OH Woe is me!!!

[geekviking]

Just kidding! (not really)

My CW will not run!
Yesterday I carved something, and a few deep lines came out in it. I thought maybe dirty rollers, but today I tried to carve something new and my CW goes through the motions until it asks to "cut board to size" and I say no, it makes a clicking sound and the board will not move unless I "help" it with a little pressure. The clicking stops when the board moves, but gets louder if I pull the board (backwards toward myself) instead of push it through...
It will not take the board at all without my pushing it through.

Anyone experience anything like this?

I don't think it's related, but when I uploaded my pattern to be cut to the card, it asked me to update the logic on the card, and I did.
I just (two weeks ago) reinstalled designer on my PC and have the latest version (as of two weeks ago) of it, and created my project with this copy...


Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks guys!

[jaroot]

Sounds like the x-drive gears. I had something similar happen to me. Broke a tooth off. Pretty easy to check. Pull the cover off on the non-keyboard side, two bolts on top and two screws on the side near the bottom. Watch that you don't loose the two spacers that are between the cover and the two posts. Then the cover over the x-drive gears just pops off. Look the gears over and you may as well clean that area out while you have it open.

[geekviking]

Thanks! Haven't had much time...
I probably wont get to check it till tomorrow, but I'll let you know what happens :)

It actually starts taking the project board, but then stops after about an inch and a half and sounds like its still pulling the board in. but the board doesnt move, then it stops & says check roller...
Not the roller though as I have masking tape on the bottom of my project boards, and the imprint of the roller can be seen in it. ?
To be continued... ( :) )

[jaroot]

If it is asking to check the "roller" you may have a stuck roller switch. You can check that through the keyboard "sensor check" I've not had that happen to me but it apparently happens frequently. If you are getting a check board sensor error check the keyboard side cover switch.

When my x-drive failed it did it loudly and complained much. <gr>


but the board doesnt move, then it stops & says check roller...
Not the roller though as I have masking tape on the bottom of my project boards, and the imprint of the roller can be seen in it. ?
To be continued... ( :) )

[unitedcases]

I might check the head pressure too.

[geekviking]

Thank you both for your advice.

BINGO Jaroot! Got that gear cover off, and what do I find? 5 missing teeth!
The Tooth Fairie didn't even leave any $$$!
Now gotta find out how much one of these little buggers costs...

Oh, one side note and question - my CW did not have any washers on the non-keypad side. So I took off the key-pad side to see if I was understanding you correctly, and voila! there were two washers on that side in between the post and the cover that gets removed. My question is - Should there be a washer on top of all 4 posts, or just the key-pad side?46468

[jaroot]

I'm not sure about the washers, I know that they are on our machine and I lost one on the floor and took awhile to find it again.Ours is a refurbished type "A" machine so I'm not sure whether or not the things I see are the same for other machines. I believe that the washers are just there to protect the cover from the posts and may not be all that important but I really don't know.

If I remember right the gear set was relatively inexpensive and if you can swing it probable ought to buy two. I try to do that will all of the parts that I order. I figure that if they broke once and are at least somewhat reasonably priced it is better to have an extra and not pay the shipping twice.

If you look around the forum you can probably compile a list of common replacement parts and order those as well. Try to cram as much as you can into that $12 shipping fee.

One item that I have replace twice now, so my spare is not gone, is the board sensor that is mounted in the z-truck. Another inexpensive item unless you have to pay the $12 to ship it all on its own as well as lose a week or so waiting for the part.
Good luck and enjoy the ride!

Can you even image having a machine like this as little as 15 yrs ago?


My question is - Should there be a washer on top of all 4 posts, or just the key-pad side?46468

[Icutone2]

Aren't the washers to adjust clutch head pressure?
Lee

[geekviking]

Thanks!
I was told by LHR that the two are only required on the keypad side...

[geekviking]

Got the part, put all back together....
NO GREASE! "Put a drop the size of an eraser on both gears" in the instructions... WHAT KIND of grease?
AAAAh!

Just kidding :) At least its back together :)
Anyone know what kind of grease I need to get for the X Drive gears?

Thanks!

[earlyrider]

Use white lithium grease.

[bergerud]

It may be too late now but while you have access to the x drive gears, you can perform an accurate x calibration. Using a dial indicator (or a digital caliper) you can bypass the errors introduced by the board sensor. Turning the x gears by hand you can directly compare the brass roller reading with the dial indicator. With a 1" dial indicator, you can calibrate to 1 part in a thousand. Quite satisfying.

[geekviking]

I dont understand how, but would like too, can you explain what I need to do?

THANKS!

[bergerud]

First you should read "Manually Calibrating the X-Axis" and understand the suggested method which involves comparing the length of a board measured by you and the machine. You should try this first. To directly see what the brass roller measures, you need to go to X position/board tracking under the sensor check menu. (At the main menu press 0 (Configuration Menu), then press 7 (Sensor Check) then arrow to X position/board tracking.) One readout is the brass roller measurement and the other is the measurement from the x drive. The brass roller data is the important one. With a board clamped in the machine and an indicator or caliper clamped to the board to measure its movement relative to the machine, you manually turn the x gears to move the board. Move the board through an inch of travel and compare the brass roller reading with the indicator reading. If the readings are different and I bet they will be, you have to go through a trial and error loop. Now follow the calibration instructions to change the default X calibration number. (If I remember, the instructions are backwards, decreasing the number increases the measured board length. I have a post on this.) Now go back to the X position readout, roll the board through an inch and compare again. After going around this loop a few times, you can get the two measurements to agree to all decimal places. (Make a note of the number you found in case defaults somehow get restored later.)

It is nice how consistent and repeatable the readings are as compared to measuring lengths with the board sensor. One can be confident that any board measurement errors are now only due to the board sensor. (Note also how the computer resets the x drive data to compensate for the backlash.)

I hope this is detailed enough to get you through it. I was awhile ago that I did it. I would have to go through it again to give a better explanation.

[geekviking]

No, this is great info! Thanks bud, I'm going to go dive into it now.
Thank you very much for the time & advice, I'd like to get it calibrated out too. :)