x drive gear

[tuckershuman]

so I have another secondary x drive gear with some eaten up teeth! this one lasted less than 2 hours. I have discovered that my problem can probably be traced to head pressure. I followed the directions and got plenty of pressure after a fashion. however, the rear belt has edged its way to the sensor side and I think that caused the jam that ate up the teeth. I called carvewright today but couldn't get through. what am I missing here. my machine has 44 hours on it and i keep things very clean inside and found the dust on the gear to the crank was goobering things and not letting me get enough pressure. here is the question. how do I get the belt over into the right place and is the tracking adjustable?:confused: and is this a common problem?

[dbfletcher]

so I have another secondary x drive gear with some eaten up teeth! this one lasted less than 2 hours. I have discovered that my problem can probably be traced to head pressure. I followed the directions and got plenty of pressure after a fashion. however, the rear belt has edged its way to the sensor side and I think that caused the jam that ate up the teeth. I called carvewright today but couldn't get through. what am I missing here. my machine has 44 hours on it and i keep things very clean inside and found the dust on the gear to the crank was goobering things and not letting me get enough pressure. here is the question. how do I get the belt over into the right place and is the tracking adjustable?:confused: and is this a common problem?

I think it is pretty common. Happens on both of my machines.. one much worse that the other. Take a look at this thread... post #1 has the method i use (and you dont need to take anything apart).

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=10651&highlight=belt+trick&page=3

Doug Fletcher

[tuckershuman]

thanks Doug. both those had good info. I will try the first one just as soon as I can get a new gear here, wish I had more faith in the nylon they make em from, I think there might be one in that old vcr downstairs,:p thanks again

[seabass]

My head pressure is PERFECT and I am on my 4th X drive in less than 100 hours on one machine. There are now three different X drives. I have one of each. Hopefully this new black one works better. The first was a two piece, the second a one piece white gear and a third is a one piece black gear which actually seems to spin much easier and the plastic seems different. Hopefully this black one is the ticket.

I see the need for plastic, but if you look carefully you can literally round these teeth with your fingers rubbing really hard if the plastic is warm at all.. The plastic needs to be harder and NOT soften up so much when it gets hot. It fails long before it should. Where metal might ruin something more expensive, I still think this X-drive just fails to soon and needs to be little harder and resistant to heat, just not as hard as metal.

[dbfletcher]

My head pressure is PERFECT and I am on my 4th X drive in less than 100 hours on one machine. There are now three different X drives. I have one of each. Hopefully this new black one works better. The first was a two piece, the second a one piece white gear and a third is a one piece black gear which actually seems to spin much easier and the plastic seems different. Hopefully this black one is the ticket.

I see the need for plastic, but if you look carefully you can literally round these teeth with your fingers rubbing really hard if the plastic is warm at all.. The plastic needs to be harder and NOT soften up so much when it gets hot. It fails long before it should. Where metal might ruin something more expensive, I still think this X-drive just fails to soon and needs to be little harder and resistant to heat, just not as hard as metal.

I'll probably get blasted for this, but what has seeemd to be working better for me is after the crank the head down and get thre required "clicks", i back the head crank off 1/8 -3/16 of a turn. The material seems to go thru that machine much better for me that way. I more of less go by sound now when it is measureing the board. You can hear the motor strain when there is too much pressure... which can also lead to premature x-drive failure.

I would experimient with scrap wood and the "measure" function to see what i mean about the sounds of the x-drive system under various head pressures.

Doug Fletcher

[Jeff_Birt]

My head pressure is PERFECT and I am on my 4th X drive in less than 100 hours on one machine.


Typically X-gears will break from too heavy a board and/or a board getting wedged in the machine due to the sides of the board not being parallel or the board not being supported properly and tipping/wedging. As I recall, CW recommends a maximum board weight of #20.

[seabass]

Well my stuff is all little. 1/2 thick never more than 36" and can not weigh but 5 lbs even for the heaviest woods. I have a planer, jointer and all my boards are dead on square. I really have no idea why mine fail so much(and some other also have this issue), but like I said I do think these black gears are different(more than just color)and seem to be better. They absolutely spin better, I timed them and they spin at a 2 to 1 ratio longer than the white gears, at least the sets I have do. There must have been some reason going from the two piece to the one piece and then change again to a different plastic. I am hoping this black gear is the end of it.

[liquidguitars]

Just a idea, when replacing the gear make sure all the old gears "chips" are removed from the grease or the gears will be ruined.

LG

[seabass]

I'll look for it.

[tuckershuman]

I am right there with seabass, I have 2 planers, one that I only use for nice wood that goes in the carving machine. I make sure everything is true and that it slides through without a bind before I apply pressure. my x drive sounds strained all the dang time though. I keep getting done with work too late to order parts, is there someplace to get commonly replaced parts online. I am looking every where on the site and find nothin but belts and bit addaptors.

[PCW]

I am right there with seabass, I have 2 planers, one that I only use for nice wood that goes in the carving machine. I make sure everything is true and that it slides through without a bind before I apply pressure. my x drive sounds strained all the dang time though. I keep getting done with work too late to order parts, is there someplace to get commonly replaced parts online. I am looking every where on the site and find nothin but belts and bit addaptors.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/getModel!retrieve.pd?modelNumber=133.217540

[Digitalwoodshop]

Just some thoughts to add to your adventure...

A Rolled Over Belt is hard to see.... If you can't see rubber on each side of the roller especially the forward belt muffler side keypad end.... You look at the opposite end.... TOO much showing and you have a rolled belt.

A Rolled belt will break a gear.

Next Right Side Guide.... Keep it the width of a Quarter away... Closer and it could rub.

Your sand paper belts just may be OLD and need replacement.... The more Sawdust pitch that gets on the backside of the belt and this acts just like "Rosin" and against the metal plates of the trays you get EXTRA DRAG.... Some may need to clean the trays when changing the belts.

Not getting all the broken teeth out of the last gear you replaced will damage the new gear...

Good Luck,

AL:mrgreen: