Error : Check Tracking roller

[jussi]

Ok so I'm using the machine for the first time in a few years and I wanted to make sure it was working ok and decided to put in a board and just see if it could read the measurements. It seems to start ok but after a little while it stalls on one spot and keeps moving the board back and forth like 1/4" at a time faster and faster. Occassionally it gives up and displays a Check Tracking Roller message. I looked it up and I think I went through the possible solutions ok. Wiped the rollers, blew air at sides of the rollers where the washers are, made sure board was over 1/2" but still no joy. Ugh, I think I remember why I put it in storage for so long. :(

[Digitalwoodshop]

WELCOME BACK....

First is the board perfect? IF board is thin at that point it could be loosing pressure pushing the board down AND if the board is missing any wood on the underside edge at the keyboard.. What is happening is that the Brass Tracking Roller is loosing contact with the board.... Many use Masking Tape on the bottom of the board at the Brass Roller to help it grip and make sort of a Rack and Pinion.

Head Pressure, a Rolled under belt, Dust in the Brass Roller area, a Broken TOOTH in the Y (Edit: Corrected to X) Gearbox, and a bad board. The Right Side Sliding Guide hitting the board, should be the thickness of a Quarter away.

Since you joined in 2007, look throught the troubleshooting posts and at the conversion from the 18 pin FFC Cable to the 14 pin called the A907 Upgrade. Use Caution to know that you have installed as if you push a new 14 pin cable, that flat one that hooks to the Z Truck... It can SHORT out your machine... Wider 14 pins in a thinner 18 pin circuit board.... Not sure how long you have been gone....


AL

[jussi]

It's been several years. At least 3 I think. I actually got the machine in 2009.

The board is mdf so it's dead flat. Actually it was only 3/8" thick so I double them up and used double stick tape to hold them together. Could that be a problem?

I tried using the masking tape. Blowing out the brass roller. Moving the sliding guide about 1/8" away from the board. No luck.

It just keeps going forward and back going and faster and faster until it usually just gives up. Sometimes I have to turn it off.

[bergerud]

We just had someone else the other day with the same x axis oscillation problem and it turned out, I think, to be an un-level head. Normally your problem is caused by sloppy x gears. I do not know if the firmware has been fixed to better handle the x gear backlash. Maybe a software upgrade will fix it. If not, we are ready with more theories!

[jussi]

We just had someone else the other day with the same x axis oscillation problem and it turned out, I think, to be an un-level head. Normally your problem is caused by sloppy x gears. I do not know if the firmware has been fixed to better handle the x gear backlash. Maybe a software upgrade will fix it. If not, we are ready with more theories!

Is there any way to fix an uneven head. One thing I did remember from the last time was to grease the posts. Which I did. I used white lithium grease and it moves pretty easily. I also removed the sensor and while there are some small dust particles inside, it seems relatively clean.

[Digitalwoodshop]

To check head level place a board on both sides of the machine with a strip of paper on top and crank down. Pull paper and if it pulls out easy you have a high head.

You can also use the bit and touch the board while reading the Z Data in Srensor Data.

To level. remove the bottom of the machine (Un Plug first), and disconnect one side of the cross connect gears.

AL

[bergerud]

If the head in un-level, it can be leveled. It is most likely one of the things Al said in post 2. (I think he meant X Gearbox not Y Gearbox)

[rbrown]

It's been several years. At least 3 I think. I actually got the machine in 2009.

The board is mdf so it's dead flat. Actually it was only 3/8" thick so I double them up and used double stick tape to hold them together. Could that be a problem?

I tried using the masking tape. Blowing out the brass roller. Moving the sliding guide about 1/8" away from the board. No luck.

It just keeps going forward and back going and faster and faster until it usually just gives up. Sometimes I have to turn it off.

I had the same problem before. Being a newbie (I bought a used machine.) I didn't know all the things to look for until I finally blew up the x gears (from it jerking back and forth.) while trying all different kinds of tape, sled designs, supports for the sled, praying to god and speaking French, because it wasn't working. (I was trying to get a 7' sled working in my machine.)

And while I was looking at how to fix it, and I was looking at the parts list saw that there is supposed to be a rubber O ring on the brass roller. So while taking it apart, found that it had slipped off the brass roller onto the shaft on the inside of the machine. I bought the updated rubber belts and 2 x gears (1 for a spare. Just in case.) installed them and put the O ring back on where it's supposed to be on the brass roller and haven't had the problem since. When you load boards you need to carefully load them so you don't knock the o ring off. and keep checking it to make sure it is still on every so often.

I would check that first... before you blow up your x gears.

[jussi]

Ok good news is I think (with some help from LHR) I figured out the problem. Waaaay too much head pressure. It went to 320 before I heard the click. Evidently it's supposed to be 85? As a test I dialed it way back down and guesstimated a good pressure and it did the measurement just fine. But now I obviously need to fix it to get a more precise pressure than my guess. Tech said there are directions on how to lower the pressure but am having trouble finding it. Can someone help me out with a link.

Thanks for all the advice. Rbrown I think the rubber o ring is missing on my machine as well. Anyone know what size and thickness it is?

Also can someone tell me about these rubber belts and what advantages they offer and if it's worth it for an occasional user. Although it will be alot more than every 3 years :)

[bergerud]

http://www.carvewright.com/assets/service/Service_instructions/CarveWright_service_adjust_head_pressure.pdf

[Digitalwoodshop]

If the head in un-level, it can be leveled. It is most likely one of the things Al said in post 2. (I think he meant X Gearbox not Y Gearbox)

Thanks.. fixed that... :) X Gearbox.....

[rbrown]

Size is here:
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?26261-O-ring-size&highlight=ring

Also make sure it isn't in between the brass roller and the machine... That is where mine was.

I seem to get a lot better traction with the rubber belts doing bigger projects, so if you can afford them, get them.
The sandpaper belts are like a belt sander after a while the belt sander belt will stretch and the belt will get slippery on the inside and start slipping.
Plus they roll up eventually and it also deposits sand paper grit into the machine which isn't a good thing as far as I'm concerned...
I rather not have sand in my machine.