Heart Attack!!!!!!!!

[Sarge]

Here I've been bragging on how great my machine has been doing.........:oops: I had a 3 hour plaque carving, went out and paused it to vacuum it out. Upon closing the cover, it started to carve again. About three passes into continuing, it stopped. I looked around, and noticed an error message. Something like "Machine Debug _ _ _ _" ??????

I waited for about three minutes, and it said "Reboot the machine" !!! CRAP, here goes my carving and expensive wood. I rebooted it and it went thru the usual. When it asked if I wanted it to center on board, I opted to "JOG" it into the start position. I moved the bit to where it lined up just touching the inside of the carved area. Hit "Enter" and ...............I'LL BE DARNED, it took off just like it was carving. (She didn't even realize she was cutting air:razz: ). I just hope/think I got it lined up enough to not mess up the area already carved.

Anyone else had this malfunction?

[pkunk]

Sounds like you zapped it with static electricty. It happens when vacuuming & If it's good wood the best thing to do is start over after rebooting. It won't carve anything until it gets to where it left off but you don't have to worry avout whether you're in the right place or not.

[Sarge]

So, did my body shock it or my vacuum hose? It does make sense, but I didn't see any spark, or feel any.:-?

[pkunk]

Most likely the vacuum. You won't feel it as it goes through the machine to ground. There's been several threads on this subject, too.;)

[Digitalwoodshop]

Yes, as the air and chips flow through the vacuum hose a static charge in the thousands of volts is generated. High voltage, low current.

They sell grounding kits for dust collecting that is just a bear stranded copper wire you run inside the pipe.

If you search the web for dust collecting static you will find stories of guys turning off the shop lights at night and seeing the arc's all over the place.

One guy woke up 4 hours later... touched the plastic exhaust duct and it knocked him out cold. Lucky he didn't fall into the equipment...

Static can light gas fumes or wood dust in the right fuel mixture to air causing a big bang....

There is a video on the web at a US Air Force gas station. A guy with a plastic bed liner in his truck filling metal gas cans inside the truck bed. The flowing fuel creates static. The pump is grounded. The can's in the truck can have a positive charge from sitting in the bed. Bring the grounded nozzle to the can is the reverse of you touching the door knob and hearing the snap.

The guy got burned but lived... great video.

Look for warning stickers in truck beds about putting the gas can on the ground.

That's why I am building my dust collector from copper board so it will be grounded through the metal pipe to the collector. So I don't kill my machine. It scrambles the logic circuits.... That is why the error.

Good Luck

AL

[Jeff_Birt]

Static likes to build up in the shop-vac hose. You can get static dissapative hoses and fittings which will help. If you have an old-dog of a shop-vac you may need to just put it out of it's misery and get a newer one designed with static safety in mind. Here are a couple articals I found on teh subject.

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/PVC_piping.html
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/rodec/woodworking/articles/DC_myths.html

[Gman_Ind]

Thanks JB I like the wood web, great info I found a few local small sawmills throgh there and saved me a pile of money on wood and I found legacy walnut not easy to find anymore.
My shopvac I only used on the promax sander because the hose fits perfect but it does build up quite the static charge, it attracts a coating of sanding dust even, that always falls off at the wrong time.
Personally when I get my machine alive i am building a down draft cabinet, I am going to add a larger air blower and maybe sound proof it as well. I will run it from the main dust collector not the vacuum. From what I read my dustless approach will help the sensors stay clear.
Has anyone used that spray antistatic on the cover? It does a good job for reducing static cling on clothes, furniture, plastic shielding and other plastic stuff.

[Sarge]

Gman - I was going to direct you over here for your other post. I see you found it. Yea, I guess it's time for me to become a "real" craftsman and fork out the ducks for a "real" dust collector. :rolleyes:

[Gman_Ind]

Yes I am stuck with a dead machine and am posting all over the place today.
I picked up a decent 900cfm from harbor freight, added 4" steel duct runs and blast gates, the ost time consuming part was making the sheet metal dust hoods for the jointer and old contractors style saw. I upgraded the saw to a cabinet saw and most good tools now have dust collection built in. I also use a Jet air filtration unit overhead to clean the fine dust from the air, do your lungs a favor and get the dust out of the air.

[MAX COX]

After sending my machine back for several different repairs since bought
in march of 2006, it has really been working well until today. i was 3 1/2
hours into an 8 hour carve when it decided to act up. error 246 showed up and have not been able to clear it. anyone else? will have to call CW on
monday. hope everyone else can keep the chips flying. this project was
for JDRF benefit auction. BUMMER.

[dukecreek]

I got the same error code (Z axis stall - error 246) and can't get rid of it.

[nodwell]

I have found that when I get this message it is usually caused by the swing arm not extending properly and the tip of the bit not contact it. Watch for this (after it asks for bit) and if this is your problem do a search on this forum. There are plenty of tips/solutions in the troubleshooting area.

Don