New Scanner-Is this right??

[eromran]

One more thing i would try something non metal you could be getting a short inside the probe. That would give you your bumps same may apply to geekviking above. And you didn't misunderstand the probe does scan great and normally requires very little cleanup so don't give up on fixing it or getting it right cause you will love what you can do with it once you get it straighten out.

[bjbethke]

Yes the probe hasnt shifted in the chuck, I took measurements before and after the scan because I was worried about that. This one is in a Rock Chuck with the adapter sleeve. I made sure to measure because I didnt want to torque too hard on the plastic, so I was a bit worried about it shifting.

It's weird, it just seems to kind of chatter along the top instead of the sweeping dragging motion I expected. When it isnt in contact with the piece, on the air scan parts it moves perfectly smooth. I guess I will see what the scan gives me, and also try the mirror test.

Thanks,
Craig

That chatter and movement is normal, the probe is looking for hight and depth of your project. Also you could use a plastic tip on the probe, there are several posts about that.

[c6craig]

That's how some of my knife scans came out too. I used blur or degauss or something in the pattern editor to smooth them out.
By the way, thanks for the pattern, would you mind sharing any others you do, I've been trying to get a good wooden knife collection going...
Thanks again!

I just posted both this one and a Woodcraft Tanto blank over in pattern sharing depot if you want it..

Craig

[geekviking]

Awesome! Thanks!

[c6craig]

Well this is a little disappointing. I did a Best quality scan on a nice smooth piece of corian i had laying around just to use both the "glass" and "non metal" theories and it came out the same way. It kind of chattered across the surface which I know understand is normal. But there is so much noise on the pattern I don't see how I am going to be able to clean up anything detailed....

Thanks,
Craig

coriantest.ptn

[AskBud]

Thanks, I will try the mirror trick tonight. I have the machine doing a 4 hour scan now on a different knife blank to see if it does the same thing. I really made sure this one was solidly attached to the sled and not moving in any way. I can pretty much already hear the thing tapping along the surface though so I expect the same result...

Truck seems to move along smoothly until it contacts the item, I even removed the flexshaft from the truck as recommended.

I do select Best quality and set the depth just off the board, using a credit card to touch down on.

Thanks,
Craig

The Probe is quite sensitive! I talked with another user a few weeks ago, where he scanned a carving he did, so he could make a pattern of just one specific portion. the probe even picked up the grain of the wood, which he could not fathom, as it felt smooth to the touch.

If there is any texture to your model, it will appear in the scan.

Since there is no metal/conductor on the floor of your scanning sled, there is no way for an electrical transfer to the probe of any sort.
My guess is that the knife has contours/textures/pits that you can not see with the naked eye or feel with your fingers. Knives are generally pounded into shape and then ground & polished. Even other items that appear flat & smooth may have pits that will appear. The probe, by design, have a feel/touch finer than the trained blind person!

You could clean the Z-rails and bearings to assure a smoother up & down movement, however, this may give you even more sensitivity. As a former Toolmaker's apprentice, I bet on pits on the knife!
AskBud

[c6craig]

AskBud,

If tool marks were the culprit wouldn't I see some variance in the noise? It is identical on both knives and the piece of corian.

Thanks,
Craig

[AskBud]

AskBud,

If tool marks were the culprit wouldn't I see some variance in the noise? It is identical on both knives and the piece of corian.

Thanks,
Craig

Do you, by chance, have a friend with a probe? You could do a test scan, of the knife, in his machine with both probes and do the same on your unit. This may help you trouble shoot the perceived problem. Use the same sled for all the test. Only use the 2nd sled if the first test warrants.
AskBud

[c6craig]

Do you, by chance, have a friend with a probe? You could do a test scan, of the knife, in his machine with both probes and do the same on your unit. This may help you trouble shoot the perceived problem. Use the same sled for all the test. Only use the 2nd sled if the first test warrants.
AskBud

No such luck. The best I could do would be to try the same probe in another one of my machines, with the same sled. The only difference between them is the Rock and the CarveTight.

You think maybe the probe is bad? Maybe I can find a used probe for cheap since I dont need the software.

Craig

[TerryT]

The probe goes up and down!! thats how it works. It goes down until it hits the surface and opens the switch. Then it goes up until the switch closes, then it goes down again until it opens the switch then it goes up until it closes, up, down, up, down. Scanning a smooth object will not give you a glass smooth finish. A nice smooth finish will require other software. Artcam is available as is Aspire.... only $2000. Otherwise you can smooth your scan in pattern editor.