getting ticked off about tracking issue

[bamaman315]

As we all know wood is not cheap , I have been trying to carve the coin bank pattern and when it comes to the cutting out process it ends up cutting into the pattern. what am I doing wrong? Please help before I go broke on buying wood

[myshop1044]

Could you post a picture of your problem

[fwharris]

It sounds like you are having tracking issues. Check your head pressure, put masking tape on the bottom edge that runs on the brass roller, check your out feed trays for level.

[Mugsowner]

Are you using an inset on the cutting bit?

[mtylerfl]

As we all know wood is not cheap , I have been trying to carve the coin bank pattern and when it comes to the cutting out process it ends up cutting into the pattern. what am I doing wrong? Please help before I go broke on buying wood

Yes, we need a picture or two of your board. Also, we don't know what coin bank you are referring to. (We can tell from your photos when post them.)

[bamaman315]

84470
This is what it is doing this is the second attempt

[bergerud]

It looks to me that you were not staying under the rollers. If you were not using a sled, that carving is too close to the board end.

When a roller drops off the end of the board, the brass roller stops tracking. This, among other things, frequently is the cause of bad tracking. Remember the 7 inch rule.

[Mugsowner]

I would have to agree with Dan here, if not using a sled, this will not carve right.

[bamaman315]

I have had no issues before , I have already made 4 other using the same pattern. My board is actually longer that what the pattern calls for. I did use masking tape under the board with same results

[mtylerfl]

I have had no issues before , I have already made 4 other using the same pattern. My board is actually longer that what the pattern calls for. I did use masking tape under the board with same results

Hi

I think you got lucky with your previous successful carves that allowed the board to leave the captivity of one of the rollers

Humor us and run your project again please, but this time make your board a little over 7" longer than whatever your on-screen board length is

When you are at the machine, Select "Center" when the prompt comes up on the LCD display and continue on with bit loading, etc

Im pretty confident your project will come out right this time because the board will be secured under both rollers at all times

Please let us know how you make out

[Digitalwoodshop]

It's the position of the pattern on THIS board where the distance from the left end of the cut out is TOO Close to the left end of the board and like said above, the board lifts when out from under the roller and the tracking gets messed up.

A FrugAL fix for this is to tape a small section of cut off board on the end AND move the pattern and cut out to the right... On the Screen in Designer, the tracking roller is on the TOP of the screen so you move stuff to the LEFT on the screen. I draw a 4 inch box on the designer board then keep the art to the left.

I ALSO use Place on END or Corner rather than center on board.

AL

[mtylerfl]

Hi AL

I think for a good and simple test it will be best to use the Center option and allow the project to be run on a board that is just over 7" longer than the design layout (this assumes he has laid out the project on a virtual board that the carvable area just fits, of course)

That way we don't introduce any other variables that could throw off the test

BTW I prefer not to Place on End. The reason is when the board length is measured I can visually verify (multiple times) there will be no tracking error by virtue of the board having to feed all the way through end to end. It's sort of a fail safe method to confirm the board will track true during the project actual run

I think it's also a good method to follow especially for newbies or when troubleshooting possible tracking issues

[DianMayfield]

I have not used place on center (just jog to center), but wouldn't it run the board completely through to find center, or does it function like jog?

[fwharris]

I have not used place on center (just jog to center), but wouldn't it run the board completely through to find center, or does it function like jog?

It measures the board, width/length, to find the center of the board.

[cestout]

Use hot glue and the back of your table saw fence as a guide to hot glue a 4" block to each end of a board at least 1/2" longer than your project - and 12/8" wider. (Blocks same thickness at your board and more than half the width.) Stay under the rollers, center, "no" on cut to size.
Clint

[mtylerfl]

Hi Clint

I keep re-reading your post and am not understanding the part about the 4" end boards being 1/2" longer than the project and 12/8" wider

I had two cups of coffee before re-reading this morning and that still didn't help :D

[cestout]

Because of Murphy's law I try to have my boards a teensy wider than called for to account for the machine's measuring. I am cheep so don't like to waste 7" of good wood for each project, so I hot glue a 4" piece the same thickness on each end. To get the pieces on straight so the board will track I use the table saw table and fence as a guide. Because the board sensor looks down the middle of the board when measuring the length, the glued on pieces only have to a little over half the width of the board for one sided carves. You will be asked - Stay under rollers? yes, Center on board? yes, Cut to size? no. Install your bits and away you go. Unless there is a special reason, jogging to position is too much unnecessary bother.
Clint

[bamaman315]

After reading the replies , I went out in the shop and took a good look at my machine . Guess what I saw? The exit tray was tilted down , I adjusted the tray and everything has been running smooth. I am on my 5th carve with no problems other than the screw on the new bit holder stripped out. I took it out and went to lowes and purchased a package of 2 screws for .87 cents. They work great.I was told you can order them from lowes using part number 138441 , I think I am going to order some more since they only had 1 pack. Thanks for all the replies to my problem.