Time to Switch The Switch

[Kenm810]

Just went through the problems with cut motor switch, It seemed at first that the switch was very touchy. If you closed the front of the machine as you normally would, only the switch on the Led Pad side would give you a click. I would have to push down on the lid to get both switches to click. The machine would start to cave the project, within a few seconds or minutes the cut motor would stop. Most likely do to the machines own vibrations, Being ( correct me if I’m wrong) that the other switch on the Led Pad side tells the machine that the cover is still closed and it continues trying to carve for several seconds before the machine would give me an error message and come to a complete stop. (Definitely Not Good) Very tuff on the bits and the truck bearings. I found that if I loosen the screws on the switch then retighten them I could move it forward the fraction of an inch I needed to get a good positive click from both switches. Unfortunately after a few projects even with a good click from both switches I could hear the cut motors rpm drop and try to recover several minutes into a carving. (Enough) Time to call the nice people at CW, I made some notes and explained what was happening with the machine. The Tech agreed it was most likely a bad cut motor switch and said he would have a new one to me by mail in a couple of days, and if could send them the old switch to look at, Chris also emailed me a diagram and instructions that I might need to replace the switch. While I had the old switch out and before I sent it back to CW, I put an ohm meter across the terminals and clicked the switch several times and got a good on/off, on/off. Hmmm -- Then I held the switch on and placed it on me desk, and lightly pounded on the deck to simulate the machines vibrations. With out releasing the switch I got an on on on / off off off reading on the meter, it was all over the place.

Sorry for the long winded story, I just wanted to pass the info along. The new switch is in and I’m back the carving,
at least till my next CW adventure.

[forqnc]

Sorry for the long winded story, I just wanted to pass the info along. The new switch is in and I’m back the carving,
at least till my next CW adventure.

I for one don't mind long winded, Ken, your input helped me understand what may have happened to my machine. I would like to say keep it coming, but that would mean you are having problems and I don't want to wish that on you ;)

[Kenm810]

I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed after changing the cut motor switch. So far the machine has been carving flawlessly, not a hitch or hic-up of any kind after several projects in Hard Maple and Corian. Next week after a few more carvings I’ll start scanning some new projects with the probe that I have in mind.
So, what I’ve found after working through my cut motor problem, is if the cut motor switch is even a fraction of an inch to far back when the front shield is closed, even if you can hear it’s auditable click, the machines own vibration cut cause an intermittent cut motor errors, or possibly the vibration is causing the switch it’s self to malfunction. Either way they both will result in repeated cut motor errors, with or without a close cover error.

[liquidguitars]

Thanks Ken,
I never had the cut prob but I did not think it was software related..

LG