machine wish list

[TIMCOSBY]

the machine is real picky about the qaulity of the board. looks like we could do away with the brass board roller. the sandpaper drive gear could be used.
that way we shouldnt have to have an abosolutly perfect board and could carve edge to edge without fear of carving into the brass roller. no more loss of contact errors. the board sensors sees when the board is not under it so it knows how long. if the novice user put the board in the wrong place what would be the harm other than a learning experienc. just don't seem like it should be that picky on the sqaureness or the irregular thickness of the board.

[hogiewan]

I wondered why they couldn't use the motors to get an x value.

[DocWheeler]

I think that you two have a valid question.
My only thoughts would be the slightly different readings between a new belt with a layer of sawdust and a worn-clean belt.

[twiceretired]

I think accuracy is the issue, and we all love the detail we are able to get with the CW.

[ChrisAlb]

the machine is real picky about the qaulity of the board. looks like we could do away with the brass board roller. the sandpaper drive gear could be used.
that way we shouldnt have to have an abosolutly perfect board and could carve edge to edge without fear of carving into the brass roller. no more loss of contact errors. the board sensors sees when the board is not under it so it knows how long. if the novice user put the board in the wrong place what would be the harm other than a learning experienc. just don't seem like it should be that picky on the sqaureness or the irregular thickness of the board.


Hey Tim, Long time buddy. Hope all is great with you!

For imperfect boards (missing chunks on the edge) or irregular shapes i.e. not parallel, I just use a sled/carrier board for them.

You can carve/cut out edge to edge with no fear of cutting into the brass roller. I do it all the time without issue. The CW knows enough not to cut "all the way through" the board within 3/8" of that edge.

I should point out that I use 1.134 so if this is a problem with newer versions, please excuse me as I'm not aware of them (yet)....lol

While I do agree the location for the X tracking "could" be moved, I honestly haven't had enough issues with it to feel it's needed. I lost the tracking two times on my machine in 600 hours. The first was due to the head pressure needing adjusting (too light) and the second was because I had the guide plate a touch too tight. Neither of which was the fault of the roller or it's location.

If I have a board that's not perfectly flat (like that never happens...lol), I just make sure the crown is UP so the head pressure forces the edge down tight to the roller. Although I agree with my buddy AL on the masking tape thing as insurance, I honestly never use it.

Sorry AL...http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon9.gif...LOL

Just my thoughts...http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Jeff_Birt]

The tracking roller is absolutely needed. While the sandpaper belts, and the new kevlar/rubber belts especially, do a good job at moving the board fairly accuracy there will always be a little slip. The tracking roller provides feedback to the controller telling it how much the board actually moved.

In any automated machine quality and consistency of the stock is vitally important. It does not pay to try and use cheap sub-par wood, you'll just wind up frustrated and causing other problems in the machine. And, as Chris mentioned for less than perfect pieces of stock you can mount them in carrier/sled.

[ChrisAlb]

Hey Jeff! Great to "see" you again!

[TIMCOSBY]

i havent had any probs but just seems it would be one less thing to give a novice heads aches. good ta see you back chris. when i here my machine give a diff sound when measuring i know the board isn't perfect but most of the time it goes ahead and carves.

[Digitalwoodshop]

There is a Encoder in the X Drive. The problem with using it for board position is a thing called Gear Backlash. As the X Motor changes directions and slight worn gear teeth take a part of a revolution of the X Motor to finally start making the sand paper belts moving in the other direction.

This would reduce the accuracy of the machine. This is why the feedback of board position is directly from the Brass Roller.

If they moved the sensor to the sand paper belts and the belts slipped the project would not come out properly.

So that is the story behind the brass roller....

AL

[carvertim]

Hi I appologize for jumping in the middle of this thread but Kevlar belts?? Do they fix the rollup issue? What are the pluses and minus'? How much do they cost?
Thanks

Down and out waiting to tear my machine apart!!!

[mtylerfl]

Hi I appologize for jumping in the middle of this thread but Kevlar belts?? Do they fix the rollup issue? What are the pluses and minus'? How much do they cost?
Thanks

Down and out waiting to tear my machine apart!!!

Hello,

I have the Kevlar belts on one machine and the original belts (almost 3 years old) on the other machine.

Both work great, but the Kevlar belts are definitely more robust and I think would be nearly impossible to tear or roll up.

However, you can fix the roll-up "issue" yourself (roll-up/tearing has nearly nothing to do with the belts themselves). Just use good wood (straight, flat, no imperfections on the edges), put the boards in flush with the stationary guide plate, don't push the sliding guide plate too tight against the board, check your head pressure periodically to make sure stays within factory recommended specs, if using boards longer than 3 or 4 feet, use external roller stands to support the board properly and keep it tracking in a straight line in/out of the machine, keep your projects captive under the rollers during any project run to avoid board shifting that could cause your belts to tear or mistrack (besides ruining the project).

[Digitalwoodshop]

In almost 2000 hours of carving between the machines I have never rolled a belt.

I agree... Keeping the board flush to the left guide and being careful of the right side guide. A board at an angle is really what pushes the belt to the side in my opinion.

AL

[dbfletcher]

Al,

No disrepect meant here, but I have heard you chime in on this subject a number of times. You are always pushing the theory that it is probably board or user error that causes this problem. So much so that you actually had me convinced the it must be my fault the the sandpaper belt kept rolling on my machine as well. I had tried everything.... and was very carefull with the way the board was loaded and to make sure it was indeed square and true.

However, now that I got a second machine, there is no doubt in my mind anymore that it is the machine and not me. My second machine never even comes close to rolling a belt.... but the first one, even with a short project 1-2ft will roll the belt with out fail. I've changed belts twice, sent it to lhr once and the problem remains. Just for grins someday I may swap the belt rollers between machine #1 and machine #2 and Im pretty confident the problem is going to follow the rollers. Even when the rolers are not in the machine, if I rotate the belt by hand, the belt does drift.

I think you have been lucky that with all your machines you have not run into one with this problem yet.... but I am convinced there are a lot of machines out there.. that even if you do everything perfect... and the boards are perfect... the belts are gonna roll.

I'm betting if I just bought a new roller assembly the problem with machine #1 will go away... but with money being tight not real high on the priority list right not.... i just use the "wedge belt adjustment trick" between carving to recenter the belt on #1.

Doug Fletcher

[DocWheeler]

Doug,

Do both belts roll or is it just one?
I was just thinking that if it was one that there could be a spring problem.
If both rolled then I would suspect either the squaring plate or the top rubber rollers not being parallel with the belt rollers (not sure how that latter thing could happen though).

[dbfletcher]

It is just one. I didnt mention that in the last post, but I have brought up my issue many times on the forum... more often then not with the answers telling me it is a board or user error... and extremely unlikey to be machine related.

Doug Fletcher

[mtylerfl]

It is just one. I didnt mention that in the last post, but I have brought up my issue many times on the forum... more often then not with the answers telling me it is a board or user error... and extremely unlikey to be machine related.

Doug Fletcher

Well, it certainly could be a mechanical problem from what you are describing (spring or bent roller). I know I have heard of a roller assembly having accidentally been damaged when "squishing" the belt rollers during a belt change (i.e, clamping in the middle of the rollers instead of the ends). Not saying that was what happened to you, but reminds us that roller damage is a possibility to investigate.

[TIMCOSBY]

There is a Encoder in the X Drive. The problem with using it for board position is a thing called Gear Backlash. As the X Motor changes directions and slight worn gear teeth take a part of a revolution of the X Motor to finally start making the sand paper belts moving in the other direction.

This would reduce the accuracy of the machine. This is why the feedback of board position is directly from the Brass Roller.

If they moved the sensor to the sand paper belts and the belts slipped the project would not come out properly.

So that is the story behind the brass roller....

AL

makes sense. o.k. we'll keep it.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Al,

No disrepect meant here, but I have heard you chime in on this subject a number of times. You are always pushing the theory that it is probably board or user error that causes this problem. So much so that you actually had me convinced the it must be my fault the the sandpaper belt kept rolling on my machine as well. I had tried everything.... and was very carefull with the way the board was loaded and to make sure it was indeed square and true.

However, now that I got a second machine, there is no doubt in my mind anymore that it is the machine and not me. My second machine never even comes close to rolling a belt.... but the first one, even with a short project 1-2ft will roll the belt with out fail. I've changed belts twice, sent it to lhr once and the problem remains. Just for grins someday I may swap the belt rollers between machine #1 and machine #2 and Im pretty confident the problem is going to follow the rollers. Even when the rolers are not in the machine, if I rotate the belt by hand, the belt does drift.

I think you have been lucky that with all your machines you have not run into one with this problem yet.... but I am convinced there are a lot of machines out there.. that even if you do everything perfect... and the boards are perfect... the belts are gonna roll.

I'm betting if I just bought a new roller assembly the problem with machine #1 will go away... but with money being tight not real high on the priority list right not.... i just use the "wedge belt adjustment trick" between carving to recenter the belt on #1.

Doug Fletcher


GOOD POINT.... I should put a disclaimer that if this keeps happening and you are careful about loading the boards then I would look for a Mechanical Problem.

The rollers for the Sand Paper are spring loaded and it could very likely have a burr or spring binding that makes a taper of the rollers and then no matter what you do the belt is going to roll under...

So you are right, I have been lucky.... I would investigate the Spring Trays when you get a chance.

Thanks for bringing that point to light... I have been VERY Wrong a few times and sadly some of the points went un challenged for a very long time.... Me thinking that the X drive was powered by 115 VAC was wrong... It is the same as the Y and Z Motor.... The Transistor or SCR on the X Termination Board was to turn the Cut Motor on... The other was about the BALL Bearings in the Y Gear box... Had I wiped the dust off the one that failed on my I would have see the 2 Ball bearings....

SO I can be wrong and not know it.... I just spend so much time here my opinions get posted often.... It's 1:30 AM.... Painting Clocks for the Weekend Show... They need to be dry for tomorrow, drilling the back and sanding and staining. Made 3 sizes of Wine Racks.... The Mini Table Top might just be a hit.....:roll:

Thanks,

AL

Good Night :mrgreen:

Worked on Fire Tags this morning... Ran out of Epoxie so I put it aside... I need to put a vinyl number on the back of every tag then epoxy over it.... Thought I could ship it this week.... Looks like next week...
Glenside Fire Dept, just north of Philly.

[JDPratt]

Since we are talking about things we would like to see on the machine or for the machine, how about the following;

1. The ability to purchase an extended warranty from LHR would be a huge plus. Instead of just getting one through Sears, how about one if I buy the machine through LHR directly. If the machine is backed more by the company I think there would be fewer complaints. If it is a quality product as advertised there shouldn’t be a problem. (Or does LHR feel that they would lose money with this option? If so maybe the real money maker here is in repair not initial sales or customer satisfaction and referrals).

2. Because LHR expects customers to make repairs, there should be an extensive video library available (professionally done) to show how to disassemble the machine and make the needed repairs. I really don’t think this would be that difficult. I know some members have done an excellent job of making some of these available through their own willingness to help fellow members, but this should be done by LHR and should be a complete disassembly/assembly to include everything from common repairs to uncommon repairs. The exploded view paper directions are not enough. Heck, most people have problems with Christmas gift assembly directions, let alone a high tech machine. This machine is billed as a hobbyist machine. How many wood hobbyists are well versed in machine repair? I would understand it if this were a production type machine for the production shop, but then again those companies have extensive warranties and repair services. This is a hobby machine but by no means a cheap hobby machine. Most people have neither the experience to make extensive repairs, nor the disposable income to make mistakes doing these (seemingly endless) repairs.

I would love to hear the opinion of someone in the CW staff on these issues, but that may be wishful thinking.

[liquidguitars]

Hi Doug,
regarding the sandpaper, I just cut off 3/4 off the sides..

I also have the rubber belts installed on my new unit and like them.

LG