Question

[Eric]

I have a 3/4" thick work piece on a jig that is 3/4". Will a cut path try to cut all the way through my jig or will it stop at the 3/4" as my listed board thickness. I ask this only because I know the drill function will drill all the way through. Also does the depth setting on the cut path mean per pass because I dont see anything that says maximum cut per pass. I need to cut out a pattern that is 3/4" thick and I am trying to do it with use of a jig to cut down on scrap because I plan on using this multiple times.

[ChrisAlb]

I have a 3/4" thick work piece on a jig that is 3/4". Will a cut path try to cut all the way through my jig or will it stop at the 3/4" as my listed board thickness. I ask this only because I know the drill function will drill all the way through. Also does the depth setting on the cut path mean per pass because I dont see anything that says maximum cut per pass. I need to cut out a pattern that is 3/4" thick and I am trying to do it with use of a jig to cut down on scrap because I plan on using this multiple times.

Hi Eric,

I've been out of the loop for a while but I'll take a stab at this one. With Designer versions above 1.134 I believe it is, as long as the board thickness in Designer is set to 3/4", it doesn't matter how thick the sled/carrier board is as the CW knows the workpiece thickness.

For the drill function, select depth (not through board) and enter 3/4" and it should only go that deep. You can also set the max per pass depth.

For the cut path, yes, it means "per pass" and it says "maximum pass depth". At least it does in 1.134

[AskBud]

I have a 3/4" thick work piece on a jig that is 3/4". Will a cut path try to cut all the way through my jig or will it stop at the 3/4" as my listed board thickness. I ask this only because I know the drill function will drill all the way through. Also does the depth setting on the cut path mean per pass because I dont see anything that says maximum cut per pass. I need to cut out a pattern that is 3/4" thick and I am trying to do it with use of a jig to cut down on scrap because I plan on using this multiple times.
The Cut-out will exceed the 3/4 depth in order the assure the cut-out. Therefore, you will have some carving into your sled. You may avoid this by leaveing an open area, in your sled, where the cut-out will take place if you wish.

The attached photo shows where I have had cut-outs cut into my sled. Since they do not affect the value of this sled, I chose to allow it to happen.

The "Maximum Pass Depth" is the amount of material milled per pass. I usually set my Max Pass Depth at (.200) in order to assure that I do not break my cutting bit.
AskBud

[Icutone2]

Welcome to the Forum Eric. Can't wait to see some of your work and maby get some new ideas.
Lee

[Eric]

Thanks for all of your help!

[Rickrljones]

Hello Eric,

To avoid cutting into your sled I have attached a piece of 1/4 material to the 3/4 board with double-sided tape. Told the machine the wood thickness was 1" and the results was fantastic. The carving was cutout from the orginal stock and no damage to the sled or project. Hope this helps.

[DocWheeler]

Eric,

Chris is correct for the firmware up to 1.150 (or there about), then the firmware carves too deep as others have posted. Glad to see the work-around posted here.

[ChrisAlb]

Eric,

Chris is correct for the firmware up to 1.150 (or there about), then the firmware carves too deep as others have posted. Glad to see the work-around posted here.

Good morning sir! How are you this fine day?

On the note of carving into the sled. My sled is pretty much sacrificial but when I do a cut out in 3/4" stock and the board setting is 3/4", it's never cut but the finest of scratches in the sled and has never ruined it or anything. If all your settings are right, and the board is indeed 3/4" and not a bit thinner and it's cutting more than a scratch in your sled, perhaps a calibration is in order?

Just a thought...http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[DocWheeler]

Chris,

Good morning to you my friend.
I think that you are recalling pre-1.150 firmware.
This thread (http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=12678&highlight=Sled) explains what I was talking about.

I think that it is frustrations like this that lead members to vent as they did a few days ago.

[ChrisAlb]

Chris,

Good morning to you my friend.
I think that you are recalling pre-1.150 firmware.
This thread (http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=12678&highlight=Sled) explains what I was talking about.

I think that it is frustrations like this that lead members to vent as they did a few days ago.

Ah yes, the draw back of having been out of the loop. I'm still running 1.134 myself. Need to pick up the pace I guess. I'll take a look at the link you provided Ken. Thanks! I spent a fair amount of hours this weekend just reading threads trying to get caught up.

So much to do and only a lifetime to do it...http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[mtylerfl]

I think that you are recalling pre-1.150 firmware.
This thread (http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=12678&highlight=Sled) explains what I was talking about.

I think that it is frustrations like this that lead members to vent as they did a few days ago.

Hello Doc,

Wasn't this corrected in the new 1.153 version? I sure thought it was but I haven't had a chance to do any tests yet.

[DocWheeler]

Michael,

I have not done anything with 1.153 since having a bad experience loading it onto my computer. I did not see anything specified in the updates about anything that I reported to them about 1.134 or my complaint about 1.152.

These things might be corrected but I have not taken the time (several hours) to test their firmware. Testing the "upgrades" is straight-forward, what catches me are the "undocumented" changes to the older firmware/software like the one I linked to in my post.

I really love what my machines have been able to do, and many versions of the software/firmware worked very well. I have been "put-off" by several things that have slipped through the program testing, and communication problems.

[liquidguitars]

I have been "put-off" by several things that have slipped through the program testing, and communication problems.

Ken, your not alone. I did a lot of testing for LHR up to pre 1.150 and ran into the same issues, I did not upgrade this rev yet LHR removes tools out of the firmware/software every build, call it progress or call it deprogramming but its made my life living hell at times so i take it slower than i did before and LHR must have it's reasons for it good or bad.

However things seem better under the coading belt so to speak, I think the Y overload feed rates are fixed now along with a host of others bugs.

What else is happening that's wrong with your unit and 1.152? as far as i know Eric's issue can be addressed via calibration and setting his max depth cut to .50"


Lg

[DocWheeler]

Brandon,

Thanks for the verification, I felt sort of an outcast.
Alex was very cool when I talked with him a couple of months ago after submitting three mpcs that would not work with version 1.134.
1.152 will do goofy things when cutting out a 3/4" board on a sled.
I have not carved anything with 1.153. It took me about a half hour to install 1.153 on my computer with many error messages and a reboot. Not sure what caused it, but I'm going more slowly into this now.

[jjack9485]

1.153 is working great, no more "check tracking roller error" so far so good.

Doc, I don't know why you had trouble downloading the upgrade, I just clicked on it on the home page and it loaded in just a few minutes. I would just reload it again.

jack

[liquidguitars]

Jack,

Is your unit measuring boards ok?

LG

[liquidguitars]

OK,
Just did the upgrade to 1.153, oiled the shaft and table, adjusted the z truck bearings , cleaned my dirty 1/16 carve bit, nstalled a new o-ring and test measured a parts sled all seems well. The carving sounds nice and neet so far, the Rock is rocking, noise/vibration low. :)

Doc, no issues downloading or installing the software upgrade on my PC and Designer seems a tad faster.

[jjack9485]

Jack,

Is your unit measuring boards ok?

LG
LG,

I asume its measureing correctly, I'm on my thrid project since upgraded to 1.153, no messages to think otherwise...

[liquidguitars]

manual cut paths working ok?

LG

[Eric]

Doc is spot on with the issues running 1.134. All my old work that was done in 1.126 would not work at all after installing 1.134. Three bits and $150 later I have updated to 1.153. I couldn't get it when every one kept talking about the Max depth pass because it never came up as a option. Now that I have updated to 1.15 all the sudden there it is! I hope some one reads this thread before going through the time and money that I did.

[ChrisAlb]

Doc is spot on with the issues running 1.134. All my old work that was done in 1.126 would not work at all after installing 1.134. Three bits and $150 later I have updated to 1.153. I couldn't get it when every one kept talking about the Max depth pass because it never came up as a option. Now that I have updated to 1.15 all the sudden there it is! I hope some one reads this thread before going through the time and money that I did.

Odd...:confused: I have no trouble with 1.134 at all. In fact I run both 1.126 and 1.134 on my XP desktop. I've had no issues at all going from 26 to 34 with projects. Everything created in 1.126 runs just fine in 1.134.

I won't go to the newest versions because I've discovered that the patterns I create with it won't work in earlier versions. I want the patterns I make to work for folks that may still be using older versions like I do so the new stuff is a no go for me at this point. I may however install the newest version on my laptop so I can cover both if need be.

[DocWheeler]

Chris, good morning

I think what both Eric and I are talking about is the firmware associated with those releases rather than the Designer software.

[ChrisAlb]

Chris, good morning

I think what both Eric and I are talking about is the firmware associated with those releases rather than the Designer software.


Good Morning Ken,

Well yes, but, the firmware is upgraded along with the software. I've had no issues with a project created and saved in 1.126, opening, uploading or running with 1.134 firmware on the card.

Unless I'm still missing the point here?

[DocWheeler]

Chris,

Several of us have reported changes in the firmware that were unintended (I hope). I sent LHR two mpcs that illustrated three problems with 1.132 and 4.
Supposedly these were fixed although they did not show up in the list of fixes.

[ChrisAlb]

Chris,

Several of us have reported changes in the firmware that were unintended (I hope). I sent LHR two mpcs that illustrated three problems with 1.132 and 4.
Supposedly these were fixed although they did not show up in the list of fixes.


I guess I'll have to dig back through some posts then as I simply don't understand what issues they were/are. All I can say is that I haven't noticed any myself.

The only problem I had within the 1.13x versions was when 1.131 first came out with the feed rates a bit aggressive. That one smoked (not broke) my cutting bit on a few cut outs and did some burning with the V bits and centerline.

Oh well, just getting back up to speed here....http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon11.gif

[Eric]

Just realized that in the original software all my projects were drawn one sided then mirrored. The new versions wont let me mirror and make a cut path. The old 1.126 did let me. I ran seven projects that way around 15 times each with no issues. I deleted all off my card to make room for some litho projects and updated to 1.134 on my laptop in the mean time. Once done with the litho projests I pulled up 1.134 and opened my old projects to put back on the card. Thats when it started to cut the full 3/4" depth all at once and started breaking bits. Did I do wrong by pulling them up in 1.134? I must not have thought about it at the time. I did how ever try to change them to make them work but no matter what I did I could not get it to offer up the option on Max cut path. I even tried to make a new project and all it would show me when I made a cut path was invert or hide. Not being able to mirror and make a cut path sucks it made things easy.

[RayTrek]

Hi Guys

I usually do not input in these threads but something was said by LG that I believe might been happening to me, and it did start in 1.152, “ Y overload feed rate”
On the first deeper part of the carve the y feed rate seemed to quick and the AFD (adjustable frequency drive) has not stepped up in speed, the cut motor pulls way down in RPM and Y would ether jerk a bit and Y stall or the belt would pull threw the Y pulley gear and ask for a Y clean rails, not a good thing to do, the encoder counts are now off,
I found a couple of things in trouble shooting that made me believe that it was a PM (Preventive maintenance) issue on my part, I try to stay pro active instead of reactive.

Both carves are with 1.153 and the first one was intended to be a test carve to find what may be causing the stalls, each stall I would change something the first stall found lower Y truck track baring sticky, If you look at where it goes deeper into the region of the frame you can see it jumped counts. I think I started the carve over at the stall points 7 times, adjusting belt tension changing bits etc, on the last one I replaced the brushes on the cut motor and started a brand new carve I changed the depth from .5 to .4 and added draft to the frame, carved in Optimal for less torque on the motor with slower Y feed, for better seating and getting the patina back on the commentator and it carved beautiful with no stalls.
The reason I am saying anything is if there is an issue with the Y feed rate that is something I cannot fix nor would I want to hack into the PLC (program logic controller)
I feel that all problems have solutions not figured out yet.
Please do not take this as a bashing. I enjoy the machine very much and I may have already solved this.
Note the first carve I cut out with scroll saw and it will be fix so that you would not know it has mishaps in the carve.

[mtylerfl]

Ray,

Thanks for the info and thank you for posting the pics of your carving - that's the first time I've seen that pattern (Joseph and boy Jesus) carved. Great job!

EDIT: I just realized - Cnsranch did a carving of that pattern too - forgot all about it 'til just now!

[liquidguitars]

This is not bashing it's problem solving as we do not control feed rates LHR does.

I was thinking that the y stuff was fixed now but i keep a eye on it.

Regarding the y overload, it can be hardware. The z truck bearings need to be adjusted and working 100 percent. I will move the truck up and down right to left and notice if all 4 bearing turn at the same time. if not i have a issue.

Also after removing the z truck i have found bearings to be bad and even the z rails to be somewhat chattered, time to replace with new ones.

Eric, i with you regarding 1.134. ;)



LG

[RMarkey]

I'll address some of these issues...

Board vs project depth in 1.152: If the machine cannot read the thickness of the board (i.e. you're using a 1.5" jig) it would list the board thickness at the max of 5", and give you the option of cutting to "project" or "board" depth. This has been fixed in 1.153, the option removed if the board failed to measure.


Y overload in 1.150 - The velocity of pattern carves (draft,normal,best) was set to max 6"/s, causing some machines to overload. 1.152+ sets the max rates at 5"/s draft/normal, 4"/s best. Try replacing your bit if you overload, or go to our service instructions and read page 8 of 'replace y truck' for adjustments.


"check tracking roller error" in 1.152 - some machines have a large amount of slop in the x drive. When X moves but aux doesn't, you get this error. 1.153 removes this test during the backlash phase of measurement. If you have poor quality, check the slop in X with your hand.

[RayTrek]

Metallus,

Thank you for getting back on this and thanks for your efforts to make a great machine design better. I worked in the ski lift industry for 20+ years and have wrote many programs in supervision and motor control and I believe the only way to see if the program works some times is to field test it, as you do, the programs can get very complicated and it is hard to know results on paper.
So thanks for a great job and Cheers to you.
Ray