TerryT
09-27-2011, 05:03 PM
My number 2 machine is a 2009 B model. It has been well maintained since new. The flex shaft has always been well lubed and never, never got hot!! A couple of weeks ago I did my maintenance and lubed the flex shaft as scheduled. On the next carve the machine ran about 20 minutes before the plastic on the flex shaft melted! It was hot!! I couldn't figure out what had changed because it had never done that before in two years. I have lubed it twice more since. It runs very hot, too hot to keep your hand on.
I noticed a post on the forum where someone mentioned the length of the flex shaft may be too long for the outer shaft. I know mine did not grow and it was great for two years but I also knew something changed. When I looked at my flex shaft I noticed one of the small fine wires that make up the shaft was bent up and wraped around the square end of the shaft. It was not letting the shaft fit into the spindle completely. Effectively making the flex shaft too long and putting presure on the outer shaft. I trimmed off this wire and the flex shaft fit completely into the spindle and now the flex runs for an hour and stays just barely above room temp.
If your flex shaft gets very hot even when properly lubed make sure you check for anything than would stop it from seating fully into the cut motor and spindle.
I noticed a post on the forum where someone mentioned the length of the flex shaft may be too long for the outer shaft. I know mine did not grow and it was great for two years but I also knew something changed. When I looked at my flex shaft I noticed one of the small fine wires that make up the shaft was bent up and wraped around the square end of the shaft. It was not letting the shaft fit into the spindle completely. Effectively making the flex shaft too long and putting presure on the outer shaft. I trimmed off this wire and the flex shaft fit completely into the spindle and now the flex runs for an hour and stays just barely above room temp.
If your flex shaft gets very hot even when properly lubed make sure you check for anything than would stop it from seating fully into the cut motor and spindle.