My board moved backwards during carving

[corsair1961]

It has been a very long day.

First two weeks ago only 35 hrs working on the machine the QC bearing collar flew out. Called support they sent me a new Z track with New QC. Needed 8 hands to install but did get that done. I have carved another 15 hours, went to start the machine this moring and when it was measuring the board it moved the board all the way out of the back of the machine and I received a message to check the Tracking roller. Cleaned the machine completely. Put a new board in same problem. Try to calibrate the machine and it would not even complete the process the first time. I shut the machine down did it again and finished the calbaration. Did a small 1 hour project no problems.

Started a nice big project 7 hours to be exact. When I was 65% done the board starts moving backwards. The machine moved 1 inch backwards and started carving over the same area. I checked the path of the wood nothing holding it back. Nothing from keeping the wood moving forward. At 50% into carving I stopped the machine and let it cool down. So the machine was not overheated.

Has any one every heard of this before.

Also does anyone have any ideas how to get a hold of support. I sent them 2 emails last week and was on hold for over 30 minutes about another problem I was having and still no response.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Rick

[liquidguitars]

I have a idea that it could be your Aux roller touching the sandpaper belts.

your software version?

LG

[corsair1961]

I just updated today to the newest version 1.153
Rick

[unitedcases]

Sometimes even though you clean the machine thouroughly dust will get up into the roller. Look at the keypad side and loosen the screws holding that side of the roller up, then blow a little bit of air so that way it goes up and down, you should hear some clicking. Hope that helps.

[corsair1961]

Thanks. But I cleaned that area this morning. I started the machine again after it moved backwards since the project is messed up already and it carved the same inch again. So the board can move forward freely.

Thanks
Rick

[unitedcases]

Next guess would be the brass roller not touching?

[corsair1961]

The board measured fine. No problems when it started.
Rick

[unitedcases]

What I meant is sometimes the board can skip, i.e. it is kinda bowed on the brass roller side, A piece of masking tape on that side might help so that way the brass roller really digs into the wood.

[corsair1961]

I will try tomorrow and see what happens. I found on the forum how to mark the area that I carved at zero depth. Maybe I can salvage it any way.
Thanks for the help.
Rick:D

[Ike]

Not sure if this will help, but what tye of material are you using? If it is too light the board sensor won't pick it up. I restarted a project that was half carved and when it was measuring the board it pushed it all the way forward and went off the roller. Is there a knot in the board or a void?

You might want to put a piece of masking tape on keypad side along the whole board?

Ike

[Digitalwoodshop]

Ike is right on track...

So to cover some things....

I would get a long level and make sure that both infeed and outfeed tables are adjusted to the correct height. It they are adjusted too high or too low they can cause problems.

I would use that long level to check the board and make sure it was not cupped.

Masking tape would most likely saved your project. It gives the brass roller something to bite into.

Sawdust build up on top of the board can act as speed bump for the rollers.

The board most likely did not move back but just lost contact with the brass roller and the motor just moved the board until the brass roller moved to the correct number of pulses. Loss of contact = missed carving...

As for the board spitting out of the machine, if it is a 1/2 inch thick board or LESS it will do that.... IF the rear roller does not uncompress then the board detector never looks for an edge.....

SO if you ever have the machine spit the board out, look for the roller that should uncompress to turn on the board detector....

Remember Tips and Tricks are your friends... At $25.00 for LHR Advice I would spend time reading....

You can ALWAYS ask here for FREE....

Good Luck,

AL

[Ike]

Ike is right on track...

So to cover some things....

I would get a long level and make sure that both infeed and outfeed tables are adjusted to the correct height. It they are adjusted too high or too low they can cause problems.

I would use that long level to check the board and make sure it was not cupped.

Masking tape would most likely saved your project. It gives the brass roller something to bite into.

Sawdust build up on top of the board can act as speed bump for the rollers.

The board most likely did not move back but just lost contact with the brass roller and the motor just moved the board until the brass roller moved to the correct number of pulses. Loss of contact = missed carving...

As for the board spitting out of the machine, if it is a 1/2 inch thick board or LESS it will do that.... IF the rear roller does not uncompress then the board detector never looks for an edge.....

SO if you ever have the machine spit the board out, look for the roller that should uncompress to turn on the board detector....

Remember Tips and Tricks are your friends... At $25.00 for LHR Advice I would spend time reading....

You can ALWAYS ask here for FREE....

Good Luck,

AL

$25.00!! Wow reminds of when I bought my first computer and I called Compaq for help! Cost me $30.00 to be told I needed to use my recovery disc and start over!

I am so glad we have you! I know I really didn't explain it too well! I just know it has happened to me when I restarted a half carved projects

Ike

[liquidguitars]

I found on the forum how to mark the area that I carved at zero depth. Maybe I can salvage it any way.

I had a power outage on my CW yesterday and did this "cool trick" to recover the carving, but WTF it did not work? :confused: Did the power outage reset the belt calibration? or is the new firmware 1.153 not working as it should ..

LG

[DocWheeler]

unitedcases,

Even cleaning the area near the back roller switch may not remove the dust UNDER it since the spring is holding it compressed. You will have to lift (compress) the roller to clear the dust under it.

[chebytrk]

unitedcases,

Even cleaning the area near the back roller switch may not remove the dust UNDER it since the spring is holding it compressed. You will have to lift (compress) the roller to clear the dust under it.

That's exactly what I had to do. I kept blowing and lifting the back roller several times before I finally got out all the saw dust. That's why I've ordered a DC unit and the DC adapter so I hope not to have this happen again.

[unitedcases]

I hear ya Doc, but sometimes my brain and hands dont function at the same time when typing. I am the worst at explaining things.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I have a dust collector and even I had my first stuck back roller yesterday....

AL

[corsair1961]

What kind of dust collector do you recommend? Do we have to modify my machine to add one? If we do will it void my warranty?

What other items do you recommend as an addition to the machine? We purchased the Rock Chuck and love it. We are willing to do anything to make carving easier and not so "nerve racking"

Thanks so much

Cosair's wife

[Digitalwoodshop]

I made one from circuit board material that sits on the shelf after cutting a part of the clear cover. I sent my machine back in the first year and they called and asked if they should replace the plastic cover? I said no and they did not have a problem with me cutting part of the clear cover. As long as you could not get your hand inside without activating a cover switch.

Just be sure to ground both ends... I have a wire between the machine and dust collector with 3 gator clips on it. I have a 2 HP dust collector as I suck from both top and bottom of the machine. Lately I blocked off most of the bottom and let the full force work on top.

Search "Dust collector" with the " " and you should find picture of some other dust hoods.

Good Luck,

AL

[AskBud]

Here links to two Vacuum Heads that are for sale. One is in the CW project section and the other is ready made. As you see you have lots of choices, or you could design your own.
AskBud
http://forum.carvewright.com/showpost.php?p=103507&postcount=8