X-axis error 293???????

[lostinthefrost]

I had some issues last week, then killed half the teeth on my large x-axis gear. LHR just sent me a new set, I installed them and make sure everything was tight including the xmotor. I made sure it was all moving when I put the sandpaper belts back on. I white lithium greased it just a bit to help. Now in testing I put a nice 12" pine with masking tape. The motor sounds horribly loud and I was able to stop it after a clicking or so on the gears again. hopefully no teeth are gone. Aside from the catastriphy if the servo went bad, what else could it be? Just a simple motor swap? Is that something radioshak has? Or is it a $10 part from LHR with a $30 shipping cost again??

[Digitalwoodshop]

Well hopefully you found all the broken off teeth when you replaced the gears. A broken tooth can jam in the new gears.

Now to come up with the reason why the gears snap.....

1. Tapered Shaped Wood, tapered like a wedge in Thickness..... Bad news....

2. Tapered Wood in width... If the Bit Plate is TOO close and not touching when the wedge hits the plate.... SNAP... SO NO wedge shaped wood... And the bit plate is a NON touching guide.... A Dime thickness away....

3. Humidity and old belts...... As belts age they get sawdust and pine pitch (Rosin) on the back and cause them to STICK to the sliding plates. Especially in the morning with the first carving.... I sometimes hear the motor struggling with the first measurement and release the hand crank slightly and let it finish.... I then turn the machine OFF and do the measurement again..... At the correct rightness of the crank....

4. Then there is head pressure.... Use a scale to measure it... About 90 pounds...

5. Then there is head level.... Use a wide board and touch the left and right side of the board using sensor Z data...

6. TOO Heavy a sled.... There is a limit to what the little motor can pull and push.....

7. Using Place project on Center of Board.... With all the above GOOD, I NEVER use "Place on Center" because the machine does a whole NEW set of board length measurements to get that number.... I ALWAYS use "Place on END" and design my projects with about 4 inches of dead space on the right side of Designer. See my Sled Post from yesterday.... The more X measuring the more chance of X error and MORE X WEAR and TEAR.... Unnecessary motion...... USE Place on END.... Leave the board long.... (Just MY Opinioin....) My Servo Time counter is much lower then someone using place on center.....

AL

[lostinthefrost]

I went and purchased a cheapie analog scale. I found that my head pressure is hitting 160. Sounds like it's the culprit. Whats the easiest way to bring that back down? Crank it all the way up and?

[AskBud]

I went and purchased a cheapie analog scale. I found that my head pressure is hitting 160. Sounds like it's the culprit. Whats the easiest way to bring that back down? Crank it all the way up and?
When you crank down on the board, how many clicks do you get?
AskBud

[lostinthefrost]

I let it click 1 or 2x. When I was taking measurements, 1 click was hitting 140-160lbs mark

[AskBud]

I let it click 1 or 2x. When I was taking measurements, 1 click was hitting 140-160lbs mark
Have you, or anyone, ever done anything with your crank handle & parts (adjusted or added parts/washers)?
Sounds like the spring tension on the ratchet washer is too strong. Perhaps a lube will help, but you may need advice from someone else.
AskBud

[lostinthefrost]

Nope no changes done. The only thing I changed was the X Drive gears out the other day with a fresh set and then a new pair of sand paper belts.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Some have posted that spraying WD-40 into the crank clutch will help.... Never did it...

Remember WD-40 is Silicon Base and will cause fish eyes in wood finishing.

AL