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View Full Version : Not Cutting THrough - Misreading Board Depth



robbrigg2
10-18-2009, 04:30 PM
Ok, this might be up somewhere else but I couldn't find it so here goes.

My machine has developed an aversion to cut throughs and I don't know why. It misreads the board depth of a .5 board to be 5" and I can not for the life of me figure out why. When this happens it says 1) cut to project depth 2) to board depth.

If I say project depth (which is set on .5) it still comes about 1/4 shy of a complete cut through. Now, I know I can use a scroll saw but that is not the point. I want to use the machine for these particular patterns because of the level of cut detail I can achieve. Does anyone know what is going wrong?

Thanks for your help!

Robert

DocWheeler
10-18-2009, 04:36 PM
Rob,

I think that this was a known "undocumented feature" that was to be addressed in 1.153. Maybe it wasn't!

liquidguitars
10-18-2009, 04:45 PM
If you use .50" its best to use a sled.

If the firmware checks a board that under .50" it will calculate it as a 5" maxing it out according to LHR.

mtylerfl
10-18-2009, 08:06 PM
Hello Robert,

Are you using the newest version 1.153? The problem you describe was one of the issues that was fixed in the 1.153 release. Unless you are trying to run wood that is less than 0.5" thick, you should not be getting that message as long as you are running the most current software version.

robbrigg2
10-18-2009, 10:27 PM
Hello Robert,

Are you using the newest version 1.153? The problem you describe was one of the issues that was fixed in the 1.153 release. Unless you are trying to run wood that is less than 0.5" thick, you should not be getting that message as long as you are running the most current software version.

Hey all... Yes, I am using the 1.153 and did not have this trouble until now... it is frustrating to say the least. The board is the same stock I used on an earlier date with no problems on the cutout. The design should have no problems but, well, here we are...

liquidguitars
10-18-2009, 10:54 PM
You could be slightly under .50" the CW is very accurate even moisture or dry conditions in the wood can read off, hence why a sled is used.

LG

robbrigg2
10-18-2009, 11:03 PM
You could be slightly under .50" the CW is very accurate even moisture or dry conditions in the wood can read off, hence why a sled is used.

LG

LG, I know the board, one of them anyway, has a slight bend could this do it? I will give the sled a shot in the a.m.

liquidguitars
10-18-2009, 11:22 PM
not sure.

You could also do a "depth calibrate" using the key pad 06 function.
I think it a good idea from time to time to use the cal depth option its not hard to do and seems to do the trick.

Warning do not use the "cal reset" option unless you have to.

LG

earlyrider
10-18-2009, 11:37 PM
I had a similar problem trying to cut 1/2" baltic ply (actual dim. around .47), one board cut fine for about half the cutout, then did a major random cut. Redid the board by doubling up the thickness (using masking tape) and ran it. No problems then. Lesson learned- if the board is 1/2" or less, double it up.
Ron

mtylerfl
10-19-2009, 07:58 AM
LG and Ron are right. If the board is ever-so-slightly less than 1/2", you will have problems if you don't use a carrier board or sled. Hopefully, that is the root of your issue and one that you can easily correct.

At my local Lowes, the oak and poplar they sell as "half-inch" is not quite 1/2", so those must be placed on a jig/sled/carrier board. At the same store, only the half-inch pine is really 1/2" thick (slightly above) and I can run that through the machine, no problem.

Also, cups, twists, warps can goof things up too - so try to use flat, true wood only. (That can be challenging to find sometimes, but necessary for the machine.)

RMarkey
10-19-2009, 11:50 AM
Ok, this might be up somewhere else but I couldn't find it so here goes.

My machine has developed an aversion to cut throughs and I don't know why. It misreads the board depth of a .5 board to be 5" and I can not for the life of me figure out why. When this happens it says 1) cut to project depth 2) to board depth.

If I say project depth (which is set on .5) it still comes about 1/4 shy of a complete cut through. Now, I know I can use a scroll saw but that is not the point. I want to use the machine for these particular patterns because of the level of cut detail I can achieve. Does anyone know what is going wrong?

Thanks for your help!

Robert

If the machine is unable to read the thickness of the board, it defaults to 5".

When the machine says "finding board thickness", pay careful attention to what it touches. It should touch the black plastic piece on the aux roller first, then touch the sliding plate. If the chuck hits the board during either, it will set the thickness to 5".

In 1.153, you can measure thickness using option "7" then "3".

seabass
10-19-2009, 12:36 PM
I have never ever cut a board over .5 inches thick. All I do is inlay 90% cut through and I commonly use wood with a thickness of .350 to .406 inches and have had no issues without a carrier board at all. The current software lets you cut even 1/4" boards . So it is a calibration problem for sure as suggested in other posts. Just being less than 1/2" can not be the only issue.

mtylerfl
10-19-2009, 05:27 PM
I have never ever cut a board over .5 inches thick. All I do is inlay 90% cut through and I commonly use wood with a thickness of .350 to .406 inches and have had no issues without a carrier board at all. The current software lets you cut even 1/4" boards . So it is a calibration problem for sure as suggested in other posts. Just being less than 1/2" can not be the only issue.


Hello,

The machine requires a minimum thickness of 1/2" in order for everything to work properly. At least, that has always been the case in the past. Are you saying you put stock into the machine that is less than 1/2" and are able to use the Cutpath without a problem? What software version are you using?

Normally, during the initial project setup, if a board is less than the 1/2" minimum, the machine just "spits out" the board before completing the setup procedure. It is at that point that a sled or carrier board must be utilized in order to make the machine think the board is thicker than 1/2". You have gotten me very curious as to how you can accomplish running boards less than 1/2" in thickness through the machine. I honestly hope that is the case. Please tell us more.

mtylerfl
10-21-2009, 03:50 PM
I just found out that it is an "occasional quirk" of a particular machine that allows a user to use stock less than 1/2" thick. Not normal at all, but every now and then, someone can get away with it. Even the machines that can do it, don't do it 100% of the time, apparently.

seabass
10-21-2009, 09:09 PM
mtylerfl Yes I use the most recent software and do not use a sled and do cutouts of letters and have tried maybe 30 different fonts. No problem.

The board never spits out the wood less than a 1/2" for me. I never knew there was an issue and did not think it was anything special. I get errors in the software sometimes saying it will not do it, I just hit proceed and ignore the warnings.

It is the case because its the only work I do with the machine and I do not have a sled.

I will try to post some pics or maybe a set of pictures showing how I do both the positive and negative images for inlay with letters.

I think I have some finished letters and the negs laying around, if I do I will try to post tonight. Can't get to a set of pics until this weekend though. 4 of the kids home with the flu and 25% of the school is out sick. I am sure the rest of the kids to follow and me next too!

seabass
10-21-2009, 10:11 PM
Here are some pics of the thinner wood I commonly use with no sled.

Whats neat is I get a near perfect fit as shown with the Walnut S and N, they are just pressure fitted in the Curly Maple pocket 1/2 way to demonstrate the tight, but not to tight fit.

mtylerfl
10-22-2009, 10:57 AM
Here are some pics of the thinner wood I commonly use with no sled.

Whats neat is I get a near perfect fit as shown with the Walnut S and N, they are just pressure fitted in the Curly Maple pocket 1/2 way to demonstrate the tight, but not to tight fit.

That's really neat! Thank you for sharing the info and your photos!