CW Tip of the DAY

[Digitalwoodshop]

I am starting this thread to give us a place to post a Tip that we find useful working with the CW.

I was on Signs 101 last night and saw this question posted about painting Cedar Signs and PoconoPete answered with his tip.

He uses Spray Ink and gets from 3 to 7 years of life from the signs....

This I need to try....


http://www.uline.com/BL_2660/Spray-Inks?keywords=marsh

http://wholesale.azstamps.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=30395

AL

[jjack9485]

I wonder if it could be used in lettering and if will bleed into surrounding wood?
I hope this thread stays up.....

Jack

[Digitalwoodshop]

I am thinking that with spray paint since it is so thin that sealing the wood first would help with something like poly or sanding sealer.

I had a hard time with spray paint at first, lots of bleeding into the flat surface of the wood. I solved it by switching to 100% Latex and brush it into the letters then after dry sand it flush.

The Spray ink is worth a try....

I finished some of my first Metal Street Signs last night. High Intensity white blanks with a green translucent film over the white. When using transfer tape to lay down the film I was getting wrinkles in the plastic film and had to cut the film 3 times... I solved the problem by running the film through the transfer tape machine 3 times making a thicker top coat of transfer tape. It worked.... Tried 2 and almost has a problem and will stick to 3 layers...

A Non CW tip....

AL

[Mike Witt]

I have found that an air brush is my best friend, I carve the sign then apply a generous coat of clear lacquer, let it dry and air brush my letters with acrylic of choice again let it dry then sand off overspray with 220 grit orbital sander and apply more clear lacquer as needed.
If the sign is too have colored background first airbrush with desired color acrylic then clear lacquer then cover with sticky back shelf paper, carve through the paper then apply color of the lettering, dry and remove shelf paper, apply clear lacquer finish as needed. I always use acrylic paint under the lacquer too avoid the obvious lifting of the paint.

Works well for me

Mike

[Wilbur]

I had wondered about cutting through something but could not think of what to use.

The sticky back shelf paper you are talking about. Can you get that anywhere?

I want to try that.

Wilbur

[Mike Witt]

It's a vinyl material and is very inexpensive at K-Mart, Wally World Target comes in rolls about 25 ft by 18 inches, peel off the back and stick it to the board after carving it's like a stencil
I always coat the board with a light coat of clear lacquer under the shelf paper and if any adhesive from the paper sticks to the board wipe it off with thinner
I got this tip from Little Red Woodshop on this forum many moons ago

Mike

[Wilbur]

Thanks Mike. I will try that tomorrow.

Wilbur

[mtylerfl]

I was having an error crop up on a new project during the board measuring stage. The error was "check tracking roller" which I had never seen before. So, I checked it - it appeared to be fine (it rolled freely, the O-ring was in place, and it wasn't touching the belts). Nevertheless, I kept getting the same error each time I tried to run the project.

Called Tech Support and they said try reformatting the memory card because it might have corrupt data. Even though I was thinking that was a long-shot solution, I reformatted the card, uploaded my project again, and it ran perfectly with no errors! I told the Tech I never would have dreamed of that solution - I was so sure it must be something mechanical!

So - if your machine starts acting a little "weird", it won't hurt to reformat the card, and it may actually help.

[rcdages]

A good think to know.

I do have a question on the Bit Plate.

How many times should the bit come in contack with the bit plate?

Robert
rcdages

[pine acres woodshop]

I think twice.

[chebytrk]

A good think to know.

I do have a question on the Bit Plate.

How many times should the bit come in contack with the bit plate?

Robert
rcdages

Seems like I remember someone posting something like if it touches one time it means this and if it touches twice is means this and if it touches three times it means that......... Don't know how true that was.

[rcdages]

Thanks guys for some directions.

I never thought much about it till I was watching it and had a error message about the bit-I failed to wright the error message down.

My wife has now placed a note pad by the CW key pad for me to wright down what comes up on the key pad in the way of an error message.

Robert
rcdages

[Wilbur]

I have been watching this often and it hits twice that I have noticed.
I have the same error check tracking roller and for me I found that my board was either not flat or it was not square.

My bit plate is sticking and if the plate is slow to move it can give me a bad depth cut. I clean after every carving and oil the plate but if I am carving two sides like I do with clocks. When I turn the board I have to spray the plate again and at every bit change or it moves to slow and will give me a error.

I don't under stand why I have to spray so often
Wilbur

[liquidguitars]

Tip of the day..

I power down and power up the CW every time i run a project or remove the flash card. This lets the CW clear the bios for the next job.

Regarding format, I the flash the card all the time, keeps the projects clean and happy.

as a side note:
I was sick when HR removed the format option from the upload menu!. Now you need to open two menu's to do one thing and if the projects are large you can be in for a wait. just deleting a MC is lame as it clears out the file name adding to confusion, not well thought out in my eyes. I would love to see this returned to the way before.

my simple requests seem to fall in the trash bin.

if your on the bleeding edge be prepared to be your on you own :)

LG who?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Bit Plate touch is 2 times normal and 3 times if it is confused.... Dirty Z Belt or Rails.... If I ever see 3 touches I stop it and find out why. When it touches the bit plate it is looking at the Z Motor Current I believe.... Could be wrong about that too.... LHR has never said.... It could also be looking at the encoder stopping or slowing down it's pulses.... Would love to know the real reason it backs up.... Same with board touch and right side guide touch. Is is current or encoder slowing down? Inquiring Minds want to know....

So 2 touches is normal.....

GOOD Tip on the Card Reformat on the Brass Roller Error.... Thinking outside the box..... Good Job...

Yes, this is a quick place to add non connected tips to help....

AL

[liquidguitars]

I have been watching this often and it hits twice that I have noticed.
I have the same error check tracking roller and for me I found that my board was either not flat or it was not square.

My bit plate is sticking and if the plate is slow to move it can give me a bad depth cut. I clean after every carving and oil the plate but if I am carving two sides like I do with clocks. When I turn the board I have to spray the plate again and at every bit change or it moves to slow and will give me a error.

I don't under stand why I have to spray so often
Wilbur

check to see it the flex shaft is rubbing on the hood or if the truck is hitting wires in that location.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I saw that delet from card thing too.... Only one at a time... BOO Hiss.... Bad change...

AL

[liquidguitars]

I saw that delete from card thing too.... Only one at a time... BOO Hiss.... Bad change...

AL

I can't tell you how many times I started a upload only to cancel out of the menu after a 1 min wait time, then Wait 1 more min in the flash manager and back 1 min in the upload menu. Bad Change.

a keyboard short cut would be the fix if it to much hassle to return it the way it was.

LG

[pkunk]

Regarding format, I the flash the card all the time, keeps the projects clean and happy.

as a side note:
I was sick when HR removed the format option from the upload menu!.

I use V.1.32 to format the card once I've used the projects.:)

[DocWheeler]

As a follow-up to Al's post, here is another source (http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/400-1710/new_products) of epoxy ink.

[RMarkey]

Bit Plate touch is 2 times normal and 3 times if it is confused.... Would love to know the real reason it backs up.... Same with board touch and right side guide touch. Is is current or encoder slowing down?

So 2 touches is normal.....

GOOD Tip on the Card Reformat on the Brass Roller Error.... Thinking outside the box..... Good Job...

AL

Bit plate touches twice to make sure the reading is correct. It raises to ensure the z truck didn't slip on the belt. A third touch means the first two measurement readings were far from each other.

The 'check tracking' error means the roller didn't move in sync with the X drive, meaning your board may be losing contact with the roller, or the o-ring slips, your calibration may be off, etc... but start by powering down/up your machine.

[rcdages]

I am really pleased with all your insight.

I set up this passed Saturday for a day to carve away.

I watched the bit plate and it touched twice.

When it went to fine surface it would stop on the wood and tell me I had Z axis stall error 248.

I did all the things that I have read about to solve the problem.

It perharps is the time for a new Z Motor.

I am going to take it to LHR tomorrow afternoon and check it in for a over haul.

I also believe I will up grade from 1.132 to 1.152.

Robert
rcdages

[Digitalwoodshop]

Good Luck !!!

AL

[rcdages]

Good Luck !!!

AL

Thank you Al for the good luck wish.

Took my machine down yesterday and dropped it off and am going to have the new tracking belts install while it is there.

Looking forward to get it back and upgrading to 1.152.

I have a lot of carving I want to do and need to get done.

The hour drive down to LHR is great compaired to one having to pack up the CW and ship it off.

Got to see some of the people I know there.

For me an enjoyable time at LHR.

Robert
rcdages

[Digitalwoodshop]

Wish I lived closer... I would work there.....

AL

[earlyrider]

Yeah, it would then be Al? oh him!
(not Al oh him, sounds too Biblical):rolleyes:
Ron

[Digitalwoodshop]

7 AM to 5 PM....O' JOY..... Not this 11:15 PM and just finishing.....

Made 2 Quilt Racks today for donation to a VFW and Library for a Quilt Raffle.

Cut 4 Signs today, 3 Pine and 1 Cedar....

In between working on a $800.00 Fire Tag Order.... Plus 2 walks.... Meals... Dishes....... Answering about a dozen emails with customers artwork.... Playing on the CW Forum.... O' the JOY of 7 to 5.......:-D

Tried to Engrave Brass tonight, a future project making Brass Valve Tags.... The Carving Bit went "TWANG" as it came out of a .5 inch high Centerline Text, the cutter behind the Y Motor...... "TWANG"... It went.... Just had to see what it would do... Didn't damage anything.... Stopped it right away..... Note to SELF: Feed Rate for Wood and Brass not the same.....:mrgreen:

I will do the Brass on my Star912 engraver.... I will use the CW to cut the Laser Plastic blanks to size..... Might be Nudging into making signs for a contractor.... His current supplier can't spell..... or read blueprints.... And his sign edges are not clean..... The CW will cut nice edges.... If I had a more powerful Laser I would have the Laser cut out the sign after lasering the text... But not with 20 watts...

Another direction for the business.... Industrial Signs....

Night Night,

AL

[rcdages]

Wish I lived closer... I would work there.....

AL

For sure it would be nice to work there.

Being there as new things are being developed and being able to be apart of that.

Robert
rcdages