Drive belts won't move

[carvertim]

Well you guys have come through every time I've asked a newbie question, so here goes. Last night I setup to carve a very simple pattern and while measuring the board's length the drive seemed to skip and then die with a board sensor error. I powered the machine down, reloaded the board and tried again. This time the belt started and then "burped" a couple of times and stopped. It sounded like maybe a gear jumping. I tried measuring the board and had the same issue. I tried measuring the board again and at the same time cranked up on the carrage about a quarter turn and the belts moved seemingly normally but immediatly got a board not loaded error. Do you think something is broken? What should I look for, I'm pretty mechanically inclined.

Thanks guys

Carvertim

[dbfletcher]

To me is sounds like you stripped some x-gear teeth. You can check the gears by removing the x-gear cover as described in the "replacing belts document. If you do need to replace the gears...I have also incliuded the link for that document.

http://www.carvewright.com/images/service/Service_instructions/CarveWright_service_replace_sandpaper_belt.pdf

http://www.carvewright.com/images/service/Service_instructions/CarveWright_service_replace_x-drive_gear.pdf

Doug Fletcher

[gsdsj]

Same happened to me about a month ago, replaced the x gears. About $12 plus shipping as I recall, not hard to replace. The only thing I could think of for the failure was sawdust buildup inside the belts.

[carvertim]

Thanks again for your help. I will take it apart tonight and see what I can find.
I vacuum the machine every time I carve with it. should I be periodically taking the machine apart to clean under the rollers
So does that mean I have to try to get ahold of LRH by phone to order the part? Can it be done on line?

Thanks again.

Tim

[gsdsj]

Tim, I called LHR to order the parts, look closely at the parts list, there is a replacement that has the 2 gears on one plate. Just checked my invoice it is Part # MWM A2129 and it was $14. Also some had mentioned excessive head pressure as a possible problem. Greg

[Digitalwoodshop]

Excess head pressure
High Humidity causing the underside of the belt to get sticky from sawdust pitch or rosin.
Sawdust buildup on board or within the sand paper belts
Board tapered in thickness or width
Board installed at an angle
Sand Paper Belt rolled over on the end as a result of a board at an angle
sawdust getting into the gears. Lightly seal with RTV after cover is installed.

You can cut the plastic lip to install the gear or remove the motor.

Lots posted on this. Search "X Gear" using the " ".

Good Luck,

AL

[hogiewan]

My first thought was that the board may be tapered in width or thickness.

[carvertim]

Well after finding a stripped gear in the X-drive gear pack, I notified tech support and they put in an order for the gear pack. A couple of days later they cancelled the order. I called tech support and Robert fixed the confusion. I got the gears today. Tomorrow they go in and I will be back making sawdust. I have one question. What kind of grease should I put on the gears. Is Lith grease OK? Any help will be muchly appreciated.
Tim

[Digitalwoodshop]

Any grease is fine.

AL

[carvertim]

I really appreciate all the good, timely information that flows on this forum. This forum makes owning one of these machines a joy. Even when things don't go as planned there is ALWAYS someone on the forum that has a good idea of what went wrong.

Thanks Guys