Another Day, Another Question

[optionman]

after both the cw and i got a good night's sleep, i decided to see if the measuring sensor/pressure rollers felt like working today, and amazingly i got the machine to properly measure a 11x5.25 work-piece as well as the end pieces in the jig. just to be sure i lifted the pressure rollers and tried it a second time, and again success.

i quickly ran to my computer and designed a simple centerline text sign using 60 degree bit and a 1/2 rout around the edge of the 11x5.25. NO carving bit at all. i installed the file into the cw and the system took me thru measuring again, blah,blah. it prompted me to load the 1/2 in. routing bit, went thru its thing, then prompted me to load the 60 deg. bit. it then went thru its thing and AGAIN prompted me to load the 60 deg. bit. it keeps doing this. i'm now stuck in this loop. when it moves toward the touch plate, i see the touch plate move out (making several clicking sounds), but the 60 deg bit doesn't seem to make contact on the plate with its point, SHOULD IT?

any ideas? at least i'm able to measure? i'm gonna try deleting the centerline text from the program and just rout.

thanks

[DrBob]

Hi optionman
The bits have to touch to the flip out plate to measure the bit lenght so it will have to come out all the way. Do a search for this on the forum "touch plate"

[Ivanq]

The bit has to touch the plate. I had the same problem at one time so I used air to blow out the dust where the spring is located on the plate and then used a lube while moving the plate by hand several times. Fixed it for me.

Note that the plate has to come out all the way.

Cliff in Roswell

[hotpop]

optionman,

The same thing happen to me this morning with the V90 bit. When the bit lowers to the touch plate it stops and retracts twice with out ever touching it.

With power switch off push the truck all the way up. Wipe down the guide rails, remove the dust wipers and move the truck up and down a few times making sure you don't feel any bumps. Clean the dust wiper and reinstall.

I guess a little dust on the rail causes enough resistance to make the machine think it hit bottom. Anyway I did as mentioned above and everything is working.

[optionman]

cleaning,lubing didn't work so i wedged a piece of styrofoam to keep the plate out. I'M CARVING

What are the "dust wipers"? i don't see that in the manual

[Kenm810]

Their the Roller Bearing Sweeper that help keep the chips and dust from building up on the bearings and the rails they ride on.
You have sets for the bearings on both the "Y" and "Z" Trucks

[Digitalwoodshop]

When I had that problem with the unit asking for the wrong bit, it drove me nuts... Posted the MPC and was rewarded with the fix.... I had a carved out region on the BACK of the board I had forgotten about.... I had renamed a existing clock project and had done a carve out for the clock.

That was a very long time ago but this is the place to ask.

AL

I also gave up on that SILLY BIT PLATE and stuffed foam behind it on both of my units. Something to watch also, one day I got a Air Carve with a V60 and recognized right away what I had done. While the bit was traveling down to touch the bit plate and seeing that fluctuation in the Z Motor Current when it touches I started my Radial Arm Saw on another circuit in the shop but enough of a power bump to cause the V60 to get a false bit plate reading. I later reproduced this checking my theory. So an unusual air carve could be a Air Compressor or AC unit.... Just keep it in mind.

[jwhllh55]

after both the cw and i got a good night's sleep, i decided to see if the measuring sensor/pressure rollers felt like working today, and amazingly i got the machine to properly measure a 11x5.25 work-piece as well as the end pieces in the jig. just to be sure i lifted the pressure rollers and tried it a second time, and again success.

i quickly ran to my computer and designed a simple centerline text sign using 60 degree bit and a 1/2 rout around the edge of the 11x5.25. NO carving bit at all. i installed the file into the cw and the system took me thru measuring again, blah,blah. it prompted me to load the 1/2 in. routing bit, went thru its thing, then prompted me to load the 60 deg. bit. it then went thru its thing and AGAIN prompted me to load the 60 deg. bit. it keeps doing this. i'm now stuck in this loop. when it moves toward the touch plate, i see the touch plate move out (making several clicking sounds), but the 60 deg bit doesn't seem to make contact on the plate with its point, SHOULD IT?

any ideas? at least i'm able to measure? i'm gonna try deleting the centerline text from the program and just rout.

thanks

The answer to this problem is easy and one that will solve a number of problems. At your local bike shop, get a small bottle of chain wax. Take the chain wax and apply it to the Z truck rail and the upper and lower rail, all the way over to the bit plate. Let it dry then wipe it off and make sure it dry before you wipe it off. This will insure the lub you need, without it collecting any saw dust.
The type of bit doesn't have anything to do with the bit plate coming out. If the Z truck doesn't hit the bit plate with enough force it will not come out.
I lube my machine often and clean it everytime I use the machine. But using chain wax is needed about every week or so, depending on how often you crave.
Keep the faith and happy craving.
John Hammett
Baker City, OR.