A diffrent Y problem.

[cestout]

My C machine (around 280 hours) starts carving in the correct place then shifts toward the keypad, sometimes 1/2", sometimes right off the board. It sometimes says Y axes failure, sometimes not. The Y truck moves freely, I pulled the Y gearbox apart and the bearings are solid, removed the Y truck and the rollers are free and in good shape. It did this a couple of times when it was new, one time near the end of a 6ft carve. I had to borrow the cover and put it on my B machine because the cover switch on it just broke and I had to get a machine running. Connie said the cover switch will ship today. When I get it I can trouble shoot, but I don't know what to look at next.

[lynnfrwd]

Y belt tension?

[Digitalwoodshop]

So if we eliminate the Gearbox Bearings as you have, then the next suspect if dust inside the Y Encoder...

After that.... Broken Solder Joint on the Encoder Plug or even a loose encoder disk on the shaft.

AL

[cestout]

Do you think a very dull carving bit and a fairly deep carve could cause this. It is a climb cut - moving toward the keypad. When I get the new bit and cover switch, I will experiment on some pine and let you know. The C machine has a clear cover over the back of the servomotors, and there seems to be no dust in there. The belt is good and tight and does not slip even if the machine thinks it does.

[rmock]

I have had a dull bit do this when carving in maple. Recently I believe I had some faults possibly related to a bad ground on my dc insert. resolved the grounding issue and no faults so far.

[bergerud]

Do you think a very dull carving bit and a fairly deep carve could cause this. It is a climb cut - moving toward the keypad. When I get the new bit and cover switch, I will experiment on some pine and let you know. The C machine has a clear cover over the back of the servomotors, and there seems to be no dust in there. The belt is good and tight and does not slip even if the machine thinks it does.

I would have given dull bit as the most likely cause. The cut shifts toward the keypad side because the belt slips when cutting to the right. (I think everyone should mark the belt and the y motor drive with a felt marker so they can later tell when the belt has slipped.)

Another hint is if the amount of shift is the same as the spacing of the belt cogs.

[cestout]

I will let you know when I get the parts to replace what I stole to get the other machine up. I just finished the last carve I needed to get done immediately on the running machine (the B) and the torque plate broke. I had to take the end cover off and use a 16 penny nail the crank the head up. I just got another contract, but have a week and a half to get that done. I just used my only spare torque plate on the C machine last week so a new one is in the current order. Bits are on sale, so I guess I need to place a new order - bits and a couple of torque plates. They are only $5.

[Digitalwoodshop]

"I just got another contract, but have a week and a half to get that done."


That is why when I was doing production I have 4 machines..... and placed big orders for spare parts... If you run it as a business like I do then it is all a tax deduction... As a Hobby you miss out on the Tax Advantage.... That being said... I only use 1 machine now and have not placed a order for parts in 2 years... Things have slowed down AND the machine is "Predictable" as to what will go bad... Having the parts is less stressful... AS also seen is the VERY FEW actual Troubleshooting Posts on the forum.... Insert... "Sad Matag Repairman"... LOL

Good Luck,

AL

[cestout]

I guess the moral of this story is that your really don't gain anything by trying to stretch the life of your bits. Chalk this one up to operator error. I installed the cover switch (actually from the over 1000 hours machine) and the new bit and carved a wind bottle stopper - a fairly deep carve - in scrap alder. Worked slick as snot. I don't get big orders like I had last year when I did a bunch of architectural millwork for an upscale home in San Jose. The contractor was looking to buy a CarveWright to do the work himself and I was his StartU contact. He finally decided it would be more cost effective to have me do the work. That is how I got my second machine. But you are right Al, the machines seem to run more reliably and even track better (very important on 2 sided carves). Just spend a little more on bits and a good DC.