carve pattern moves to the left during carve

[knotjustsawdust]

Please help. I am a fairly new carvewright owner ( about 6 months) , havent had any issues with it and love the machine. I was carving a sign with just simple lettering and the carve shifted to the left about a quarter of an inch 15% into the carve. The machine didnt stop, it just kept carving. I cleaned the y rail and the z rail, checked the tension and everything else carvewright told me to try. Nothing works, every carve I do is shifting to the left, sometimes right away, other times half way through the project. Very frustrated. Thanks for any help or sugestions8632486325

[fwharris]

Did support have you reformat the card and reload your project?

[knotjustsawdust]

Yes they did have me try that. This problem is happening with every project, not just one particular sign.

[fwharris]

Did you check the belts for any missing teeth? Is the belt tension bracket screwed down nice and tight and does the screw have a lock washer? Something is causing the Y travel to get off track. It could even be the Y motor mounting screws to the Y gear box. If one is loose the belt tension can cause the gear Y motor shaft to skip on the gear inside the gear box.

[knotjustsawdust]

carvewright told me about the belt tension, I took the belt off, checked for missing teeth, everything is screwed down as tight as possible.

[gashawk]

Dust. Search: Z encoder 101

[Digitalwoodshop]

To me this is a classic worn bearings in the "Y" Gearbox. Did you buy the machine new or is it new? How many cut hours do you have on the machine.

If this is a new machine then likely the "Y" Gearbox is OK... But if it is a used machine then that is your trouble.

The shaft wears thin when the bearings go bad. Causing the machine to skip some teeth in the "Y" Gearbox.

Then that leaves a dull bit...

AL

[knotjustsawdust]

i purchased the machine new about 6 months ago from carvewright. I haver about 90 hours on the machine. I have noticed that my last few carves before this happened were a little rough.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I see the project is running very close to the left and right edge. When you cut away the center and the rubber rollers are only holding the board down on a thin edge things can happen.

One thing you can do is masking tape two strips of wood to each side of the project board and make your designer board wider and center in width.

Check for any loose roller bearings. The ones that roll on the rods in "Y" and "Z".

AL

[knotjustsawdust]

This has happened with any project I have tried. I sometimes use the universal sled for projects and the same thing happens. I am going to check the Y gear box tomorrow like you suggested, I hope that is the answer. I was going to try again today, but i'm getting error messages just while measuring the board. Measures the width, but when it measures the length I get check sensor message. more problems.....

[Digitalwoodshop]

Length problems watch the overhead lights... Too bright can confuse the board sensor.

The bearings might be the 685ZZ Metric for the Gearbox unless it has the new improved gearbox with the one bigger bearing... Speaking of which... Saw something about premature wear on the new gearbox.... Waiting to read more..

Glad you use a sled.

Betting it is a bad bearing....

AL

[knotjustsawdust]

The y gearbox doesn't look worn, one bearing on the z truck was loose, maybe that will fix my problem

[Digitalwoodshop]

If the "Y" gear is worn with the belt off you can wiggle the shaft.

[knotjustsawdust]

Ther is a very slight movement

[Digitalwoodshop]

When the bit goes over to the right side to do a bit check do you hear 2 or 3 pops as it bumps the right side? If you do then the bearings are worn.

I would buy some bearings for the gearbox. But we still don't know if you have the new bigger bearing gear box.

It is to the point where you buy a $90.00 new "Y" Motor and Gearbox or you try to fix the old one.

Picture above.

AL

[knotjustsawdust]

Yes I do hear the pops as it moves to the right side. I think I'm just going to buy the new y motor and gearbox. I'll order it today, thanks for all your help, I'll let you know if this worked.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Great Plan. If you don't mind, can you take the old gearbox apart when you install the new one and take pictures. It should just be a "C" Clip on the back of the gear shaft. If it is the new gearbox with the bigger bearing I would love to buy it from you for testing.

Good Luck,

AL

[bergerud]

It could also just be the belt slipping. Try giving the belt a little extra tension before you start buying parts. (Also test with a new bit.)

[knotjustsawdust]

tightening the belt and checking for missing teeth was one of the first things I tried

[Digitalwoodshop]

I think the "Tell" here is the clicks when the truck goes over to make a bit flag touch... In the early years I heard this often as I and we did not know the Y gearbox was a high wear item....

I am hoping that this old gearbox is a larger bearing unit...

Even just for the pictures.

AL

[bergerud]

The reason I think it is the belt is the size of the jump. One belt tooth. How about marking the belt and Y motor with a felt pen and see if the marks shift.

[knotjustsawdust]

8639686397installed the new y gearbox and I got through a 3 hour carve with no problems. I hope this fixed my problem. These pics are of the old y gearbox that I took out. Thanks again for all of the help

[Digitalwoodshop]

Looks like you have a old style gearbox.

If you can in the future...

Measure the shaft in a few places between the gear and about 1/4 inch away. The spot that normally wears. Just curious....

I would invest in some 685ZZ Bearings and you will have a backup Y or Z Gearbox and Motor.

If the shaft is worn you can buy the $7.00 shaft that Tim is making plus shipping and return it to 100 %.

Good Job.

AL