What Every Newbie Should Know

[lynnfrwd]

LHR began selling the CarveWright System in 2006. We and a lot of our early members learned things the hard way. We want you to benefit from our knowledge.

Please find (& post) in this thread:

WHAT EVERY NEWBIE SHOULD KNOW:


I will start it off

1. READ THE MANUAL!!
2. DO AT LEAST THE FIRST THREE OF THE FIVE STEP-BY-STEP PROJECT DESIGNS (See ONLINE TOOLS - tutorials - project designer)
3. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

I'll let the experts expand on this thread....

[Kenm810]

The first thing I did after reading the Manual -- "Twice"

When I first unpacked the box, -- I checked the Machine for any missing or broken parts,
then carefully put all the packing materials back inside the box and saved the box in the garage,
just in case I needed to return the machine, or if I ever need to ship it to LHR in Texas for repairs.

[CarverJerry]

After reading the manual a few times and unpacking the machine I made it a daily thing to visit this forum and read just about every post. I've learned so much just from here than I did from the entire manual.

CarverJerry

[cnsranch]

Get involved in the Forum - learn how it works - understand how to do an effective search for any questions, or potential problems you may be experiencing. Find the time to "root around" on the Forum - a wealth of information can be gleaned just by reading past posts, threads, and looking at projects - both those that worked well, and those that didn't - and why they did or didn't.

[PCW]

Search engine is your friend. Most all the CW common problems have be addressed over and over.

Use quotation marks on your search word.

"example"

[cnsranch]

1. Keep the machine clean.
2. Add a Dust Collection System - do it, now, trust me.
3. Get a lighted mirror so you can see inside the QC (assuming you have a QC).
4. Watch the temp of the Flexshaft - if it feel more than warm to the touch where it curves at the top, you're gonna melt it. Get an infra-red thermometer to help you watch it (they're about $30 at HarborFreight).
5. Learn the software - spend more time designing and reviewing your projects than carving on the machine. The machine is like a computer - "garbage in, garbage out" - it will only turn out what you design and tell it to turn out.
6. After you screw up a project (and you will - in fact, more than one) try to learn why it didn't come out the way you planned...don't lay blame...anywhere....if you don't figure it out, you'll only make the same error over and over...you'll get frustrated, and won't be happy with your hobby.
7. Enjoy the ride, and show off your accomplishments here - we love to see "newbies" have the "light go on".

[tonydrew]

1. Keep the machine clean.
2. Add a Dust Collection System - do it, now, trust me.
3. Get a lighted mirror so you can see inside the QC (assuming you have a QC).
4. Watch the temp of the Flexshaft - if it feel more than warm to the touch where it curves at the top, you're gonna melt it. Get an infra-red thermometer to help you watch it (they're about $30 at HarborFreight).
5. Learn the software - spend more time designing and reviewing your projects than carving on the machine. The machine is like a computer - "garbage in, garbage out" - it will only turn out what you design and tell it to turn out.
6. After you screw up a project (and you will - in fact, more than one) try to learn why it didn't come out the way you planned...don't lay blame...anywhere....if you don't figure it out, you'll only make the same error over and over...you'll get frustrated, and won't be happy with your hobby.
7. Enjoy the ride, and show off your accomplishments here - we love to see "newbies" have the "light go on".

You mention Dust Collection System. I hooked up my collector to the port where the bag is supposed to go and pretty much nothing went that direction. Must be another way to do this? Someone posted about making a hood of some type. Open to ideas to keep it clean and working.

[cestout]

Know ahead of time if your board is going to track properly - especially important on 2 sided carves. Go to option 7 first and measure the board - if 2 sided measure both sides. If it moves thru the machine measuring, it will track ok.
Clint

[Ike]

Four words, Forum, Tips and Tricks! Besides the manual the monthly T&P will show you how to use your CW to finishing your projects and everything in between! The forum is Wikipedia of CW, you can find all the answers you are looking for pertaining to your CW.

Members to look for answers are Al digitalwoodshop, Askbud, Michael Tyler, mtylerfl, Jerry cnsranch, Ken Kenm810 and the list goes on sorry if I missed your name! Just read all the post in this thread!

Ike

[AskBud]

Originally Posted by lynnfrwd
Bud are you the one that has that link to all of the files?


Reply



As you remember, in January of 2011 you began to build specific categories for Pattern sharing in order to help folks better use the current system.
You place a "Please Read" notice (suggestion List) on the Pattern Sharing area to help people better name and select the thread, within the section in which to post their attachments.
Here is the link to that Thread: http://forum.carvewright.com/showthr...722#post146722

Hear is the link to this entire section: http://forum.carvewright.com/forumdi...attern-Sharing

Here is the link to the original Pattern Sharing thread, which which has thousands of attachments. The main problem, and the reason you built the new threads, is/was that lots of folks did not use very good naming conventions for their attachments. This attachment link, like all the others, can be searched (using the FIND command) for specific text and if the person used that text in the file-name it will be found.
http://forum.carvewright.com/misc.ph...chments&t=2046

For those that are unfamiliar with this Find command, they will find an AVI lesson titled "Search the Pattern Sharing Depot" in this link to my download access.
http://www2.wcoil.com/~nharbison/cw-... downloads.htm
The above, was my method until I got a Windows-7 machine.
With the W-7 and the newer Internet Explorer the process became easier.
You simply bring up the attachment area of a thread and if the list is long, you click on EDIT > FIND and you get an entry window in which you type the text-word you wish. You do have to out think the posting person as to the text they may have included. Just think of the various thing you might call the item you are looking for.
AskBud