HELP! Gear replacements

[briansr]

I stripped a gear, ive seen a couple of users that had this problem and got a set of new ones for free from CW. I cant get them locally.. The gears are not in the CW store...right now I just need to get my CW working so I really could use some help.

Ive also seen someone talk about stage2 gears.. could i get more information on this, whats the difference are they made of more durable material, do they break less often? ... I would be interested to buy. Hell id buy stage99 if they spare me this problem.

I thought gears were made of plastic so they break in case of an accident, instead of a motor overload.

[briansr]

so where do I buy the replacement gear, standard or stage2.

[Jeff_Birt]

Uh, you buy replacement parts like this from Carvewright. Their number is in your users manual as well as under 'Contact Us' on the main forum page as well as under 'Contact Us' on their main web page.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Here is some help with your Sand Paper Belt gear problem. Call CarveWright at 1-800-573-1226 option 4 and order one. They are about $5.00 or less plus shipping. Get an extra if they have them in stock and Sand Paper belts too.

I posted some pictures to help with replacement. First off, it is my belief that this design is an excellent engineered design. The X or Sand Paper drive has a tuff job moving your board as it is. There is a stall warning if something jams but by that time a gear is most likely starting to get damaged. The gear is designed of plastic to be the weak link in the event of a jam.

A Jam can be caused by a variety of board problems. The first is a tapered board with the board being thicker on one end and will wedge itself in the machine and get a X stall but more often rip a sand paper belt or strip the gear. Trust me, this is the best design without breaking the drive motor or electronic drive that I bet will be 10 times more expensive.

My jam came from a board that was split on the end and wider. It jammed against the rail next to the brass roller. It broke a belt.... Next jam stripped the gear.

Here are the pictures.

Good Luck,

AL

[briansr]

thanks.. so basically i can avoid this by using parallel boards that have the same dimensions in all respective ends?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Here are more pictures. Have some light grease for the replacement to put on the gear and the steel shaft and sleeve bearing. Have some RTV ready to seal the gear dust cover again. Light RTV, not TOO much.... Or you will have a bear of a time removing it the second time.... How do I know that..... Seal don't glue.

Remove the bottom cover, top, and side opposite the keypad. Use the 2 bottom screws for the side.

When putting the gear back in you must put the motor and gear in at the same time or the motor won't fit in the slot.

Should have mentioned this before but is you belt still good, or broken under the track?

If you crank the handle down and click 3 or 4 times you put more pressure on the sand paper belt. I one click and stop... There is lots of post's with using a scale to measure the pressure.

Good Luck.

Just saw your PM.

AL

[Digitalwoodshop]

If your sand paper belts are worn, better to replace them now.

AL

[Digitalwoodshop]

Yes, good quality boards are the norm. A bench top planer should be on your wish list. I have 3 but I have just been buying my kiln dried lumber for now. I do have some Oak drying for later projects made with a kit band saw mill. Should have put this in "AL's Gloat"..... Next a Solar Kiln....

Good Luck,

AL

[Jeff_Birt]

Thanks for sharing all the pics and phone number Al.


thanks.. so basically i can avoid this by using parallel boards that have the same dimensions in all respective ends?

Brian, yes your boards sides must be parallel and the rear guide plate should not be pressed tight up against the board. After installing the board (before cranking down the head), make sure the board can slide all the way through the machine without binding. Pages 20 and 21 of the users manual cover what to look out for when installing a board.

[peep]

Thanks for the info and pic's. This will make my gear change go without a hitch.

[briansr]

thanks again for the help, CW would be nothing without this forum, the customer support simply sucks.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Sorry to disagree with you but in my opinion the customer service is the BEST. And I worked for Sony for 8 years, 4 in the Service Center dealing with frantic phone calls from customers on everything from Play Stations, DVD Recorders, Home Phones, Cameras, and more. Most of the time it was operator error.... Didn't read the manual.

Being a new product, they have responded to problems with what I would call Excellent Service.

Adding the Toll Free numbers is great 800-573-1226

You can e-mail them at support@carvewright.com and get a response the next business day.

You can use the Web Site question section, a little slower than e mail.

Parts have for the most part caught up with demand.

I have had dealings with everyone from the Techs to the Part's and Support people. Never felt I was getting a raw deal. It's a company designed to make money providing a unique Consumer Version of the Industrial Version and at a fraction of the price.

The designer software is a challenge to someone with little computer experience.

For the most part, questions in the troubleshooting section could be answered just by reading the manual or searching the forum.

There are real problems listed in the troubleshooting section but many are user error.

Just my opinion.

AL

[rpringle]

Al,

I could not said it any better.
I have had a few problems and each time Tech. Support walked me through the trouble shooting and then sent me the correct part.

Russ

[liquidguitars]

Al,
I just lost a stage 2 gear. From your photos looks like I have to drop the x motor to get the gears up and out
right?

LG

[ChrisAlb]

Al,
I just lost a stage 2 gear. From your photos looks like I have to drop the x motor to get the gears up and out
right?

LG

Actually LG, you don't have to pull the motor to replace the gears. I showed AL how when he, I, and Chisel Me Timbers met up to fix Chisel's machine.

I've replaced mine twice now. What you'll want to do is after you get the side cover off and take the gear cover off, look at the bottom where the gear cover goes. You'll see a little raised ridge there, It's roughly 3/8" tall. I used my Dremel to grind that ridge flat at the bottom of the big gear.

This allows you to remove that gear without removing the motor. Much faster and easier.

Hope that helps.

Chris

[liquidguitars]

Thanks Chris,

Thats an idea that crossed my mind it's sounding better all the time... :)

I just removed the right and side of the assembly 2
and next on to the X drive motor... but a grinder sound better.

LG

[www.go3d.us]

AL, your band saw mill will be on my wish list. Where can you get one of those?
How much does it cost for that band saw mill?
HT

[Ken Massingale]

HT,

http://www.ripsaw.com/

Also http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=97445

[Digitalwoodshop]

I was very happy with the Rip Saw. There are not many out there and the company closed and moved south since I bought it. A simple design.

I agree with Chris to just cut the plastic to remove the gear. Much easier and less of a chance to damage the x motor.

Glad the pictures helped.

AL


The Saw was about $2500.00 at the time. A Orange Wood Miser would have been a better investement but it works for me.

[liquidguitars]

Thanks my parts shiped out on friday so unit 2 should be up and running soon. :D

LG