Cutter not touching surface

[Ropdoc]

Hello all,

I have the "C" version with about 170 hours cut time. I am asking if anyone has this same issue and how did you fix it.

During start up where the cutter slides over to the kick plate and touches. My machine does not touch the kick plate. I can restart multiple time and it might eventually touch. The kick plate does rotate out, just that the cutter does not touch the surface of the kick plate or the wood surface. If I make it thru multiple attempts and let the cutting process begin, the cut depth us not the depth I set it for.

I pulled the Z pack motor and sent it into Carvewright and they checked and cleaned the encoder. I reinstalled the motor and the problem is still there.

So I ask if anyone has dealt with this problem and fixed it.

Thank you for your time.
Dave

[SteveNelson46]

Ropdoc

In the far back right corner there are 2 wires that run down from the cover switches. If these wires are away from the corner, even slightly, the Z truck hits them before it hits the bit plate. Since the wires have "give" it can cause an intermittent problem.

[Ropdoc]

Ropdoc

In the far back right corner there are 2 wires that run down from the cover switches. If these wires are away from the corner, even slightly, the Z truck hits them before it hits the bit plate. Since the wires have "give" it can cause an intermittent problem.

Thank you, but that's not it.

[SteveNelson46]

Ropedoc

Assuming that LHR checked out everything on the Z truck, including the belts, then it has to be an obstruction somewhere.

EDIT: I guess it could be a power supply. Sometimes they can create some really weird events that don't seem logical. It could even be a logic board.

[bergerud]

If LHR just checked the z pack, the problem could be the z rollers. They could be too tight or fouled with dust. How easily does the z truck move up and down? The smallest resistance can be mistaken by the computer as a touch on the bit plate.

[Ropdoc]

If LHR just checked the z pack, the problem could be the z rollers. They could be too tight or fouled with dust. How easily does the z truck move up and down? The smallest resistance can be mistaken by the computer as a touch on the bit plate.

I cleaned everything very well. The head moves freely in all directions, Thank you

[bergerud]

Belt clamp behind the z truck scraping? (running out of reasons!)

[Ropdoc]

Belt clamp behind the z truck scraping? (running out of reasons!)

Thank you for your patience. So have I run out of reasons. But yet the machine just sits. If it was a cheap item it would not hurt so much. But this has and it is driving me nuts. I have only one customer. Luckily I have created more things he likes that does not rely on the carvewright. But I do have an order for clocks that he wants and soon. Some how I must get this fixed.

Thank you for the ideas.

[Digitalwoodshop]

This could be a bad FSC Cable problem.
A Binding Z Cog Belt.
It could be a power supply problem too...
Even a Z Servo Driver in the computer...



This more than likely could be a frozen Z Truck Bearing. When you clean and lube the rails, everything looks good as the frozen bearing slides on the clean rails. The trick is to mark the roller bearings with a marker and be sure they move.

But if you look at the symptoms then it tells you it is a binding problem.... as in a frozen bearing... Why? Because the head is reversing when it is going down to touch the bit plate or board. Reversing as IF it had touched the Bit Plate... So that rules out the Encoder, FSC, Servo Driver, and Power Supply... The machine is doing what it is wired to do... REVERSE when the current of the Z Motor Goes UP "as if" it properly touched the bit plate... So "what" would cause the current to be Higher on the way down.... A frozen bearing....

The Lower left as you look at the truck is usually the bad one as all the stuff flung at it....

Humor Me and do a close inspection of the Roller Bearings.... Remember flushing with WD-40 that some have done can be a problem as over spray can mix with sawdust and make a flammable mixture and any WD-40 that gets on your Finished Wood Project Surface "May" cause the finish to "Fish Eye" due to the Silicon in the Water Displacement 40.

AL

[bergerud]

What happens if you give it a little "help" to touch the bit plate. Gently apply a little down force with your hand on the flex?

[Ropdoc]

What happens if you give it a little "help" to touch the bit plate. Gently apply a little down force with your hand on the flex?

interesting idea, but I can't give it little nuges as it is carving.

[Ropdoc]

I will try and look it over tonight. Thank you for advice about a stuck bearing.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Since the source of the error or the beginning sequence of the error is the touching or lack of touching of the bit plate... I would try something strange if all the above does not solve the problem...

Try Removing the Flex Shaft and remove the CORE and tape the end of the flex to prevent the spring from falling out while you do this test... Because with the flex assembly removed and if you load a project the flex will spin up... This could shoot the flex core out of the mchine... What I am trying to accomplish is weather the Flex Assembly is rubbing on the top cover in the process of going down to touch the bit plate... Looking may not reveal this, that is why I suggest removing it... Obviously you would need to STOP the machine before it starts carving but it is the touch or lack of touch of the bit plate that we are looking for. And doing it without damaging the Flex.

AL

[badbert]

interesting idea, but I can't give it little nuges as it is carving.

Please bear with me for a minute. I just want to make sure you understand how this works. The touching of the bit to the plate is to "Set Zero" for the bit. It is to determine where the exact tip is on the bit. Once the measurement is received there would be no need to push down while carving. The measurement is not achieved with a switch. Instead the controller monitors the amount of electrical current necessary to move the Z-truck up and down. When the tip makes contact with the plate the current increases so the controller remembers the position of the encoder. So "any" resistance which causes the current to increase, the controller marks as zero. It is much more sensitive than your hand. With power removed, cover off, and flexshaft removed. Gently, move the Z-truck slowly up and down the rails, carefully feeling for any unusual resistance. If you receive any resistance, find it by process of elimination. You said you sent the Z-motor in. Did you send in the whole Z-Pack or just the motor. The problem could be the Z-Drive gear and bearings.

[Proctorw]

Has it always done this or is this a recent issue? The reason I asking is I bought my machine in late March and I had an issue with the centerline bits air carving. Others on the forum with a machine purchased at the same time also had issues. One point: when I had my issue I didn't have the plate issue you had.

[Ropdoc]

Please bear with me for a minute. I just want to make sure you understand how this works. The touching of the bit to the plate is to "Set Zero" for the bit. It is to determine where the exact tip is on the bit. Once the measurement is received there would be no need to push down while carving. The measurement is not achieved with a switch. Instead the controller monitors the amount of electrical current necessary to move the Z-truck up and down. When the tip makes contact with the plate the current increases so the controller remembers the position of the encoder. So "any" resistance which causes the current to increase, the controller marks as zero. It is much more sensitive than your hand. With power removed, cover off, and flexshaft removed. Gently, move the Z-truck slowly up and down the rails, carefully feeling for any unusual resistance. If you receive any resistance, find it by process of elimination. You said you sent the Z-motor in. Did you send in the whole Z-Pack or just the motor. The problem could be the Z-Drive gear and bearings.

This I understand. I sent in what they asked me to send in.

[Ropdoc]

I disconnected the flex cable from the head and let it go thru initialzing. I seemed to work fine as far as touching goes. With the flex cable connected if I help move the cable with the head all the way to the flip plate and while it touches it seems to do fine. If I do not help it I have problems. Any ideas how to permanently fix it?

[chief2007]

Try rotating the top hat on the top of the spindle 180 degrees. This might help to reposition the flex shaft some.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Normally you don't need to rotate the Top Hat for at least 500 hours....

AL