truck would mean the machine would have to be much bigger (taller at least) and to me, it would just be one more thing to remove if you ever had to work on the truck, bearings or spindle.

I like the design as is....http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

[HighTechOkie]

I would also like to see the carving and cutting bits made available for purchase without having to buy them with the 1/4" adapter. I have no need or desire to start collecting extra bit adapters.

First, how is this a machine wishlist topic?

If you wish to purchase bits without adapters, feel free to buy them from precisebits.com.

Personally, I feel its smart to replace the bit adapter when you replace a bit (broken or dull). Since the adapters are made of a softer metal, they do dent and deform (some by wear and tear and some by user mishandling). Seems foolish to risk a $30 bit (along with other parts of your machine and wood) by installing that new bit in a old adapter because you wanted to save $10.

Rob

[Digitalwoodshop]

I would also like to see the carving and cutting bits made available for purchase without having to buy them with the 1/4" adapter. I have no need or desire to start collecting extra bit adapters.


Snicker.....

AL

[Kenm810]

That same request or wish
has been made several times in the Pass.
But I'll second it again anyway!

Three years and it still seems new ones
pop-up every month or two.

[ironsides]

I wish that the CW machine would let you return to any point in a carve session after an unexpected event ends up as an aborted carve.

Most industrial machine tools will let you return to the aborted point in the process after a fix, repair, or replacement has been accomplished.

If nothing else, I would like to power down at the end of the day or a long carving session before it is finished. Perhaps the software could offer the designer optional stops at certain intervals for dust removal or potty breaks.

I know you can press the "Stop" button once to make this happen, but if for some reason you lose power, your job is "Toast":(

ironsides:)



I just had a thought that perhaps this could be a "Tip and Tricks" subject. I know that there has been a lot of Forum discussion on recovery, maybe the T&T Team could cover this i detail.

[liquidguitars]

If nothing else, I would like to power down at the end of the day or a long carving session before it is finished. Perhaps the software could offer the designer optional stops at certain intervals for dust removal or potty breaks.

As long as the power is on you can set the Carvewright shut off for a duration of time to cool down.

As a work around to make a new inpoint after a hardware shutdown I take a box in designer, set it to zero, cover the spot just carved then resave the MPC, and your back in the game.

[Pratyeka]

As a work around to make a new inpoint after a hardware shutdown I take a box in designer, set it to zero, cover the spot just carved then resave the MPC, and your back in the game.

I have tried this with my current project, but the pattern already has a box with a carve area set at .650". Putting another box with a carve area at 0 on top of it doesn't make the firat carve area to go to 0. Even if the second carve area is outside the area covered by the first one, it shows the same depth as the first one. Like it only allows 1 carve area depth on the whole project.

[Jeff_Birt]

You just have to change the MERGE style.....

[newcarver]

A ptn viewer would be great, have a ton of ptns and it would be nice to not have to open each individually. Another good addition would be the ability to select patterns on both sides of the board at once(unless I just don't know how)to be able to make 3d items. Would help to line them up...

[ironsides]

As long as the power is on you can set the Carvewright shut off for a duration of time to cool down.

As a work around to make a new inpoint after a hardware shutdown I take a box in designer, set it to zero, cover the spot just carved then resave the MPC, and your back in the game.

LG

Thanks for the suggestion on the Zero depth carve region "mask".
I am going to try this technique on a small test carving first. This will be after I replace my QC, which broke while carving into a Oak board with a nasty Knot.

On an other subject, I have seen your posts and admire your talent with the machine.

Respectfully

ironsides

[HelpBot3000]

I'd like to see LHR post a list of all the errior codes and what they refer to !!

I hear this one a lot. The reason you don't see it is simply they change too often. There is a new set of codes, some altogether new and some just changed, every time a new firmware release comes out. There would be multiple versions of the code list out there. How disastrous would it be to diagnose the wrong problem by misreading the error code? You take apart your cut motor and turns out you had an issue with the y truck. Well now you have TWO broken parts.


A ptn viewer would be great, have a ton of ptns and it would be nice to not have to open each individually. Another good addition would be the ability to select patterns on both sides of the board at once(unless I just don't know how)to be able to make 3d items. Would help to line them up...

Not a bad idea, but that's software though

[TIMCOSBY]

carve depth and a wider machine. 2" carve depth would be fantastic

[Pratyeka]

You just have to change the MERGE style.....

I have tried all three merge style (normal, add and sub) and did not make much difference. Will test it again and see.

[mtylerfl]

I have tried all three merge style (normal, add and sub) and did not make much difference. Will test it again and see.

Hello,

Are you able to provide the mpc? (as long as there are no commercial patterns on it)

Perhaps we can take a look at it and be of some help.

[Pratyeka]

Hello,

Are you able to provide the mpc? (as long as there are no commercial patterns on it)

Perhaps we can take a look at it and be of some help.

Sure, it's the one here:
http://forum.carvewright.com/showpost.php?p=86476&postcount=12

The carve is done, but if you can show me the way to do this trick I'll be grateful. I have tried many different way but can't achieve the desired effect of masking a part of a carve that has been interrupted in order to continue the carve.

[locovalley]

Sure, it's the one here:
http://forum.carvewright.com/showpost.php?p=86476&postcount=12

The carve is done, but if you can show me the way to do this trick I'll be grateful. I have tried many different way but can't achieve the desired effect of masking a part of a carve that has been interrupted in order to continue the carve.

Pratyeka, I had a project get interrupted by a power board failure. All I did to mask the area already carved was to draw a rectangle over the part that carved and set it as a carved region at zero depth. The hard part for me was to get the region to just cover the region already carved.

I would post the MPC but it's too large for the forum. If you want to see what I did, PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you.

Joe

[Pratyeka]

Pratyeka, I had a project get interrupted by a power board failure. All I did to mask the area already carved was to draw a rectangle over the part that carved and set it as a carved region at zero depth. The hard part for me was to get the region to just cover the region already carved.

I would post the MPC but it's too large for the forum. If you want to see what I did, PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you.

Joe

Yes, but my project already has a carve area of .650 depth. Putting another rectangle on top of that with a depth of 0 makes the mask depth at .650, so useless.

Ok, I found what I did wrong. Every pattern on that project are in additive mode. Switching them back to normal mode let's the masking rectangle work as it should.

[Ike]

I bet it has been mentioned, but I would like to see the ability to set centerline depth.

Ike

[liquidguitars]

Sure, it's the one here:
http://forum.carvewright.com/showpost.php?p=86476&postcount=12


Originally Posted by Pratyeka
Yes, but my project already has a carve area of .650 depth. Putting another rectangle on top of that with a depth of 0 makes the mask depth at .650, so useless.


The carve is done, but if you can show me the way to do this trick I'll be grateful. I have tried many different way but can't achieve the desired effect of masking a part of a carve that has been interrupted in order to continue the carve.

You get away from this issue by using groups. in your case select all your rasters and use the group button, then add your masking box set to zero typ. keep it out of the group/sub group you made for the rasters.


here you go..

[DocWheeler]

I would like the encoder cover to be designed in a way where it is sealed from dust better. The motors don't seem to get so hot that an "O" ring couldn't be used if the cover was more rounded.

[DocWheeler]

I would like changes to the latest firmware that measures the board twice, I have no idea what problem prompted this added measurement (would like to know). At least change it back to one measurement for boards over 24 inches or something similar.

The test for the Y direction potential problems needs to be changed so that it does not cause the ruination of otherwise correct designs. I can see the advantage of such a check, perhaps a calibration of Y resistance could be made at bit-change times, beginning of the project, and/or every 200 Y movements or something. This "upgrade" has cost several of us the loss of material, time and money, and is an unnecessary reduction in the capabilities of the machine the way that it is implemented.

[ChrisAlb]

I would like changes to the latest firmware that measures the board twice, I have no idea what problem prompted this added measurement (would like to know). At least change it back to one measurement for boards over 24 inches or something similar.

I agree Ken and mentioned this in the 1.134 thread. At least give us the option to NOT have it measure twice. I have several signs to make for the camp on 1 x 12 x 6' boards. Having it run the board full length 4 times is, in my opinion, both a waste of time and puts undue ware & tear on the X drive and belts.

Adding "options" is all very well but they should remain "options" and not fixed with no choice. I too am at a loss as to why this was added..:confused:. My CW always measured the wood just fine one time through.

[liquidguitars]

The test for the Y direction potential problems needs to be changed so that it does not cause the ruination of otherwise correct designs.

Hi Doc,

what do you mean by "The test for the Y direction"

The reason that the firmware measures twice is for two sided projects. why is this a issue for you guys?

LG

[ChrisAlb]

why is this a issue for you guys?

LG

For me, for the reasons I posted.

I never had any issue with two sided carves in the past. If others have, then make it an "option" not a requirement. What's wrong with that?

[liquidguitars]

Chris, I see it now..

The CW had to guess the measurement after the board left the out feed roller in the past. Giving it two measurements passes has made it smarter according to LHR..

Measure twice cut once? Robots must need to follow that 2 :)

Measuring twice does give a sled a good workout but it also gives you one more time to see if your wood is stable in the unit before you carve.. :cool:
one small added befit to this is the sled or board will return to its position where you first loaded it.

LG

[DocWheeler]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, my machines measure the length of the board TWICE before starting a one-sided carving now.

Brandon, The new firmware seems to check for a difference in the force needed to move the Y truck (even giving me a "Clean Y rails" on its first pass). When it senses a greater force needed, it issues the warning without considering whether or not the previous pass was cutting anything!
On the mpc that I posted (which will carve in 1.126), will not carve in 1.134.

Another "new" feature that has not been discussed - you can no longer put a zero depth region on a board to go over a pre-carved area and have it not carve - it carves along either the top or bottom edge (of the caving that it covers) until it reaches the end of the zero depth region. This could be either an OK thing or a bad thing.

[ChrisAlb]

Yea Brandon, as Ken said, on a 24" to 36" board or sled, not too big a deal. But I do a lot of LOOONG board carving so it's a bit of a pain.

And...LOL...I don't need the "CW" to measure twice...LOL "I" do that.

Ken, I was not aware of the zero depth region issue...Jeezzzz...:rolleyes:

Thanks for the heads up but I think after these signs I'll go back to 1.132 anyway just because of the "measure twice" issue.

[liquidguitars]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, my machines measure the length of the board TWICE before starting a one-sided carving now.

how it implemented i think..


Brandon, The new firmware seems to check for a difference in the force needed to move the Y truck (even giving me a "Clean Y rails" on its first pass.
On the mpc that I posted (which will carve in 1.126), will not carve in 1.134.

I not sure if it the same problem but the top end .125" of the 1/16" carving bits feed rates have been increased a tad, and this could be giving you y overload issues .

Speaking of overload in y is everything tight on your CW QC, truck ,bits?.. could be Rock time :)


Ken, I was not aware of the zero depth region issue...Jeezzzz...

I am more 1:1 in my layout/board and have not seen this issue yet..

LG

[HighTechOkie]

Personally, I'd like the see the option to not measure at all and just use the board dimensions defined by the project. I can see the benefit for new users, but let the more advanced/experienced guys get on with their work.

Rob

[ChrisAlb]

Personally, I'd like the see the option to not measure at all and just use the board dimensions defined by the project. I can see the benefit for new users, but let the more advanced/experienced guys get on with their work.

Rob

Now there's a thought....http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Let it find the starting edge and "trust" that we know what we're doing.

[liquidguitars]

Personally, I'd like the see the option to not measure at all and just use the board dimensions defined by the project. I can see the benefit for new users, but let the more advanced/experienced guys get on with their work.

Rob

Rob,

I agree just index to the front edge or corner and jam.. and in a way that's what " keep orignal size" is doing.

Guess the way the board looses contact with the AUX roller it needs the measurement's to place correctly.

LG

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

The Y truck on my old machine (only about 160 cut hrs) is tighter/harder than my new machine (20 minutes cut time) and both give the same errors and both abort the mpc in the same place after it decides that I have pressed Enter too many times in response to the FALSE "Clean Y rails" message. The old machine carved along the top of the R that was covered by a zero depth region, the new machine carved along the bottom!

Pressing enter allows me to get about 70% of the mpc carved, it aborts and therefore will not do the cutouts with tabs, at the start of the right side of the R in JRH.

[liquidguitars]

Doc, can you upload a really simple project with the y issues we can run it on our CW to see if we all get the same errors.

This could sound funny, but if your flash card is getting bad the project will stop at any giving point during the carving cycle.

LG

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

Thanks for the offer, if I get a chance, I'll ship you one.
However I carved this mpc first with 1.132 on my old machine, tried to salvage it with 1.134 after re formating and flashing, ruined it by moving the Y truck (cleaning rails) and it skipped some belt teeth. I badly needed to get this project made for a granddaughter so thinking that my machine had problems, I got an LHR re-furnished machine and started with a new board (six-board glue-up) with formatted and re-flashed card with 1.134, and it did exactly the same thing as my old machine.

[ChrisAlb]

Ken,

You might want to check the gears/housing on the Y motor for signs of looseness. I was getting the "clean Y rails" in 1.132. I found a little play between the primary and secondary gears. I took the "transmission" case off my old Z motor and swapped them.

I never did re-try 1.132 after changing it but I haven't gotten that error in 1.134 yet and I'm at roughly 26 cut hours now. I believe this one actually turned out to be my machine.

On the same note: I was getting a rough and sometimes stepped bottom (Z) cut and found the Z motor was loose to it's gearbox. Tightened it up and it's smooth as a babies butt again.

[liquidguitars]

formatted and re-flashed card with 1.134, and it did exactly the same thing as my old machine.

Just for giggles, I know this sounds odd but if the card is low level bad, it will still upload in Designer only the CW will notice and reject your carve any time in to the carving.. this will stand true with any unit you run that bad card in.

LG

[DocWheeler]

Thanks Chris,

I had a Y motor problem about 5 months ago, back end of the shaft for the big gear wore in two. I just need to take it apart another time and check each and every piece of that process because there is a noise that is "wrong". Before buying the new machine, I took it apart looking for problems but couldn't find any.

Brandon, That was the card that came with the newer machine, not either of my older cards!

[ChrisAlb]

Thanks Chris,

I had a Y motor problem about 5 months ago, back end of the shaft for the big gear wore in two. I just need to take it apart another time and check each and every piece of that process because there is a noise that is "wrong". Before buying the new machine, I took it apart looking for problems but couldn't find any.

Brandon, That was the card that came with the newer machine, not either of my older cards!

The first time I put mine back together, I had a noise as well. Turned out that the toothed belt pulley was rubbing on the U in the frame it sits in. Made the Y move rough by hand. I took it apart again and made sure that pulley was perfectly centered in that U. Was MUCH smoother. Al put me on to that one.

[www.go3d.us]

How about a cast aluminum z-truck? Or the thing that hold the QC.

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

Attached is an mpc that gives an error at less than 1%, Many errors at 31%, and will not carve. I need to try to carve this in the Center as I normally do, but this time I told it to Place on edge (end?). It blew-up giving me an axis error eventually. Interestingly, it started the carve about 5/16" too far to the keyboard and after getting the multiple errors at 31%, moved another 5/16" toward the keypad. Material was 24" X 11.5" X 3/4".

This is with version 1.134 on a machine with less than two hours on it.

I could have made a smaller test, but I was sure that this one would produce the problems that my other one did. You will need a 1 X 8 X 16" I believe, my mind went blank on the length as I was trying to remember the mpc.

I told it not to stay under the rollers and place on edge/end since I had uncarved wood on the ends.

[jpitz31]

Would be nice to have the control from the machine interface to select a segment to start carving from.

For example, if you break a bit two hours into a 4 hour carve you could replace the bit and continue where you left off.

Or if I want to shut down a long job and then pick up where I left off without having to leave the machine on all night.

Or if you wanted to repeat a segment for any reason you could select this from the machine interface.

You could more than likely create sub drawings to split out the work in segments. But this would be a pain.

When I first starting coding I did alot of CNC turning center programming. We could start a program from just about any point in the code.

I know that the program code is not exposed but you could define segments and allow the user to select which segment to start from.

Just an idea.

Thanks

Joe

[PCW]

Hi Joe

Welcome to the forum. I think you are referring to gcode where you can instruct the machine to run from any line in the program. The coding on the CW machine is being done on a remote computer where the design software is.

I believe to make this work you would have to have a remote computer linked to a CW machine. The on-board computer on the CW is very limited to what it can do and there is no hard drive on-board. It depend a lot on the PCMCIA card for instructions.

What I think the designers wanted was a machine that you could take out of the box in the morning and be carving in the evening. That is kind of what make this machine so appealing to so many people is that it is simple to use.

[liquidguitars]

Brandon,

Attached is an mpc that gives an error at less than 1%, Many errors at 31%, and will not carve. I need to try to carve this in the Center as I normally do, but this time I told it to Place on edge (end?). It blew-up giving me an axis error eventually. Interestingly, it started the carve about 5/16" too far to the keyboard and after getting the multiple errors at 31%, moved another 5/16" toward the keypad. Material was 24" X 11.5" X 3/4".

This is with version 1.134 on a machine with less than two hours on it.

I could have made a smaller test, but I was sure that this one would produce the problems that my other one did. You will need a 1 X 8 X 16" I believe, my mind went blank on the length as I was trying to remember the mpc.

I told it not to stay under the rollers and place on edge/end since I had uncarved wood on the ends.

Doc,

your pattern is a good example of a part that could get a "Y" overload , when making necks i seen this motion before and if to fast its a prob...

The round overs with clear spaces in the center.. This could generate extra speed in y making a whipping like motion causing the y overload. my 2 cents.. and its not your patterns fault.

However I ran the MPC "nice job" and did not have any issues. I told it not to stay under the rollers and place on edge/end.. the only thing i would do is add a tad more room at the ends like 3.75" just in case..


can you drop back to 1.131 and test it? as you will get a good comparison between the two :confused: for the y rails issue.

what's the firmware rev # you are using right now?


LG

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

I used 1.134 on that mpc, the first mpc that I wrote about failed with both 1.132 and 1.134.

Are you saying that your machine carved that mpc with 1.134? If so, I'd like to know how both of my machines, using different cards barf with "Clean Y rail" messages.

I get no errors in the uncarved areas that you imply are the areas that would cause "Y overload", the messages occur on the machine's first pass at carving the full height after carving the areas where there is an opening.

If you have a version of 1.134 that carves that successfully, send me a copy of it because what I downloaded will not do it.

Thanks for looking at it anyway.

[liquidguitars]

yea, just roll it back to 1.131.06141 and test, " firmware only" keep the 1.134 SW installed for now, if this is not it could still be hardware or even a power issue..


http://forum.carvewright.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=23778&d=1244760735


I get no errors in the uncarved areas that you imply are the areas that would cause "Y overload", the messages occur on the machine's first pass at carving the full height after carving the areas where there is an opening.

you would not get a error, it could be a speed issue as to design in y force, as the truck speeds up in y/z the force is tracking in y. why i think you should roll back.

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

Thanks for the prior version, it corrects the problem (hey Chris!).

Attached is an even smaller mpc to test if anyone wants to and a picture of the mpc.

PM me (or Brandon? or LHR?) with your email for the older version if anyone wants it.

I tried to get LHR involved with this, but only Brandon responded.

[mtylerfl]

Hello,

A "selfish" wish of mine would be to be able to pan the view in Designer with both mouse buttons depressed simultaneously. This could be in "addition to" or "instead of" the Shift+RightClick shortcut.

ArtCAM, and I believe many other programs, use this convention for panning the view with just the mouse. Makes it a tad more convenient while working.