My first almost CW accident

[PlateCarver]

Talk about a great learning experience... I am fairly new to my CW with about 40 hours on it. I love it. I have done 4 signs with a new 90 deg bit and after running through carving and about 30 mins into the 90 degree bit carving, I heard some strange noises coming from the machine. Before I could get to it the noise stopped so I turned around. I did go back and check it a couple of minutes later and no bit. Seems as if one of the posts on the side of the bit adapter was gone. I never knew these could come off from the bits. I did find the post and screwed it back in and does not look as if there is anything else wrong beside a good cut in the sandpaper belt where the bit came off. So... does this happen often? Also what is the expected life of the sandpaper belts???

Tim
www.fatherdaughterww.com

[Jeff_Birt]

You should make it a point to check the set screws on the bit adapters EVERY time you use the machine. The set screws should also be put in with red loctite.

[jerrbitt]

Jeff provided ou good advice except there are different types of red locktite. One I recall is "permanent" and requires considerable heat to loosen, the other is "temporary" that is a good bond but you can break it loose without heat.

Surpisingly, I found two trypes of red locktite at Home Depot

http://www.henkelna.com/cps/rde/xchg/henkel_us/hs.xsl/1554_USE_HTML.htm?countryCode=us&BU=industrial&parentredDotUID=0000000GHE&redDotUID=productfinder&param1=pageIndex%3D0%7Caction%3Dsearch%7Cmode%3Dad vanced%7Ckeyword%3D%7Cy%3D355%7Cx%3D0%7Capplicatio nRedDotUID%3D0000000276%7CsubsubapplicationRedDotU ID%3D%7CsubapplicationRedDotUID%3D00000002IP%7Cbra ndRedDotUID%3D0000000389%7C

[PlateCarver]

Appreciate the advise. Still learning about this machine and have had excellent results and very few problems. I am now checking all of the posts prior to the carve.

I do have another question. When the bit left the building it cut the sandpaper enough that I now need to replace it. It looks pretty straight forward but I see no instractions anywhere. Anything I need o watch out for when I remove the rollers and replace the sandpaper belts?

[ruggybear]

Attached is the PDF from Carvewright on how to change the belts.
Ken

[PlateCarver]

Greatly appreciated