Front to Back Hole Alignment

[ncamp]

Guys, I hope you can help me. I've been making a couple of type of boxes. In the design, I have made holes (1/4" x 1/4") with the drill tool (for the top of the box). On the top side, I have corresponding holes for the bottom of the box. On two different designs, the holes on the back side are offset by 1/8" from the holes on the front side.

What should I expect from the machine for front to back tolerances?

One other thing I noticed was that the drill tool holes are a little oval shaped, but a hole with the circle tool is round.


Okay, I found half of the problem. The left (?) end of the board was not square. It was 1/16" off from one side to the other. If the board was cut straight, my holes would still be off by 1/16". So I have the same question, but a smaller error.

[TIMCOSBY]

that something is slipping or a gear problem. there was a discusion somewhere on here use the search for oval holes and you may find it. the holes should not be oval.

[TIMCOSBY]

not being exactley sqaure would cause the miss alignment either.

[ncamp]

that something is slipping or a gear problem. there was a discusion somewhere on here use the search for oval holes and you may find it. the holes should not be oval.

Thanks for the input. What confuses me is that a hole on the same board with the circle tool is round (checked with calipers), while the drill tool hole is oval. If something were slipping, I would expect both types to be oval.

[Jeff_Birt]

Without seeing exactly how you are laying things out it is impossible to say where the misalignment is coming from. Can you post the MPC? As for the difference in drill v. hole, there should not be any difference. What sizes are the respective holes? What version of Designer? Have you done a machien calibration recently?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Does it look like the sand paper belt axis is not extending the whole way? Could be the sand paper belts are dirty and slipping or the brass roller is slipping. Masking tape will fix the brass roller by placing a strip of tape on the board where the roller contacts.

AL

[ncamp]

As for the difference in drill v. hole, there should not be any difference. What sizes are the respective holes? What version of Designer? Have you done a machien calibration recently?

I've found the source of my problem. Apparently I am an idiot.:rolleyes:

I created a design with multiple size holes from 0.2" to 1" across several places on the board. Hole size increase down the board and copies went length wise on the board.

All the holes drilled perfectly. The only difference was this was in 1/2" poplar where as the problem was with 4/4 Walnut and 4/4 Purple Heart. Either I did not have good contact with the brass roller, or some other self induced problem.

That would also explain the alignment problem. No machine problem, but operator problem.

Thanks for all your help.

[TIMCOSBY]

once or twice!!!! seem we humans learn more from mistakes.