Head pressure headache

[Tom Huhn]

When cranking down head onto board the crank stopped 'clicking after getting to pressure you could keep cranking down and it will create too muchh pressure. At first I would get a 'X' axis error and I took out the traction belt assemblies and checked them out and put them back and everything seemed to be OK. I then figured out I was putting too much pressure down so I put just enough for the machine to proceed with the set up and it ran the carving operation on my pattern which was 3 patterns on one board and it was supposed to next cut out the patterns with the cutting bit but it would not and I was getting a 'Y' axis error. No the 'Y' axis track is very hard to move back and forth. The 4 posts are lubed and the 2 threaded crank shafts as well and the crank has started to click again but it is still putting too much pressure and one more thing is like if you have the head at the top and crank it down at about two thirds the way down it gets a little stiff and the crank will click once and then continue down to the bottom. I am a new user and have only had my machine for few months and I am also a blind woodworker . Thanks Tom

[DocWheeler]

Tom,

The Y axis error can be from a dull bit, dirty rails, bad bearings, dust in the belt, or simply a loose machine screw on the top of the Y idler bracket at the back of the machine.

The head problems can get complicated. The machines take a beating in shipping a lot of the time. The posts may not be aligned at the bottom, the head might not be level, there might be something on a post that binds, or it could be temperature related.

I probably left out a few things but that is what came to mind. Although not blind, my vision got to 20/60 in one eye and carving was no fun for awhile (new lens now), I do not know how you manage with significant vision impalement!

[Tom Huhn]

This brings up an other question, like when I got to the 'Y' axis error message the only opsion was to abort, if you get the problem fixed is there any way to resume the carving from where the machine stopped? I have been working with wood all my life, worked in construction for 25 years building houses and 22 years ago I was diagnosed with an eye condision that has been cusing a slow loss of vision over years. I have a pertty full woodworking shop and am working on starting a new woodworking business. It is just a matter of adapting to the lack of vision. Tom

[DocWheeler]

Tom,

Restarting is not difficult and can be done in a couple of ways.
First, if it is a two-sided carve and it stopped on the second side, you will need to create an MPC for that side.

You can just let it "air carve" what was previously carved OR you can put a ZERO depth region over the part of the project that you do not want to re-carve.

If you do the zero-depth region or you are doing a two-sided carve, I'd suggest that you save the altered mpc as a new mpc name so there are no modifications to the original.

As for your vision loss, that is perhaps one of the scariest things for most people since that sense is so predominant. Glad to see that you are still active, attitude is critical!