Very frustrated

[Geophyrd]

I don't mean to sound like a newbie. I've been on this board for awhile, logged around 250 hours on my Carvewright and made some lovely objects, some of fairly sophisticated complexity. I like my CW when its working but I'm not an engineer, I'm not all that terribly handy and my self-knowledge makes me loathe to unscrew the entire unit, take it apart and be confident as to whether I will EVER be able to put it back together again correctly. I know that I'm at a point where the brushes on the motor need changing, but I'm not confident in my ability to do the job.

The machine has always pretty danged finicky and now the cut motor simply won't work. I've read about changing out the brushes (the video was helpful, but did not do any closeups to tell you what to do with them when you have them inserted). I read everything on the forum about problems and still don't know what some of the things everyone is talking about may be. Some of the jargon is pretty thick and I'm considering sending the whole unit back to LHR (at $85 shipping) and asking them to do a full system checkout. I like it when it works, but danged if it breaks down just a little too often for my liking.

So I guess this is me venting. But I'm also the one that had 20+ hours into a carve, a z axis fail (and $70 worth of oak now wasted), a cut motor that won't cut nuttin' and, potentially a cost to ship my unit back to its manufacturer. Is this the gift that keeps on giving (taking)? I cannot proceed on my current project until the doors are done and it does not look like that's happening anytime soon and its because I cannot count on my carving machine to do what its meant to do.

[gregsolano]

Perhaps there is someone near you who could help. You might try to reach out to someone close by. The brushes are really not that hard with the exception of the brush caps sticking and damaging the caps to remove them. That is the only problem I have encountered changing brushes many times on several machines.

[Dale]

I checked your profile and it does not mention where you are located. If we knew where you lived there might be someone close by to help

[aokweld101]

I think you are talking {extreme measures} If you send it back to LHR it's not that hard to do.... unplug the machine and use a magnetic screwdriver #1 take the flexshaft off from the chuck either take flexshaft out or put tape on the end of the flexshaft so the spring and flexshaft won't fall out #2 Take off the two screws for the mounting cover the ones in the center of the cover and take out the two outside screws on the back of the cover #3 unplug the two white wires coming out of the cut motor going to the cover switch unplug the other wire on the other side from the circut board and remove cover #4 unplug the connector that is on the top of the cut motor #5 loosen the three screws holding the cut motor and take out the cut motor #6 take off the two big caps ond take out the brushes and put new brushes in... just reverse the order that you took them off in

[Digitalwoodshop]

At 250 Cut Hours the brushes could be too short to reach the copper... A Tap with the back of the screwdriver sometimes lets the motor start up again... but I would not carve anything... That just is a quick and dirty way to see if it is JUST BRUSHES....

When you open up the motor if you decide too.... You will find a screw inside the muffler hole that is easlily missed... But like posted above you could just remove the motor from the machine and then just change the brushes without opening the motor... It is best to blow out the dust but not mandatory.

And remember to tuck the Cut Motor wires into the back right side corner when you are done or the Y head will not be able to reach the Bit Flag...

My phone number and email are on my web page below if you need help... And let us know what part to the country you are in....

I remember one time back in 2007 when ChrisAlb and I met another carver in a Church Parking lot and we swapped out the Sand Paper Belts for a 3rd User Chisel Me Timbers....


AL

[Geophyrd]

You guys are pretty awesome. Thank you for all your advice. I live in Yardley, PA and, so far as I know, there aren't any carvers anywhere near to here. I wish there was...we could swap ideas! For example, in replacing the flexshaft, I had NO idea that you were supposed to take the cover off. The instructions didn't say so, so I spent a couple of hours trying to get it threaded through the back, turned into the motor and deep enough that it locked into place. Then I complained and someone said I should have taken the cover off. I'll never get those 2-3 hours of my life back.

I'll order the brushes from LHR and give it a try. Worst case scenario is that I have to send it back to them anyhow, but not perfectly put back together. Thank you again

[fwharris]

Looks to be several Pa. carvers so maybe some will see this and you can get together some how...

[bergerud]

Excuse me for contradicting everyone, but I can change my brushes with a coin. There is no problem accessing the brush caps. I can understand wanting to take a good look at the commutator and looking for dust in the motor, but taking the motor out to change the brushes seems excessive to me. A novice could easily get in over his head and cause more damage than good. I would say, for the first brush change at least, just go buy a wide blade stubby or right angle screw driver. Crank the head up and tip the machine over for the one on the bottom.

One can still see the condition of things with a flashlight and a mirror if, for example, one thinks that a really worn brush may have caused some damage.

[aokweld101]

bergerud I agree that it can be done, I had a problem with trying that being a novice at the time, I broke one of the brushes on the bottom trying to see what I was doing, ended up doing the brushes taking the cut motor off. Now I can do the brushes in 10 mins. I have to say that I had no problem, except for not tucking the wires in for the cut motor I have felt that if I didn't do it I wouldn't learn it.

[bergerud]

I do have a little trick which helps. Sometimes it is difficult to start the cap threads when the brush spring is pushing against you or jamming. One must be very careful not to cross thread the cap. I drill a 1/16 hole in the center of the brush caps. Then I can push in the brush spring in with a wire (or the drill bit) through the hole in the cap as I thread on the cap.

[aokweld101]

That is a good idea bergerud I will have to do that.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I LOVE the Hole Idea.... I knew better but I DID snap my bottom Brush cover by using a screwdriver that was TOO Narrow... Like a wedge... Split it... I now have a screwdriver just for that... I like the coin idea too....

I fought with the bottom brush cap until I finally took the motor out... Now I just take the motor out...

But your right, you CAN.... change both brushes without taking the motor out...

AL

[liquidguitars]

I drill a 1/16 hole in the center of the brush caps. Then I can push in the brush spring in with a wire

Hmm, not only a mathematics wizard but a second story guy...

[Capt Bruce]

And one suspects he's a mean safe cracker as well . . .

[bergerud]

Remember one of my first posts??

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?11381-QC-disassembly-trick&p=89680#post89680

What's in your safe?

[liquidguitars]

------ :)

[liblakelady]

I don't mean to sound like a newbie. I've been on this board for awhile, logged around 250 hours on my Carvewright and made some lovely objects, some of fairly sophisticated complexity. I like my CW when its working but I'm not an engineer, I'm not all that terribly handy and my self-knowledge makes me loathe to unscrew the entire unit, take it apart and be confident as to whether I will EVER be able to put it back together again correctly. I know that I'm at a point where the brushes on the motor need changing, but I'm not confident in my ability to do the job.

The machine has always pretty danged finicky and now the cut motor simply won't work. I've read about changing out the brushes (the video was helpful, but did not do any closeups to tell you what to do with them when you have them inserted). I read everything on the forum about problems and still don't know what some of the things everyone is talking about may be. Some of the jargon is pretty thick and I'm considering sending the whole unit back to LHR (at $85 shipping) and asking them to do a full system checkout. I like it when it works, but danged if it breaks down just a little too often for my liking.

So I guess this is me venting. But I'm also the one that had 20+ hours into a carve, a z axis fail (and $70 worth of oak now wasted), a cut motor that won't cut nuttin' and, potentially a cost to ship my unit back to its manufacturer. Is this the gift that keeps on giving (taking)? I cannot proceed on my current project until the doors are done and it does not look like that's happening anytime soon and its because I cannot count on my carving machine to do what its meant to do.

I am with you on the finicky machine. I only have about 60 hours on my machine due to some problems out of the box but I totally understand your frustration. Today I set out to carve a simple little board and now I can't get my head to come down. The handle just clicks when I turn it. I don't have time or the patience to try to take the unit apart today so instead I am going to disappoint a little girl who I promised this sign to. And btw, I am an engineer by education. I think the machinists are the ones who have the advantage with this machine. Just my little rant for the day. Happy turkey day all.

[bergerud]

If the head is jammed all the way up. Use the hole in the right lift screw to unjam it.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I am with you on the finicky machine. I only have about 60 hours on my machine due to some problems out of the box but I totally understand your frustration. Today I set out to carve a simple little board and now I can't get my head to come down. The handle just clicks when I turn it. I don't have time or the patience to try to take the unit apart today so instead I am going to disappoint a little girl who I promised this sign to. And btw, I am an engineer by education. I think the machinists are the ones who have the advantage with this machine. Just my little rant for the day. Happy turkey day all.

Look in the Operators Manual, it is one of the very first things you learn when actually reading the manual that helps you when you crank the head too high. Like posted above, the little hole in the Jacking Screw to prime the threads.

Sorry you dissapointed the little girl... You might also find tips and tricks too and study the other things that can trip you up.

Good Luck,

AL

[NLAlston]

Look in the Operators Manual, it is one of the very first things you learn when actually reading the manual that helps you when you crank the head too high. Like posted above, the little hole in the Jacking Screw to prime the threads.

Sorry you dissapointed the little girl... You might also find tips and tricks too and study the other things that can trip you up.

Good Luck,

AL

Wow...I am SO glad that I browsed, here. I had done my very first carving, this evening, and (after reading this) remembered that I had cranked my head up, quite a bit, in order to get my dust collector's brush under there. Sure enough, it was stuck. My handle turnings produced just clicks - no lowering of the head, and I feared for doing even that too many times. So, I am on point about that, now, and will see to it that I do NOT exceed that limit again.

And, I am going to be reading over that manual again, and again, and...(well, I think you get it :)).

Blessings,
Nathan

[Digitalwoodshop]

Good Job... You will find so many things that you must know to keep you out of trouble using the machine and the frustration level low.... That was the reason for us writing the Tips and Tricks as we call them Pilot Errors. Crashing the plane becasue of lacking in knowledge about something as simple as "Stay under the Rollers?" Answering wrong and you have a broken bit or a scaled down project. We call it the 7 inch rule of wood and is something that results in just about as many posts as the head clicks.

WE have all had our moments.... One of my early posts was because I used a mpc project over renaming it and changing it to a sign from a clock. It was now all V90 Text. Every time I put a board in the machine was asking for the Carving Bit... I was SO confused... Turns out... the back of the old project had a CARVE REGION on the back for a Clock.... so not only was I missing the LCD message of... "Insert BACK of Board" but I forgot about the Carve Region... I posted the mpc and got the answer in short order....

:) AL