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View Full Version : New Version C Machine, First Carve (Flex Shaft)



Hank93
12-15-2010, 08:48 PM
First I would like to just say hi, and introduce myself.

I owned a CW back in 2006 and had a few issues with the machine that eventually landed my money back and no CW. I just bought the new Version C and made my first carve tonight. All went well, but one of the problems I had with the original machine was overheated (melted) flex shaft. I used the liquid wrench w/moly on it but still lost it. I noticed tonight on my first carve that the flex shaft became a little warm in about the middle of the length of the shaft. Right where the wire stabilizer is bent double and contacts the flex shaft. When I say warm, I could grab it with my hand but felt a little to hot to hang on to it for over a few seconds. Closer to both ends was several degrees cooler. Bottom line, what are all the secrets for monitoring this and keeping it cool other then periodic liquid wrench? And how hot is to hot? I thought of getting a laser temp sensor and monitoring it that way but what temp am I trying to avoid?

Thanks, first post of many to come I am sure.

dbfletcher
12-15-2010, 08:56 PM
If it is too hot too hold on to.. that is defintely too hot. I dont think mine ever gets above 100 F... and im betting it is normally in the 90-95 F range tops. I think moly is stil the lube of choice.

Hank93
12-15-2010, 09:02 PM
Thanks Doug, I just found the 1st thread about read this first and it pretty much answered my questions. Since I have a hot spot I will take the shaft out and lube it before doing anymore carvings.

Thanks again - Hank

JDPratt
12-16-2010, 08:16 AM
With my three machines I have found that soaking the flexshaft overnight in the moly lube was the way to go. Simply spraying it on and wiping it off didn't allow the lube to work its way into the shaft for a lasting effect. Since soaking them over night and then wiping them down, I have had no excessive heat problems.

TerryT
12-16-2010, 09:49 AM
I agree with JD. When I installed my second flex shaft. I lubed it once a week for about 3 times. I haven't lubed it since. It's been about a year and a half, maybe two years and several hundred hours of use. The trick is to make sure the lube gets inside the inner shaft not just on the outside. I coil the shaft up on the bottom of a coffee can and put enough lube in to just cover the shaft. Sinch the shaft is coiled it opens it up and lets the lube inside. If the shaft was hanging straight the coils would be closed together and the lube would not penetrate as well. Soak it for several hours or over night. You should be able to feel the temperature get lower with each lube until it stays cool all the time.

JDPratt
12-17-2010, 08:03 AM
That's exactly how I do mine; in a coffee can, coiled up, overnight. Seems to work great so far.

Icutone2
12-17-2010, 09:30 AM
JD I do it the same way with the same results.
Lee

Hank93
12-18-2010, 05:29 PM
I agree with JD. When I installed my second flex shaft. I lubed it once a week for about 3 times. I haven't lubed it since. It's been about a year and a half, maybe two years and several hundred hours of use. The trick is to make sure the lube gets inside the inner shaft not just on the outside. I coil the shaft up on the bottom of a coffee can and put enough lube in to just cover the shaft. Sinch the shaft is coiled it opens it up and lets the lube inside. If the shaft was hanging straight the coils would be closed together and the lube would not penetrate as well. Soak it for several hours or over night. You should be able to feel the temperature get lower with each lube until it stays cool all the time.


Thanks Terry and other folks, that is what I am going to do. My last machine I cut a piece of clear tubing and inserted the shaft in in filled with Liquid Wrench, let it set over night but it still seemed to get hot. Maybe what I missed was having it coiled and opened up. I did spray my current one down and worked it in with my fingers, it never even got very warm on my next 4hr carve. But I do like the coffee can idea and will do that soon.

Thanks again... :)

Digitalwoodshop
12-18-2010, 06:24 PM
Hank,

My recommendation is to STOP USING THE MACHINE RIGHT NOW !!!!!

2 years ago I kinked my spring when the machine was out in the sun and the flex was hot and Limp.... I grabbed it and whipped it up to plug it back into the Truck...

I did not know that I kinked the spring. A few minuets into the carve I am outside my shop on the deck and I hear the Smoke Detector above the machine go off... I look and the Flex is Smoking BLACK Melting..... The METAL to METAL of the spinning shaft and spring cause enough heat to melt everything.....

So my advice is to STOP USING the machine until you get the Flex Spring REPLACED....

Sure beats paying your Insurance Deductible for a new House or Shop....

I would not even trust bending it.... You may be stuck paying the $75.00 for the whole Flex plus $15.00 Shipping....

Sorry I did not see this earlier....



As for Lubrication the shaft... I monitor the Flex EVERY CARVE by touching the Flex at the first bit change of every project. If I detect it getting warm I usually let it finish the project.

Then while still warm, I pull the Flex and remove the core about half way. I squirt a dime size of Chain Lube with Molly between my fingers and the core. I wipe it back toward the Cut Motor and then back toward the Truck. That's IT.... Plug it back in and your ready to go..... Just a dime size squirt....

Since I don't have any fancy way of lubricating like soaking, vacuum packing, and Hanging to dry.... I do 10 or 11 Jumping Jacks as fast as I can.... Just so I have something as detailed as my carving friends... Only 10 or 11.... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

AL

Hank93
12-18-2010, 08:19 PM
Hank,

My recommendation is to STOP USING THE MACHINE RIGHT NOW !!!!!

2 years ago I kinked my spring when the machine was out in the sun and the flex was hot and Limp.... I grabbed it and whipped it up to plug it back into the Truck...

I did not know that I kinked the spring. A few minuets into the carve I am outside my shop on the deck and I hear the Smoke Detector above the machine go off... I look and the Flex is Smoking BLACK Melting..... The METAL to METAL of the spinning shaft and spring cause enough heat to melt everything.....

So my advice is to STOP USING the machine until you get the Flex Spring REPLACED....

Sure beats paying your Insurance Deductible for a new House or Shop....

I would not even trust bending it.... You may be stuck paying the $75.00 for the whole Flex plus $15.00 Shipping....

Sorry I did not see this earlier....



As for Lubrication the shaft... I monitor the Flex EVERY CARVE by touching the Flex at the first bit change of every project. If I detect it getting warm I usually let it finish the project.

Then while still warm, I pull the Flex and remove the core about half way. I squirt a dime size of Chain Lube with Molly between my fingers and the core. I wipe it back toward the Cut Motor and then back toward the Truck. That's IT.... Plug it back in and your ready to go..... Just a dime size squirt....

Since I don't have any fancy way of lubricating like soaking, vacuum packing, and Hanging to dry.... I do 10 or 11 Jumping Jacks as fast as I can.... Just so I have something as detailed as my carving friends... Only 10 or 11.... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

AL

I am a little confused by your warning here. As my last post stated I lubed the shaft and all is running cool now. I don't think I have a kinked spring. I did a 4hr carve after lubing it and it only got just a little over room temp. After that carve I coiled it in a coffee can for a couple of hours in LW with moly, so I am thinking all is well now. I am not sure when I will be using it again but when I do I will be keeping a constant eye (or should I say hand) on the flex shaft and checking temp frequently.

Thanks for the warning though, but I don't think I have any problems right now.

Digitalwoodshop
12-18-2010, 11:57 PM
This is what caught my attention..... It raised a RED flag with me.... The Lubrication might work for now but if the spring is kinked then it will wear thought and snap the spring and then it screws itself together doubling on itself.... Making a smaller area for the flex to move... It could overheat soon and anything can happen.... Good you are keeping an eye on it...

Also since you likely over lubricated the flex shaft and are new and more than likely never heard this warning.... You CAN over Lube the flex.... The Result is the overlube will make it's way into the front of the Cut Motor..... AND make its way into the top of the CarveTite Truck.... With the old QC Version it would leak into the top bearing even though it has a seal. The grease and oil from the Molly gets into the Ceramic high speed Bearings making the bearings overheat. I would remove the 2 screws from the Top Hat on the top of the CarveTite and Wipe it clean. And in a few day check it again..... The top of the CarveTite will get so hot it will burn you.... Search "Hot Z Truck" you might find some posts about that...

Hank, Where are you AT? Might be users near you?


"I owned a CW back in 2006 and had a few issues with the machine that eventually landed my money back and no CW. I just bought the new Version C and made my first carve tonight. All went well, but one of the problems I had with the original machine was overheated (melted) flex shaft. I used the liquid wrench w/moly on it but still lost it. I noticed tonight on my first carve that the flex shaft became a little warm in about the middle of the length of the shaft. Right where the wire stabilizer is bent double and contacts the flex shaft. When I say warm, I could grab it with my hand but felt a little to hot to hang on to it for over a few seconds. Closer to both ends was several degrees cooler. Bottom line, what are all the secrets for monitoring this and keeping it cool other then periodic liquid wrench? And how hot is to hot? I thought of getting a laser temp sensor and monitoring it that way but what temp am I trying to avoid?"

Hank93
12-22-2010, 08:58 PM
This is what caught my attention..... It raised a RED flag with me.... The Lubrication might work for now but if the spring is kinked then it will wear thought and snap the spring and then it screws itself together doubling on itself.... Making a smaller area for the flex to move... It could overheat soon and anything can happen.... Good you are keeping an eye on it...

Also since you likely over lubricated the flex shaft and are new and more than likely never heard this warning.... You CAN over Lube the flex.... The Result is the overlube will make it's way into the front of the Cut Motor..... AND make its way into the top of the CarveTite Truck.... With the old QC Version it would leak into the top bearing even though it has a seal. The grease and oil from the Molly gets into the Ceramic high speed Bearings making the bearings overheat. I would remove the 2 screws from the Top Hat on the top of the CarveTite and Wipe it clean. And in a few day check it again..... The top of the CarveTite will get so hot it will burn you.... Search "Hot Z Truck" you might find some posts about that...

Hank, Where are you AT? Might be users near you?


"I owned a CW back in 2006 and had a few issues with the machine that eventually landed my money back and no CW. I just bought the new Version C and made my first carve tonight. All went well, but one of the problems I had with the original machine was overheated (melted) flex shaft. I used the liquid wrench w/moly on it but still lost it. I noticed tonight on my first carve that the flex shaft became a little warm in about the middle of the length of the shaft. Right where the wire stabilizer is bent double and contacts the flex shaft. When I say warm, I could grab it with my hand but felt a little to hot to hang on to it for over a few seconds. Closer to both ends was several degrees cooler. Bottom line, what are all the secrets for monitoring this and keeping it cool other then periodic liquid wrench? And how hot is to hot? I thought of getting a laser temp sensor and monitoring it that way but what temp am I trying to avoid?"

What I was talking about with the "wire bent double" was the exterior support wire that contacts the exterior housing of the flex shaft, not the spring inside the rubber housing. Now I understand your concern, haha . Yes I am aware of the over lubricating and have tried to avoid that. I will clean the top hat to ensure that I have not done so.

The reason for getting my money back on my first machine was, I sent it in for warranty work and they kept my machine for 4 months. This was a Sears purchased machine and when they sent it off they demanded that it not be in the original packaging for shipment, Sears packaged it for me. Well when it was returned to me with a test carving left inside the machine the Z-truck (with bit still in it) bounced up and down on the test carved piece of wood until it had been destroyed. I took it back to Sears and they sent it off again for repair, this time after 3 more months and my warranty getting close to expiring I ask that they extend my warranty. They would not agree to this but offered my money back. I have been waiting on this new C-Version design every since.

Thanks....:)