Tear down and rebuild

[karossii]

I have had my machine partially apart twice now. Both times, to work on the four corner posts to try and fix a head pressure issue. Which I resolved, but it was never back to like-new (I think I only got it back up to the high 60's, not 75+ pounds). I have decent 'handyman' and mechanical skills. I even have average to above average skills at working with microelectronics. I've just been afraid of doing damage to my very expensive machine.

But the past two weeks, I have done more carving with it than in the past several years since I bought it, and have had a myriad of odd errors crop up. Some I know were user error. But some seem to be machine error. Check tracking roller. Check board sensor. I don't remember the error code, but I have twice had it crap out in the next to last pass of a vector carve with the 1/2" ogee bit, only making it .375" of the .5" depth which is the default depth given that bit, something about the z-axis. I redid that carve in designer, setting the dpeth to .375", and it carved just fine... so for some reason it can't make it to the full .5" the bit is made to go to.

That said, it still carves mostly fine. Yesterday I did an hour carve and a two hour carve, and aside from having to ignore the check tracking roller error messages twice, both carved fine with no other errors, and the carves came out just fine. I am pretty sure that error comes from using a longer/heavier board, with inadequate head pressure. As soon as I cut the board down to size, or support it with a homemade roller stand, the error goes away.

Also, I have not been the best at preventative maintenance. I've only lubed the flexshaft once (recently). I have Floyd's dust collector, but I only blow out the dust that it misses every second or third carve. I forget and leave the final bit for a project in the machine overnight (or longer) on at least half my carves.

So, I have decided it is time for me to get over my timidity, and tear this machine apart. To some degree, at least. Clean it up, look for minor problems before they become major. Try to get the head pressure back up to the mid 70s. And etc. Tomorrow will be the day. I have set aside several hours to do this.

What all should I plan to tear apart? What should I avoid getting into? Is there anything else I should be aware of before taking on this task?

Thanks!

[edit/addendum] ... in case it makes a difference, I have a B model, with the carvetight upgrade and rubber belts, about 40-50 hours of run time, and about 30 hours on the cut motor...

[DickB]

I have never torn my machine apart and would not recommend it. I would work on the individual problems. For example, it sounds like you are being too aggressive with the ogee bit. If you want to cut to .5", set the max depth per pass to .25". There have been many, many posts on tracking error. You should not ignore the error. Find the cause and fix it.

[karossii]

I had it set to .125" per pass. I don't think that is aggressive. (I always set max depth for any assigned bit to .1" or .125".) It repeatedly failed just as it got to the starting point for the last pass, and tried to plunge from .375" down to .5". That's how I knew (or assumed) that .375" would work fine.

The tracking error I'm pretty sure is due to inadequate cleaning, and/or a remnant of my head pressure issues. Same with the board sensor.

I already had to tear the machine half apart when I was working on the corner posts for the head pressure issues. I figure taking it a bit further, cleaning and lubing more pieces of the machine, will help. Hopefully, it will at least give me a few more pounds of head pressure, if nothing else. But really, I'm hoping it will do that, and eliminate any other minor issues that are there...

[fwharris]

Ken,

There is probably no need to "tear down" the machine in the true sense. What you probably need is just a good deep cleaning, lube and inspection.

For the deep cleaning use WD-40 sprayed on a rag and wipe down the Y/Z rails and bearings to remove any build up. To clean the bearing faces press the WD-40 on the rag up against the bearing face and move the truck back on forth on the rails several times. Reapply the WD-40 until you do not see any residue. While moving the Y/Z truck listen and feel for any clicking or resistance in the movement.

On the corner posts, lower the head about 1-2" from the top and spray the WD-40 at the top of the head to flush out the area of the corner posts. Make sure you place rags inside the machine to catch any over spray and run down on the posts. Raise and lower the head several times. This should help your head pressure also.

Before lubing wipe down everything with a clean rag to remove any left over WD-40.

You might also add some grease (any good bearing grease) behind the clutch washer on the crank handle. Remove the handle and spring and with a small tip screw driver work the grease in behind the washer. Reassemble and raise and lower the head several times and at the lower end when the clutch starts clicking give it several cranks.

Tracking errors, check to insure the out feed tray are level with the roller belts. Inspect the O ring is in good shape. If any cracking replace it. Replacement O rings can be found at Ace stores. Verify that the damper spring is in place under the tracking roller bracket. Press down on the roller and you should feel resistance and the roller should not go down all of the way.

[Alan Malmstrom]

I found the maintenance youtube tutorials to be an easy way to learn how to fix problems: http://www.carvewright.com/support-page/maintenance/

[lynnfrwd]

Also on YouTube under CarvedIt

[cestout]

Don't forger to clean an lube the screw posts.
Clint

[karossii]

Okay, sorry for the delayed reply. Stuff came up, kept me busy.

First; Thank You to Floyd, who caught me before I did to much, and gave me some good advice.

Based on his advice, I did not tear it apart nearly as much as I had planned. I simply took off the sides and bottom, and did a deep cleaning. I checked the various gears and bearings that are readily accessible, and cleaned and lubed everything up (everything except the flexshaft, which I lubed just a few weeks back, and have put only a couple dozen hours on the machine since).

It took me twice as long as it should have, probably longer - between a new baby in the house, and both my wife and I working from home, our schedules are always hectic. It was a good 18 hours or more from start to finish, though of course only about 2-4 hours of that was time spent in the machine.

I already carved another 5 hour project after the cleaning, and aside from one issue of user error (somehow I changed the size of a copy/pasted vector shape, and the two halves don't match up), it carved beautifully.

I do want to plan on a regular maintenance schedule of some kind, something I do once a week, or once a month, etc., since I am planning on actually using the machine as much as I can from here on out... I might be posting some more about that soon.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Okay, sorry for the delayed reply. Stuff came up, kept me busy.

First; Thank You to Floyd, who caught me before I did to much, and gave me some good advice.

Based on his advice, I did not tear it apart nearly as much as I had planned. I simply took off the sides and bottom, and did a deep cleaning. I checked the various gears and bearings that are readily accessible, and cleaned and lubed everything up (everything except the flexshaft, which I lubed just a few weeks back, and have put only a couple dozen hours on the machine since).

It took me twice as long as it should have, probably longer - between a new baby in the house, and both my wife and I working from home, our schedules are always hectic. It was a good 18 hours or more from start to finish, though of course only about 2-4 hours of that was time spent in the machine.

I already carved another 5 hour project after the cleaning, and aside from one issue of user error (somehow I changed the size of a copy/pasted vector shape, and the two halves don't match up), it carved beautifully.

I do want to plan on a regular maintenance schedule of some kind, something I do once a week, or once a month, etc., since I am planning on actually using the machine as much as I can from here on out... I might be posting some more about that soon.

Good job !!!!

That Half not matching up could really be a board size smaller and the LCD asked you to scale it and you didn't catch it.... and said yes.

Just a WAG... Wild AL Guess....

AL

[karossii]

Thanks, Al - but no, I checked the project in designer, and somehow I changed the height of that vector by 0.825" after copying and pasting it. I corrected it and am recarving that half right now.

[fwharris]

Great to hear your back up and carving! I take it that your deep clean and lube has resolved your tracking and head pressure issues then.