Motor running full speed and broken bits

[jeff412]

Help! My motor quit working and after all of the trouble shooting and help from everyone here, it turns out it was a bad main controller. I replaced the controller and now the motor seems to run at full speed. I just installed a new carvetight bit and the new controller. I started a project yesterday and put a brand new carvetight cutting bit in. The motor sounded like it was running full speed. Wasn't sure how it should sound since it was with the carvetight. Anyway, the bit broke before it even hit the board. I checked and the rpm sensor is connected. Any ideas what to check?

Jeff

[Digitalwoodshop]

Sorry to hear of your trouble.

First Check. Using Options and Sensor Data see if the Cut Motor Magnet is making pulses by rotating the CT one revolution and looking at Cut Motor data on the LCD. One pulse per revolution. 0000 0001 0002

Any chance you had the wrong bit installed.... A 1/8 inch cutting bit rather than 1/16 carving bit... The cutting bit would snap if used for a Raster Carve.

With 123 posts Don't think you mixed up the bits...

Wondering if bit broke because the Z did not retract far enough and tripped on the board???? That is a bad FFC Cable or Bad Encoder or Dirty Rails or rollers.

OR... since LHR sends out Computers and sometimes returns them, any chance the Z drive is bad on the computer....? How was is wrapped....

What Bit Broke?

AL

[unitedcases]

I go through RPM sensors very often. They are very cheap and I think I know why. I would get a bunch to keep on hand. Your bit probably got too hot because of the additional RPM's. I would probably Reformat the card. Also are you using a sled. A sled helps with tracking issues and just seems to be more stable, just saying if you broke a cutting bit. That was a helpful fix for me. I have gotten to the point now that if I can cut it by hand I do. An hour of cutting on the CW is like 5 minutes with a jigsaw and a good scrolltype blade.

[jeff412]

This was a cutting bit and it never even touched the board. It broke within 10 seconds of the motor starting.

Jeff

[lynnfrwd]

What type of project are you trying to do? Attach an image of your project. Attach a photo of the bit too.

[jeff412]

I'm at work, so I can't attach the project right now, but it is just a 5/8" board with some holes of different sizes drilled in it.

Jeff

[mtylerfl]

I'm thinking it would be "impossible" for the bit to break without touching the board...UNLESS the bit was damaged/cracked prior (easy to do on a solid carbide bit...one drop or hard knock is all it takes).

[lynnfrwd]

I'm thinking it would be "impossible" for the bit to break without touching the board...UNLESS the bit was damaged/cracked prior (easy to do on a solid carbide bit...one drop or hard knock is all it takes).

That's what has us scratching our heads too.

[lynnfrwd]

As far as motor running faster, check your RPM sensor is plugged in and working appropriately and make sure Flexshaft is fully installed correctly. Did you get any Check Cut Motor message before this happened?

None of these things would be a reason for your bit to break. Only answer we can come up with is that it was already cracked and barely hanging on.

Only other suggestion is to call HW support.

[CarverJerry]

Sorry to hear that Jeff but in the almost 40 years as a machinist I've never heard of a bit breaking just by spinning it up. Being carbide it must have been dropped and had a fracture in it. Carbide is very brittle and can't take much in terms of shock blows or dropping on the concreat floor.

CJ

[jeff412]

I did drop the bit. I hope that is the problem. As it was spinning it looked like the tip was fatter than the shank. It was obvious that something was wrong but i couldnt get to the stop button before it broke. Checked therpm sensor and it is showing revolutions. Maybe the machine was loud because of the imbalanced bit.

Jeff

[Digitalwoodshop]

Sounds like you might have this licked...

AL

[jeff412]

Hope so. I should have a new bit in Wednesday. I'll try again then.

Jeff

[jeff412]

I put a cutting bit in it this morning using the 1/4" split collet. It is very noisy. There seems to be a lot of vibration coming from the chuck. Any ideas?

Jeff

[lynnfrwd]

Recheck the installation of your CarveTight and call customer support.

Your CT is within the last 30 days and there is no charge for support on that. Plus, if it is a continuation of your Cut Motor, you already have a standing $25 incident fee that will cover it.

Let customer support assist you in diagnosing what is actually wrong.

[jeff412]

I called CW this evening around 5:45 but Robert said that the engineers had all gone home. He's supposed to call me back in the morning. I rechecked the flexshaft this evening and removed the cover and checked everything I knew to check. When I started a project it sounded like the whole thing was just going to fly apart. There is some serious vibration going on. It sounds like the motor is spinning too fast. Is that possible? I am going to change the carvetight back to the rock and see if it clears up.

Jeff

[jeff412]

Changed it back to the rock chuck and it is much quieter. However, I still think it is running faster than normal. Tried to start the project again (attached) and broke another dang bit. Man this is costing me a fortune! It drilled the first hole then went to the second and SNAP! I saw the bit vanish. This is just 5/8" plywood. I've cut many projects out of this stuff and never had this kind of problem. What is going on?

Jeff

45321

[jeff412]

You know this is crazy. $800 this week alone and it's still not working. I think it's about time to cut my losses and throw in the towell. I'm going to pack up all of the parts I bought. Send them back for a refund and put this thing up for sale. Anyone want a broken CompuCarve machine? Needs a new controller and an excorcist!

Jeff

[liquidguitars]

things to check one more time...

1. belts are rolled up at the keyboard side.
2. Z pack motor mount is loose.
3. transport gears are cracked.
4. bearings are dirty
5. y pack bearing loose.

[liquidguitars]

I'm thinking it would be "impossible" for the bit to break without touching the board...UNLESS the bit was damaged/cracked prior (easy to do on a solid carbide bit...one drop or hard knock is all it takes).

Yes that sounds like a x file.

[jeff412]

see responses below:
Thanks for the help. Pretty frustrated right now.


things to check one more time...

1. belts are rolled up at the keyboard side.

brand new belts

2. Z pack motor mount is loose.

tight. just re-installed rock chuck.

3. transport gears are cracked.

don't know where these are

4. bearings are dirty

which bearings?

5. y pack bearing loose.

Don't know where this is either.

[jaroot]

I've also have been experiencing broken cutting bits lately. I used to just do a full depth cutout and never had any problems then it started becoming an issue on the forum and shortly I started having bit breaking issues. I'm going to change out the Y bearings and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't I have to think that it has something to do with a recent software update. I started doing MAX depth cuts of 1/4" still breaking bits. If I have to go to 1/8" MAX I might as well just cut it out by hand. Due to the amount of time it takes.