Frustration!!!

[dhauptman]

Hello,

I finally decided to try out my machine on some nice oak. I designed a sign for my neighbor and started cutting. Things were going fine until I was cutting a 3/8 ogee around the sign. As expected, it took a number of times going around the rectangle, going a little deeper each time. On the last pass, instead of following the same path, it turned about half an inch early and cut into my project (ruining it). On the opposite end, it cut the same distance outside my project. It was as if the entire board slipped a half inch. Any idea what could cause this? Anyone experienced this before? I am still very new to the machine and every time I feel like I finally have it figured out, something like this happens.

Thanks,
David

[DocWheeler]

David,

Common problem, the brass board sensor under your board lost contact with the board because the board tipped (if not kept under rollers), there was a raised area on the underside of the board, or cup in the board - I think that these are the most common causes.

[Kenm810]

Because of the random slipping of the project boards,
I have been putting masking tape along the edges of the bottom of all my projects,
it's a really good tip posted by a fellow forum member,
also I have given up putting the og or round over on the outside edges with my machine.
Again to much slippage and stair stepping. I do it all now with a routing table or hand routers.
It's faster and saves valuable minutes on my machine and cut motor.

[dhauptman]

Thanks to you both for the responses. Upon closer examination, the board is slightly warped. I also like the idea of using my routing table to finish the edges. Must faster and more accurate.

Thanks again.
David

[Digitalwoodshop]

A board foot of Masking tape will always be cheaper than a board foot of project wood....

AL