Clear board sensor????

[djarboe]

Well, just got done with the carving, and when it came time to do the cutout, I keep getting an error that says clear board sensor. I tried brushing off the optical sensors, and no joy. I did notice that the little locating surface on the right side is not flipping out.

I tried blowing it out, and making sure it easily moves out and back in. It does not flip out anyway. Still same error.

Any ideas?

Dave

[henry1]

Well, just got done with the carving, and when it came time to do the cutout, I keep getting an error that says clear board sensor. I tried brushing off the optical sensors, and no joy. I did notice that the little locating surface on the right side is not flipping out.

I tried blowing it out, and making sure it easily moves out and back in. It does not flip out anyway. Still same error.

Any ideas?

Dave
Spray the flip out with WD 40 that will help

[bergerud]

Sorry but I am confused. The board sensor should not even be used between the carving and the cutout. If the bit plate did not flip out, it should have asked to reload bit.

Anyway, the bit plate needs to flip out. Check the cut motor wires in the top right back corner of the cover. Sometimes the z motor hits the wires and the bit plate does not flip out. You should be able to get the bit plate to pop out by moving the carriage by hand (machine off).

[bergerud]

How wide is your board?

[djarboe]

Only 5 inches, plus the rails.

[bergerud]

Maybe you could explain the situation in more detail. The board sensor stuff in the middle of a project makes no sense to me.

[zan29]

It happened to me before I installed a dust collector and while using poplar and the board sensor was actually
stuffed with sawdust!

[djarboe]

Maybe you could explain the situation in more detail. The board sensor stuff in the middle of a project makes no sense to me.

Here's what happened. It finished the carving and asked for the cutting bit. After I put it in, the machine was homing, and when it went over to the little arm that flips out. The arm did not flip out, and that is when it told me to check board sensor.

I can flip out the swinging arm just fine, and its spring pulls it back in, as always.

Sorry to be so ignorant, but what/where is the board sensor???

Dave

[henry1]

Here's what happened. It finished the carving and asked for the cutting bit. After I put it in, the machine was homing, and when it went over to the little arm that flips out. The arm did not flip out, and that is when it told me to check board sensor.

I can flip out the swinging arm just fine, and its spring pulls it back in, as always.

Sorry to be so ignorant, but what/where is the board sensor???

Dave

underneath the Z truck board sensor

[djarboe]

OK, where is the Z truck sensor?

[henry1]

OK, where is the Z truck sensor?

underneath here a few pictures

[bergerud]

The board sensor is an optic sensor in the bottom of the truck. It is little window 1.5" behind the bit and detects the board edges when initially measuring the board.

My confusion is that it is only used to initially measure the board and has nothing to do with changing bits. The type of errors that can occur when changing bits have to do with bit lengths or y belt slips.

If the error message really was about the board sensor, then we have a strange problem with a confused controller.

I suggest you forget the board sensor for now and get the bit plate working properly. It needs to flip out for the bit to touch it. Maybe the pivot either needs to be cleaned and lubed or the wires up in the cover have to be moved.

[djarboe]

I'm not really sure what you are showing me. Some more info...

Cleaned undeneath the Z truck with a brush, and still got the "clear board sensor" message.
It then said "Edge Detection failed, error E03-0400.
Again, the little arm did not swing out.

Actually, the bit never made over far enough for the arm to swing. It stopped right at the outer edge of the board after homing.

[mtylerfl]

I'm not really sure what you are showing me. Some more info...

Cleaned undeneath the Z truck with a brush, and still got the "clear board sensor" message.
It then said "Edge Detection failed, error E03-0400.
Again, the little arm did not swing out.

Actually, the bit never made over far enough for the arm to swing. It stopped right at the outer edge of the board after homing.

If you cleaned the Board Sensor and it still is not working, then it is extremely likely that dust has gotten INSIDE the plastic clear window. You CAN remove the sensor and pry it apart to clean the inside of the window, or I just cut out a new window from some stiff clear plastic from a battery package and replace the window. Seal the perimeter edges of the sensor with a teeny bit of silicon after putting it back together. I've done this twice for my own machines and once for a fellow carver who lives nearby. Works great (as long as you don't have some other issue such as a pinched or damaged sensor wire or something along those lines).

If the truck is not coming over far enough to force the "flipper" out, then you have a mechanical issue...likely the truck is hitting the wire harness at the top-right-back corner (tuck the wires back into the corner out of the way of the truck motion) or your Y belt needs adjustment (just loosen the adjustment screw, then re-tighten...download the Y-truck replacement document from CW Support for details) or it is damaged (missing teeth).

[djarboe]

Care to come to Kansas City to help me through this?? Anybody in the KC area that would care to assist?

I'm trying one last-ditch solution. We have had (with all our storms) a lot of power fluctuations. So, I unplugged the machine from the outlet (probably a good practice anyway). I did notice while pulling the plug that there was a small spark, indicating to me that, even though it is "off" something is still using power.

Will try it again.

Thanks!

[gbrown4]

Try giving Jerry Prinds a call. He is in the KC area. He is a Star U training Guru with CarveWright. I met him at the woodworking show. His number is (deleted...please do not post peoples personal information online...send PM or they can go online to our START U page and send Jerry an emailed request ~lynnfrwd). I live in Concordia, Mo but travel a lot. On the road currently.

Greg Brown




Care to come to Kansas City to help me through this?? Anybody in the KC area that would care to assist?

I'm trying one last-ditch solution. We have had (with all our storms) a lot of power fluctuations. So, I unplugged the machine from the outlet (probably a good practice anyway). I did notice while pulling the plug that there was a small spark, indicating to me that, even though it is "off" something is still using power.

Will try it again.

Thanks!

[cestout]

The power wires for the cut motor can block the Y truck fro going far enough to push the bit plate out. Check that the wires in the back corner over the cut motor are pushed into the corner all the way.
Clint

[fwharris]

Strange but true, If you are having board sensor issues take a look at your FFC cable to see if there are any cracks or breaks in it. The FFC cable is the flat white ribbon cable that comes off the back of the Y truck, laces through the black vertical support bracket in the back of the machine and plugs into the circuit card on the back of the Y rail. Cracks/breaks are most common right at the vertical support bracket as that is where the cable flexes as the Y truck moves back an forth.

[bergerud]

What we have here is a communication problem. Djarboe, put in a nice board and press 7-1. Does your machine measure the board without an error?

(I think what is going on here is simply a clear board senor error while measuring the board. The bit plate does not come out because the machine does not get to that stage. It stops with a board sensor error and does not even finish measuring the board.)

If you get the error measuring the board, blow off the board sensor with some compressed air and try it again.

[mtylerfl]

...

If you get the error measuring the board, blow off the board sensor with some compressed air and try it again.

He already said he brushed it off, so blowing it off probably won't work to correct the problem. Likely will need to disassemble and clean inside or replace the window as described above (or take the "ea$y" way out and just order a new sensor).

[bergerud]

In my experience, compressed air works sometimes when a brush does not.

[mtylerfl]

In my experience, compressed air works sometimes when a brush does not.

I'll cross my fingers. ;)

[djarboe]

If you cleaned the Board Sensor and it still is not working, then it is extremely likely that dust has gotten INSIDE the plastic clear window. You CAN remove the sensor and pry it apart to clean the inside of the window, or I just cut out a new window from some stiff clear plastic from a battery package and replace the window. Seal the perimeter edges of the sensor with a teeny bit of silicon after putting it back together. I've done this twice for my own machines and once for a fellow carver who lives nearby. Works great (as long as you don't have some other issue such as a pinched or damaged sensor wire or something along those lines).

If the truck is not coming over far enough to force the "flipper" out, then you have a mechanical issue...likely the truck is hitting the wire harness at the top-right-back corner (tuck the wires back into the corner out of the way of the truck motion) or your Y belt needs adjustment (just loosen the adjustment screw, then re-tighten...download the Y-truck replacement document from CW Support for details) or it is damaged (missing teeth).

So how do I get to the board sensor? Do I have to remove the Z truck? Is that difficult?

[bergerud]

So how do I get to the board sensor? Do I have to remove the Z truck? Is that difficult?


See: http://www.carvewright.com/assets/service/Service_instructions/CarveWright_service_replace_board_sensor.pdf

Look at it closely with a mirror to see if it is dusty. Have you tested it on white paper?

Check page 46 of : http://www.carvewright.com/assets/service/Manuals/CarveWright_manual_C_SN.pdf

[djarboe]

How the heck do you get to the sensor??? I can barely see it with the carriage raised as instructed. The rollers are mostly blocking it. Removing the screws would seem almost impossible.

Also, how do I check the board sensor reading?

[bergerud]

Raise the head almost all the way up and use a short screw driver. A mirror is useful. Have you done the white paper sensor test? Do that first.

[fwharris]

Also, how do I check the board sensor reading?

Go to user options, 0,7, and scroll down to the board sensor reading. You will need to load a board into the machine and lower the head down to the board. Move the head across the board and observe the sensor reading.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Back to basics... The board sensor is connected to the computer through the fsc cable that is a consumable as in it will flex only so many times and then the thin copper strips will snap... Since the copper is held with the plastic, they can work as the ends touch then when moved not touch causing an error. So always have a spare cable....

The Board Sensor is just a IR Flashlight and a IR Sensor that measures the reflective light off the board. The brighter the reflected energy the higher the reading... A 156 is a max reading and if you want to test your Board Sensor it is best to use a sheet of copy paper. It gives a standard reflection and a 156. IF your number was lower it can simply be a dusty window of the board sensor.

In the early days I would cut the back off of the sensor to clean the window.

The Sensor wires can get pinched in the Truck.

And in picture 1 a component is missing off the board where the white rectangle is, damaged sometimes by removing the plug.

You should also move the head and the flex cable watching the readings looking for flicker and a broken flex cable....

In the last picture showing the plug... I recommend having one of the 4 wire board sensor cables for times like this where you can plug the cable in the TOP and your extra board sensor bypassing the installed sensor and 4 wire cable that gets shorted to ground when you tug it down to change a sensor... It slides along the plastic guide and hits the sharp metal edge. This is for TROUBLESHOOTING.... It half splits the problem.... So you learn that the problem is in the old board sensor or 4 wire cable OR the FSC Cable.

Good Luck,

AL

[djarboe]

Well, I tried that, and it only tells me if the cover is open or closed.

[lynnfrwd]

That doesn't sound like the board sensor reading. It should give you numbers.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Well, I tried that, and it only tells me if the cover is open or closed.

THAT is the first condition that the system can monitor... use the down arrow to find all the others.....

:)

[djarboe]

To all that have helped me, thanks. I tried the sensor test and got no results. Before that, however, I did, as best I could, use a compressed air can, and also a soft brush on the optical sensor.

I decided what the heck and stuck in a scrap board. It actually measured the width!!!!

So, I loaded my workpiece and restarted with the cutouts only (as you recall, the carving was already done). Worked like a charm (don't want to jinx it here.) It measured the board, and the cutting head went over to find the bit, and the swing arm flipped out just as it should.

It's now cutting away.

I have no idea what made the difference... probably "the force" working thru all your combined thoughts.

Thanks everyone.!!!!!!

Dave

[manddrakes]

Hi,
So I was carving a project and near the end of the project the 90 degree bit while running center line dove deep into my project. I started it again and right out of the gate the bit went deep into the project and after the second try didn't work I started it again, but this time the z truck moved about two inches and gave me a board error. I replaced the cable behind the z truck and used another sensor with no luck. I also checked the sensor reading and the reading stays at zero. Does anyone have some input? Thanks, Mike

[bergerud]

Usually, multi errors like this are due to wiring problems. The FFC ribbon. Is that the wire you replaced? Check the connections at each end again. Check that the wire that runs down through the truck to the board sensor is not pinched and grounding out inside.

[manddrakes]

Usually, multi errors like this are due to wiring problems. The FFC ribbon. Is that the wire you replaced? Check the connections at each end again. Check that the wire that runs down through the truck to the board sensor is not pinched and grounding out inside.

I replaced the FFC ribbon as well from another machine. I replaced the wire behind the x truck and tried two different sensors.

[bergerud]

Next, I guess you have to try and swap the little z electronics board that the FFC and board sensor connect to.

[manddrakes]

That I don't have a spare of... What does one of those run?

[henry1]

That I don't have a spare of... What does one of those run?

Go here you will see what they are worth
http://store.carvewright.com/home.php?cat=392

[bergerud]

I thought you had a second machine to swap parts with.

$15. http://store.carvewright.com/product.php?productid=16197&cat=254&page=2

It could be the other end board as well.

http://store.carvewright.com/product.php?productid=16200&cat=254&page=1

Aokweld had to replace the head termination board awhile back.

[manddrakes]

I thought you had a second machine to swap parts with.

$15. http://store.carvewright.com/product.php?productid=16197&cat=254&page=2

It could be the other end board as well.

http://store.carvewright.com/product.php?productid=16200&cat=254&page=1

Aokweld had to replace the head termination board awhile back.

I have another machine but I gave the z truck to a friend in need, so I will have to buy another board. It the old craftsman model style. Thanks, for the link!

[bergerud]

Too bad if it is not the problem.

[Digitalwoodshop]

When swapping FFC Cables be aware that the very old machines had a 18 pin cable and the newer ones are 14. Mix and match and you can burn out the machine...

AL

[manddrakes]

Will this work with the older craftsman model? Look a bit different...

[Digitalwoodshop]

Will this work with the older craftsman model? Look a bit different...

See pictures... I call it a 16 pin in my very old pictures... it's 18... Can't count with my shoes on... :)

AL

[manddrakes]

Mine is the older style 16 pin. Does Carvewright still carry them?

[manddrakes]

See pictures... I call it a 16 pin in my very old pictures... it's 18... Can't count with my shoes on... :)

AL
Yes, 18 pin is what I have.

[bergerud]

Nice catch Al!!

Can one just buy the two boards and the 14 wire FFC or does one have to buy the whole conversion kit with the z motor?