Please Load Piece: Board

[wizer]

Hi Guys

I have recently bought a 2nd hand CW. So far I have done 3 carves over the past week and everything went well in terms of the machine. The only slight oddity was that the machine would say "Possible Board Removal" When measuring the board at the beginning of the project. But if you selected Ok, it would continue as normal.

Today after leaving the machine two days ago, it will not carve. I select the project, Select stay under rollers and then the head moved a little and stops with a message: Please Load Piece: Board.

The board is straight, flat and true. I have tried other boards. Last time I used it I gave it a good vac and a more thorough one just now.

After trying several times I got it to go a bit further and ask for the Bit. But then the screen just froze and I had to turn it off.

Any ideas? Really nervous about this. I hope I haven't bought a lemon.:confused:

[AskBud]

Hi Guys

I have recently bought a 2nd hand CW. So far I have done 3 carves over the past week and everything went well in terms of the machine. The only slight oddity was that the machine would say "Possible Board Removal" When measuring the board at the beginning of the project. But if you selected Ok, it would continue as normal.

Today after leaving the machine two days ago, it will not carve. I select the project, Select stay under rollers and then the head moved a little and stops with a message: Please Load Piece: Board.

The board is straight, flat and true. I have tried other boards. Last time I used it I gave it a good vac and a more thorough one just now.

After trying several times I got it to go a bit further and ask for the Bit. But then the screen just froze and I had to turn it off.

Any ideas? Really nervous about this. I hope I haven't bought a lemon.:confused:

This usually means one of the sensors is not activating.
I know, you just cleaned it! There are some points that just seem to need more attention than you should expect!

The "Head Rollers, Brass roller, and Board sensor (under the truck) work in concert.

Begin by doing a sensor check when you get the error (without moving the board). This may well show you which sensor is seeing/having the problem. I have found, many times, that it is one of the Head Rollers. I have, also, found that even though I thought I loaded the board correctly, the board is on an angle and leaving the Brass roller. This latter problem could also be caused by a cup in the board, which I did not notice.

The "freeze" problem may be a different animal.
AskBud

[chebytrk]

I seem to recall that it was one of my rollers and I had to go back and clean/blow it out several times. While blowing out the roller be sure to push up and down on it (pad side) to make sure you get the sawdust that gets up in there.

[mtylerfl]

Yep, most likely a stuck roller. Normally easily corrected - I've had it a couple times - no big deal - blow out the switch like JerryB described, good to go again.

[wizer]

Well I just went out there and spent a good 30mins blowing and vaccing. I was very surprised how much dust hides away in it. I was thorough, blasted every corner I could find. Used a mirror to check under the Truck and it seems spotless to me.

However, it's still not playing ball. Well not entirely anyway. After trying and trying everything I could think of and getting a number of errors, I finally got it going. I'm not sure if it's solved or not. I tried more boards that I was sure were flat and true. Even planed, thicknessed and ripped a board. It was only this one that worked. But even still I had to go through the process twice before it got going. The first time it asked for the 60 degree bit which I've realised I don't have. So I selected the 90 degree, it went off and asked for me to load it, which I did. But then it failed when trying to find the surface. I was getting a mixture of messages repeatedly. "Clear Board Sensor" was the most frequent. That's the one under the truck isn't it?

It's a hard thing to photograph but...

http://wizer.co.uk/gallery2/d/9262-2/DSC_0962.JPG

I also got a Z axis Stall 313 once and check tracking roller (where's that?) a few times.

Help:(

[mtylerfl]

Hi wizer,

Is your board dark-colored? If so, place a strip of masking tape on top of the board where the Board Sensor will travel to avoid the Clear Board Sensor error. Otherwise, the sensor may have dust inside, behind the clear window (although from your photo, I can't see any obvious dust that would be interfering with the LED's). You may have to order a replacement (might be defective). If dust was the problem, you can pry off the window with an Xacto knife to get you going temporarily until the new sensor arrives.

I notice from your photo that the quick chuck appears to have quite a lot of fine sawdust built-up in the crevices. Might want to brush/pick all that out to make sure the bits can/will seat fully in the chuck. Possible source of z-axis errors if the bit isn't fully seated.

A Check Tracking Roller error may mean that your board lost contact with the Brass Roller somehow. Usually caused by a 'slick board' slipping, or a dent or other defect under the edge of the board that comes in contact with the brass roller. You can look under the board and view the 'track indentations' caused from the brass roller's teeth. If you see a continuous line of marks where the line begins (about 3.5" from one end of the board, assuming you are using an adequate board length to stay under the pressure rollers at all times), then you maintained contact and something else is throwing the error. If you see any 'bare spots' in the indentation line, it means that's where the board lost contact with the roller.

I wrote a Tips & Tricks article about how to avoid tracking problems. Maybe you've already read that.

[chebytrk]

Reminds me of the days when I used to use a metal dental pic to get up in the QC to get the fine sawdust that I couldn't seem to blow or brush out. Course I haven't had the problem in LONG time cause I'VE GOT THE ROCK ! :)

[mtylerfl]

Reminds me of the days when I used to use a metal dental pic to get up in the QC to get the fine sawdust that I couldn't seem to blow or brush out. Course I haven't had the problem in LONG time cause I'VE GOT THE ROCK ! :)

Yes, once upgraded to either a Rock or CarveTight, those cleaning days are OVER! Probably my most favorite feature!

[wizer]

Thanks Guys. I will try again tomorrow. Has there been a tutorial on this sort of thing? I.E deep cleaning the CW Machine?

I'll be so angry if this thing goes on me the day after I dropped $100 on CenterLine!

It's all getting expensive as it is. I know that I'm going to need the DXF importer. I need a new 60 degree bit and now I need a Rock Chuck! :mad: :roll: