First Time User

[SJF]

Hi guy's,

First time user with the carvewright machine. Just wondering what type of material some of you are using for best results. Any other tips to get started would be appreciated. Thanks !

[hamburgrd]

scale of 1 to 10:

mdf 9
pine 6
red oak 7
white oak (flat sawn) 8
white oak (quarter sawn) 7
cedar 9
hickory 9
corian 10
purple heart 9
cherry 9
maple 9
quilted maple 8

Make sure you do a search of the forum for tips on preventative maintance, downdraft table, and finish sanding. Always set your carver for best quality when downloading to the card and best bit optimization in the software designer. Do not get frustrated if your first couple of carvings don't turn out as good as you were hoping. This machine has a learning curve. The size of the curve depends on how well you research how others are setting up their machines. Keep things simple at first. Rember this is a delicate piece of machinery. Don't treat it like a 100 dollar bench top planner.

Have fun, you will get hooked like most of us.

[Ivanq]

I'm still new at this. I used Number 1 pine to learn with and now I'm using poplar - will try cherry next.

If you don't have an air compressor you might consider getting one or build a down draft system. I've had two problems with the machine - stuck rear roller and stuck flipper. Both caused by dust. Bought a small compressor with a moisture filter and that fixed both problems. This machine, as stated so many times on the forums, has to be kept clean or problems will occur.

Have Fun
Cliff in Roswell

[SJF]

Thank you, I appreciate the advice.

[Dan-Woodman]

and don't forget to clean the upper rollers after each carve.

I just use one hand to rotate the roller and the other to wipe it back and forth.

later Daniel

[Gallaher]

I'm using poplar mostly now. It is not as stringy as oak but still is hard wood.
It also gives a cleaner carve than must of the other wood I've tried.
Pine is cheap but carvings are not very smooth. ;)

I just had a compression roller fault. I could not get past load board on the menu. I pulled up on the board a few times just hard enough to hear the switches click and it cleared. I'll wipe my rollers down now after each carve. :idea:

[Dirtydan]

Your problem here is not dirty rollers, but dust in the switch area preventing the switch to unload. Some times just pushing the roller up and releasing it fast will move things around, if not try some compressed air. At some point you will have to open up the switch area and blow all the compacted dust out.


I just had a compression roller fault. I could not get past load board on the menu. I pulled up on the board a few times just hard enough to hear the switches click and it cleared. I'll wipe my rollers down now after each carve. :idea: