ERROR ERROR please help!

[lostinthefrost]

OK boys check the pictures and tell me what you think.. Just got done with 1 decent 2 hour carving. Everything went well. Cleaned up, started to do the 2nd. IN the last few days I have had the machine going a bit nuts. Right before a bit change it would jog back and forth, back and forth and back and forth within 2 inches. I thought it was a bit screwey.

Does this mean that I am back on the phone to CW to get a new board sensor?

*update* took a small mirror to check for junk inside the lens... it's crystal clear.

[lostinthefrost]

58+ mins on the phone so far. no answers. where is hardware support at?

[jwhllh55]

58+ mins on the phone so far. no answers. where is hardware support at?

I have had my machine do the exact thing, and it turned out to be the belt. If there is a fold or cut the traction fails and the machine goes back'n forth forever. As far as the edge dection, if there is any dust in the board sensor it will fail as well. For an answer, I don't have one that is a silver bullet, but check everything and clean, clean, clean...
Sorry your having problems, I have had my share as well.

[lostinthefrost]

My belts are good and I super cleaned it. I did find my o ring on the brass tracker is missing, but that's been gone for a while. I finally got a hold of the boys at CW early. we think it may be the board sensor. After trying a bunch of stuff I was still getting a reading of 4 instead of being 100 or so.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Was the board moving back and fourth in Length? During the carve? Not during board measurement? If SO.... It is all about the brass roller....

The length of the board is tracked by the brass roller. If the machine looses contact with the brass roller it keeps moving the sand paper belts until the brass roller or encoder reads the correct number. If the board was missing wood on the bottom at the brass roller this can cause it. If the head is not level and pressure is not even and the key board side lifts you get this. If the board is hard and smooth and the brass roller can not get a grip then it will rock back and forth until it dies.... Head pressure light.... Bowed board in width....

MASKING TAPE would help all the above.....

Board Sensor could also be bad.... What does white paper read... 140 - 150 head cranked down on a board is normal. Less a bad sensor or dirty.


AL 4 more than 3000 posts....

[lostinthefrost]

Hi Al,

I think it may be the board sensor. I did the masking tape thing since you told me about it on other posts a few weeks ago. it was working like a charm. I scrubbed the whole machine just to make sure it wasnt a little particle jamming up something. The wood is a premium sanded pine, didnt see any bows or anything on it. The head pressure was ok. When I checked the board sensor readings it kept showing 4-5 instead of 100. I think some is screwy with it. So after ordering parts for the 3rd time in 4 weeks I am hoping to be up and running by tomorrow afternoon. I think I have come close to rebuilding the machine with everything that I have put into it. I can just imagine how much you have got into your machines.

Either way, let me know if there is a link somewhere where I can print off my CW Mechanic Certificate. I think it would be a great addition for my shop to show that I have taken the machine apart at least 15+ times. (supposed to be a joke, but it's true)