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nwn
05-03-2006, 03:43 PM
I've just spent over an hour trying to clear this condition. I vacuumed the machine well, wiped the sensor with both a cloth and a Q-tip, and repeated these steps SEVERAL times. I power cleared the machine between some of these tries. I always apply pressure when cranking the head down.

This has happened before, and when it became resolved, I never knew what the solution was. However, on the final try I power cycled the machine with the head in the down position. It told me it had to do a roller compression test. When that test passed, the clear board sensor condition was cleared! I think this may have been the case once before, but I didn't really notice the relationship. Does this make sense, or have I once again magically cleared the sensor?

Neal

cmorlier
05-03-2006, 06:21 PM
Hi Neal,

One possibility is that we have a bug that causes the machine to get stuck in a bad state, where it has trouble measuring with the board sensor. Rebooting allowed the machine to forget its state.

If it is a bug, it would be helpful to know what had been done prior to the problem. How many carvings had you done, or what built-in functions were used? I believe that most of the time the machine does the right thing, so this type of information will help me narrow down where it breaks. If anybody else has seen the same problem, let me know as much as you can about what you did before it got into this state.

There are of course other possibilities, but none seemed likely based on what you describe.

Also, clearing the sensors should be fairly painless. Around here, we usually give them a quick blast of compressed air or wipe them off with a clean finger or cloth. If it takes much more effort than that, then there is probably something else going on. However if you find that clearing the sensor does take a lot of effort, please let us know what you are having to do so that we can try and make improvements.

nwn
05-04-2006, 09:12 AM
Nothing was done before this happened -- The machine had been off for 24 hours or so. When I shut it down the day before, I vacuumed it out as completely as I could. The condition occurs occasionally on initial power up, and usually clears out fairly quickly when I wipe parts down, power clear, etc, though I have never been sure why. I spent the extra time this time trying to find out exactly what the cure is -- I added one more step each time and nothing worked until I had to perform the roller test.

Another problem occurred last week when I tried a dark mahogany board measuring 10.5 x 21 for a 14 inch long project to be cut from the board. The board kept running off the rollers during the measuring process, sometimes to the rear, sometimes toward the front. I wiped and Q-tipped the board sensor a few times with no improvement. I finally loaded an oak board and the project completed normally. I haven't gotten around to trying the mahogany again. I'm not sure if that's useful info, but I thought I'd add it in.

Neal

cmorlier
05-04-2006, 10:02 AM
If this repeats, try going to the options menu and select option "7) Sensor Check". Check the board sensor levels both over the board and off the board. You should see the level greater than 100 over the board and less than 10 off the board. If not, then give us a call.

As for the dark mahogany, it could be that the wood is too dark for the sensor to "see". To help it "see", one trick is to put masking tape along the edges of the board, where the sensor is measuring.

applik
05-04-2006, 01:59 PM
Removed

lpcsales
05-05-2006, 01:50 PM
I found with my unit, that as time moved on, I received more and more of the Clear board sensor msgs. At first, a simple cleaning with the vacuum would resolve the problem, then it would take a good vacuuming and blowing out with air to get it resolved.

Finally, it failed completely. THe board sensor quit working all together and I had to send the unit back to the factory. I still haven't gotten it back (it's on the way though), but if you go into the options menu and select option 7 and scroll down a page, you will see the reading for the board sensor. Mine would only flicker a 0 & 1, never producing a reading higher than 4 (with board held right up to the sensor) where it should have gone over 100+.

If you check this on your's and it's reading low, you are probably experiencing what I did...a gradual weakening of the sensor. Unfortunately, this problem has to be fixed by and at the factory.

To LHR's credit they were very efficient in handling the return of the unit. I received email notice a few days ago that it was on it's way back to me.

Good luck with yours and hope it's not as serious as mine was.

nwn
05-05-2006, 02:13 PM
Reese, Dave, Chris;

Thanks for your inputs. Reese, I thought I was keeping things clean until I read your post. If what you do is necessary, I hope a change to the manual is forthcoming. Dave, I thought "Deja Vu" when I read your post, but after several tries I see the board sensor output consistantly at 160+ with a board under the carving head and near 0 without one. My first attempt showed 18, and I thought I had found the problem, but that was with the head homed and the sensor not over the board.

Chris, the last project I tried gave me the error message again, so I went right to the loaded board power clear, ran the carriage up and down as instructed for the roller test, and then everything proceeded normally once again. I also tried the measure board option from the machine menu, and that worked fine. Thanks for the tip on masking tape for dark woods. I'll keep trying to figure it out; I know how tough it is to design software for use by others who may not (make that surely don't) think the same way you do. This forum is a great help for you and us -- the more inputs you get, the easier to solve problems, both in the software and in the users' methodologies.

Thanks, again,
Neal

Ron Baird
05-22-2006, 09:22 AM
Dave
I have also been getting this sensor problem. The sensor readings are good 0-160 and a visual check shows very little dust but I clean it anyway. When I clean the sensor and then press enterit will display measuring board but just does nothing. Eventually the problem clears for no apparent reason and the m/c works fine. I don't think it is a dust problem as I am only getting about 10% of the dust now with the dust collection system I have on the m/c and the problem is occuring often.
Ron Baird

cmorlier
05-22-2006, 09:35 AM
Hi Ron,


Eventually the problem clears for no apparent reason and the m/c works fine.

Do you mean that if you wait long enough and retry it clears, or do you have to abort the project, or do you have to reboot? Just trying to triangulate where to look for the problem.

Thanks.

Dan-Woodman
05-23-2006, 08:00 PM
Look at the little round glass just behind the router bit. I get sawdust behind this glass and have to blow it out with compressed air.

goz
12-01-2006, 01:35 PM
I've tried it all. Power down...check sensor manually (checks out ok)....power down and back up again...."clear board sensor" again.
I have it unplugged right now to see if there might be an issue with residual startup issues.

Does temperature effect machine? My shop (the garage) is about 50deg f.
I've been running some plastics...maybe an issue with static?

Got me stumped

Dan-Woodman
12-01-2006, 03:39 PM
Hey goz
Carvewright recomends temperatures between 60--100.
Sometimes mine does that and what I do is when I 'm loading the board I crank the handle until it ratchets and then open the door and push down on the head either right above the roller or on the track the head rides on and crank some more on the handle until it rachets again. you can do this without starting allover again by pushing stop and it will ask if you want to try again.
My problem is sometimes the rollers are not getting enough presure on the wood. Hope this helps later Daniel

pkunk
12-01-2006, 10:24 PM
Also, if your board has just a slight crown to it, turn it over. If the base of the crown doesn't contact the brass roller, the sensor (brass roller) doesn't 'see' it.

cajunpen
12-01-2006, 10:30 PM
I have had the Board Sensor error message a few times - but ONLY when I attempted to run a board 1/2" or less. I called the guys at CW and they suggested that I put a little flat black paint on the rail. If you look at your machine from the front the rail will be on the left. About halfway back you should see two screws (black). Rough them up a bit and put a little flat black paint on the rail - going toward the back of the machine about 2".

That should help with your problem - of course assuming that you have actually cleaned your board sensor. :)

goz
12-03-2006, 12:21 PM
Ok,

So I tried everything....yup even flipped the board over...flat blacked the rail...held my mouth right....and even talked nice to the machine. Being a woman, my CW was still not seeing the board.
The solution "a blindfold"
I put a piece of electrical tape over the sensor. She really got mad and said
she couldnt even see past home. I prodded her a couple of more times and
she confirmed that she was really, truely...blind. When I took off the blindfold "miracle" she can see. Now that she is healed the old girl is down there chawin on a piece of pine like a pony with an apple.

Greybeard
12-03-2006, 12:42 PM
I've always believed you have to show them whose boss, but please don't use my name in the hearing of any pc with a net connection :D

Amatti
01-14-2007, 06:15 PM
I'm having the error messages regarding the board sensor, I've done everything I've see posted here, and the manuel says. Nothing is working, I've had the thing for 1.5 days ! I've cleaned the board sensor, put tape over the board sensor, aired the board sensor, talked politley and not so politly to the board sensor. I can't get my machine to do anything now, it will not measure a board or do anything, just get the error message.

Is there anyway to reboot besides turning it off and unplugging it? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Also since this is my first post, just wanted to thank everyone for thier posts, they have been helpful in all areas.

Amatti

Amatti
01-14-2007, 07:14 PM
I've just spent over an hour trying to clear this condition. I vacuumed the machine well, wiped the sensor with both a cloth and a Q-tip, and repeated these steps SEVERAL times. I power cleared the machine between some of these tries. I always apply pressure when cranking the head down.

This has happened before, and when it became resolved, I never knew what the solution was. However, on the final try I power cycled the machine with the head in the down position. It told me it had to do a roller compression test. When that test passed, the clear board sensor condition was cleared! I think this may have been the case once before, but I didn't really notice the relationship. Does this make sense, or have I once again magically cleared the sensor?

Neal

How do you "power clear/cycle the machine" ?

JoeyZ
01-17-2007, 06:34 PM
The machine is a little on the testy side. I had the same problem with the sensor as well. My machine doesn't even have a sensor scan option. But after I cleared the sensor ( I have one hell of a compressor) and my wife even used a lens cleaning cloth (better than leaving finger oil on a laser) we still had the same problem.

What we found was that if the wood was not flat, was too dark, or had holes or deep contrasts in the wood it would throw the sensor off.

I would suggest trying a different piece of wood, or priming your wood to a white color prior to cutting if you continue to have this problem. I knwo it's an extra step but once I ran my dark board over some rough sandpaper, lightening up the wood the machine went right to it.

P.S. Powercycling a machine means turning it off ( I recommend unplugging it as well) for a minimum of ten seconds after the screen clears. During my power cycle needs I usually go drink a soda and calm down so as not to inadvertantly cause my investment (which cost more than my first few cars combined) to have a horrible "accident".

JoeyZ
01-18-2007, 06:01 PM
I just shined a light inside my machine on a darker piece of wood and that seemed to totally fix the problem.

BobHill
01-18-2007, 09:45 PM
You know, I've been thinking of putting one of those stick on flourescent lights on the inside of my CarveWright (batt operated) and I might really just do that. I've got a couple I used to use in a dark closet and I could remount them without a problem. They are only about 1½" wide and maybe 4" long. I also have seen some offered on TV (you get about ten of them with a set of Ginjou knives for $14.95 and if you hurry they might double your number for the same price).

Bob

pkunk
01-18-2007, 10:14 PM
I also have seen some offered on TV (you get about ten of them with a set of Ginjou knives for $14.95 and if you hurry they might double your number for the same price).

Bob
BUT WAIT, FOR ONLY $1.99 MORE..... :lol: :lol:
I always carry a small LED light on my belt, and use it to illuminate the inside whenever needed. Having one on all the time might be nice.

BobHill
01-19-2007, 08:33 AM
What I would like to see, however, is a lighted LCD screen. For some reason, unless I hook up a spot light somewhere, the LED screen in my shop is hard to see ... or maybe it's just my eyes <g>. I love those LED lights though. Fantastic how much light on so little juice they have.

Bob

JoeyZ
01-19-2007, 01:00 PM
Well see what you all did. I went to harbor freight. They had a miners light which is just perfect for mounting on the door with some double sided velcro. http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do

There is the link, it's less than 6 dollars when it's not on sale and 4 when it is. 5 leds give my machien plenty of light.

pkunk
01-19-2007, 02:51 PM
Cpould you post the item #?

JoeyZ
01-19-2007, 03:05 PM
Sorry about that, should have looked at the link a little better. Item number is 93549

BobHill
01-19-2007, 07:38 PM
I see we watch the same commercials, Pkunk <g>. and Joey, great idea with the velcro. I keep rolls of that (as well as the double stick kind) for all sorts of things, yet didn't think of it for placing the light and didn't think of using it on the door.

Bob

JoeyZ
01-20-2007, 07:31 PM
Well the best reason I could think of for placing it on the door was that the door has enough of an arch that I was able to get the light to shine directly onto the wood under the sensor. For the record, I stained some wood black (water based) and pointing the light directly at the spot under the sensor was still able to cut the wood without any problems. Thought it wouldn't work when I got the clear sensor light, but the realized I hadn't cleaned it after the last couple of times I used it. Some compressed air and minimal adjustments fixed the problem right away. He he. Think this bug is licked.