Board Sensor

[nnystewart]

How does one eliminate the problem with the board sensor, machine was carving three ovals when completed prompted me to flip the board (ovals cut were 1 in away from the boards edge). Then was unable to restart due to "Clear Board Sensor", This was a pine board, rather than hardwood since this was a prototype. Ovals were 4x6 and .25 in depth, while the machine was running I constantly had a shop vac blowing the dust away from the sensor.

Have tried to clean it, cycle the machine on and off, and even re-uploaded my file onto the card just to make sure that wasn't the problem.

Still not working! Any Suggestions!

[Digitalwoodshop]

Using the options you can look at the board sensor numbers. This is a good thing, it lets you know what the sensor is seeing. To get a standard number I use a piece of white copy paper on top of the board to see what the numbers are. It will be different with the color of WOOD so I ask what the reading is with white paper, a standard....

My white paper numbers are 140 to 156. What are your numbers?

Low numbers can be dust getting behind the plastic lens of the board detector.

For this, I have taken a knife and sliced down the back of the board sensor removing the bump on back then removed and cleaned the lens. I then use tape to hold the lens and cover the back of the sensor. I have had one like that for a few months and it works fine.

For a Zero Number it could be a bad sensor or a pinched wire.

Search "Boards Detector" or "Board Sensor" with " " will let you see a bunch of posts.

Good Luck,

AL

One more thing since this is your very FIRST post.... A dark wood board will not be seen by the machine. Masking tape on the board helps. Tips and tricks has a bunch of info for the New Carver.

[nnystewart]

Thanks for the input, will try that in the morning!

[Yosserg]

I was have the board edge sensor error and had brushed and vacuum the area many times and then checked the sensor value with a piece of white paper and found it to be around 25. Then I got a mirror put it in the machine and sure enough I could see the sensor was full of saw dust. Then using a phillips bit and a ratchet took off the sensor and careful disconnected the wire connector. Then popped off the back cover of the sensor cleaned out the saw dust, reassembled with sealant on the sensor cover, put it back together and now have a sensor reading of 152 and no errors!

Moral of the story, have a flat mirror for inspection of the machine and you might see what is causing the error.

I've attached some pictures of the dirty sensor, unfortunately for the clean pictures lighting was off so just imagine the dirty pictures with all the spots removed.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Good Job !!! I just used masking tape to reseal the back just catching the edge of the plastic window. It has worked for months.

AL

[autobodyman]

I too kept getting a "clean board sensor". I cleaned it as well as I could in to no avail. Finally took it out and after seeing the pictures posted here realized it was not supposed to be cloudy white. I have a blower I put on for carving, apparenlty I had my air pressure to high when I first started using it as it seems to have "sandblasted" the window.

I called Carvewright and ordered 2 replacements but wanted to use it for now. I had a large sheet of clear mylar I had gotten for duck calls so I cut a replacement window. Previously I was getting sensor readings of 0 only, after replacing the window best I could get was a 34 but it seemed to work for a small 2 sided carve. It's pretty clear so I don't know why my number is so low but it did work. Hopefully the new ones will be here soon.

~Mike

[dbfletcher]

On my #1 machine, I've been running it without the little window for about 6 months now without an issue. I think I've seen other post that people did the same thing. I'm sure it probably isn't recommended, but it has been working far beter for then than anytim when I had the window on.


Thanks,

Doug Fletcher

[Ken Massingale]

On my #1 machine, I've been running it without the little window for about 6 months now without an issue. I think I've seen other post that people did the same thing. I'm sure it probably isn't recommended, but it has been working far beter for then than anytim when I had the window on.


Thanks,

Doug Fletcher

No window on ours for over a year and no problems.