Carving stops

[jimbu]

I have tried 4 times to complete a sign, nothing fancy just letters. The machine gets 25% to being finished and the router head does not touch the wood it goes back and forth and bounces up and down without touching the wood. Support says I need a new motor for the router head??
$42.00. I can not believe that is causing the problem. One other tech told me the head a not level so we checked that and it was fine. I spent 2 hours with tech today and he had me pull all kinds of parts off and then told me to blow the heat sink out with air Lotta work for an old man. Anybody have any ideas how to cure this. Board has been through a planner and a joiner and sanded,
:( Jim

[Digitalwoodshop]

If the Z starts to loose steps and end up doing an AIR carve then there are a few things to look at.

1. Do you have the NEW Z Bundle with the 14 pin cable rather than the old 16 pin thinner wire cable? If not GET IT.

2. If you do have the new Z then look closely at your Z Belt and the cogs in the belt and the pulleys. Wood dust with pitch stick to the valleys of the cogs and act as speed bumps and cause slipped steps and you end up with a problem. Clean the belt and cogs.

3. Bearings. With the power off move the head up and down. Smooth or do you feel ticking or speed bumps..... Clean the bearing path or replace bad or loose bearings.

4. Cut motor.... I don't think so.....

The problem is in the Z motion drive. Let us know what happens as this is a common problem.

Also EVERY time you change a bit WATCH THE BIT TOUCH the BIT plate twice..... If there is a problem it WILL show up then. A Saw starting as the bit is going down could signal a FALSE Z height to the computer. I call it QUIET time when the bit is checking the bit plate.

I started my dust collector one day and caused an air carve as the computer is looking for a current change to signal that the bit touched the bit plate. Like a garage door closing and a photo eye signaling a blockage and the door reverses and goes back up.

AL

[jimbu]

No Al I do not have the new Z bindle, I will order it tomorrow. Thanks for the tips. I will let you know what happens.
Jim

[Digitalwoodshop]

No Al I do not have the new Z bindle, I will order it tomorrow. Thanks for the tips. I will let you know what happens.
Jim

The thinner 16 wire sometimes break internally and cause the Z Problem....

Everyone should have the new Z Bundle.....

Good Luck,

AL

[liquidguitars]

No need to repalce your old Z packs " I have two" unless your having encoader issues, bad motor or a short in the Z pack.

Software? could be your project MPC.. you could try to format your card from time to time and the upload the firmware to see if that helps.

LG

[jimbu]

I found the clip cover for the router track laying in the bottom of the case. I cleaned the tracks and lightly lubricated them. Then replaced the clip.
I then decided to check all the options to see if there were any problems. The lid showed "open" and it was closed. I assumed sawdust may have gotten in the switch.
I can not locate the switch on either side so can not clean it!
Carvewright exploded view does not show it!!
When I open the cover to clean before the project is finished I get an axis stall message and instructions to press stop which forces me to start from the beginning. Very irritating!
Any suggestions?
Jim

[bobi]

I found the clip cover for the router track laying in the bottom of the case. I cleaned the tracks and lightly lubricated them. Then replaced the clip.
I then decided to check all the options to see if there were any problems. The lid showed "open" and it was closed. I assumed sawdust may have gotten in the switch.
I can not locate the switch on either side so can not clean it!
Carvewright exploded view does not show it!!
When I open the cover to clean before the project is finished I get an axis stall message and instructions to press stop which forces me to start from the beginning. Very irritating!
Any suggestions?
Jim

The "cover switches" are microswitches near each end of the clear cover in the top of the housing. You can see the holes and "actuating nubs" with the cover open. For the other issue the Z-encoder is losing steps and so when it "retracts" up when you open the cover, it hits the stop pin at the top and stalls because it still thinks it has further up to travel. You will take care of the issue with the new Z-pack installation.

[jimbu]

I installed the new Z bundle today, not an easy chore and the instructions leave a lot to be desired.
Now when the machine starts up the menu reads "accessory menu 1- scan area" and I can not go any where else to get to the memory card.
When I check the options all look fine except "sensors" which shows the cover as being open. I have checked the two connections under the cover and they are tight.
Any suggestions??
Thanks all for the help so far.
Jim

[mtylerfl]

I installed the new Z bundle today, not an easy chore and the instructions leave a lot to be desired.
Now when the machine starts up the menu reads "accessory menu 1- scan area" and I can not go any where else to get to the memory card.
When I check the options all look fine except "sensors" which shows the cover as being open. I have checked the two connections under the cover and they are tight.
Any suggestions??
Thanks all for the help so far.
Jim

Put your card in the machine, turn the machine on. It should say “Scan Area”. Press “0”. Scroll down to number 5, User Options. Scroll down to Scan Probe. Make sure it is on “cover” instead of Z truck.

Fixed!

[jimbu]

Thanks Mtylerfl that took care of that problem. Now I have the correct menu up. Now I get the error message Y axis stall error 238. I called support, he suggested that the small cable on the left side could be reversed, switched it around still same error, he suggested I check all connections which I did. Still the error message appears.He then told me to pull the bottom cover and check all connections, same problem exist. He told me that the way the router head was acting denoted no power getting to it and he knew nothing else to try. The router head bobs up and down twice as it is attempting to "home" then the error message comes up. Any suggestions are more then welcome.
Jimbu

[mtylerfl]

Thanks Mtylerfl that took care of that problem. Now I have the correct menu up. Now I get the error message Y axis stall error 238. I called support, he suggested that the small cable on the left side could be reversed, switched it around still same error, he suggested I check all connections which I did. Still the error message appears.He then told me to pull the bottom cover and check all connections, same problem exist. He told me that the way the router head was acting denoted no power getting to it and he knew nothing else to try. The router head bobs up and down twice as it is attempting to "home" then the error message comes up. Any suggestions are more then welcome.
Jimbu

If you verified all connections are good and there are no pinched wires, the only other thing I can think of to check is your clear-cover switches. Perhaps the connection is loose on the clear-cover switch that allows the motor to run when it's closed (right-side switch).

Also check that when you put the machine top assembly back on, that either of the wires on the motor side didn't come unplugged.

[Ike]

Thanks Mtylerfl that took care of that problem. Now I have the correct menu up. Now I get the error message Y axis stall error 238. I called support, he suggested that the small cable on the left side could be reversed, switched it around still same error, he suggested I check all connections which I did. Still the error message appears.He then told me to pull the bottom cover and check all connections, same problem exist. He told me that the way the router head was acting denoted no power getting to it and he knew nothing else to try. The router head bobs up and down twice as it is attempting to "home" then the error message comes up. Any suggestions are more then welcome.
Jimbu

Jimbu, have you ever received a power fluctuation error? Why I am asking I had a plug in a circuit board on the bottom of the machine came loose. Then the male receiver was loose on the circuit board.

Maybe the power to the Y motor is supplied with this circuit board? Try checking those plugs and post. It is a 4 peg plug looking at the bottom after removing the cover it should be on the same side of the key pad. It is attached with 4 screws, it may have a bad board or loose plug. Just a guess , if not maybe best to have CW look at it?

Ike

[jimbu]

Ike and Michael thanks for the advice. However I have already done as you both suggested.
I have triple checked all connections and found no problems.
I am now going to call Carvewright and send it back.
I will not miss the damm thing as I have spent 10 times the carveing time correcting errors.
As far as I am concerned this peice of junk was not ready to be sold yet and we all are doing there testing much to my displeasure.
It works great---------WHEN THE DAMM THING WORKS!!!
Jim

[liquidguitars]

I get an axis stall message and instructions to press stop which forces me to start from the beginning. Very irritating!
Any suggestions?

LHR is right it think..

Check the hood wires to the back of the unit.. is hard to conect i use a forcip as a clamp.

As far as the truck pumping up and down this could be a loose or damaged Z cable or even software.

Refomat your card with 1.13 or 1.126, and try uploading your project one more time. that is after fixing the top end.



LG

[jedgar]

I much agree with your asessment.I reminds me of each windows version that comes on the market and they let the people that buy initially work out the problems for them.