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Thread: Not sure what to call this issue

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Michigan
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    Default Not sure what to call this issue

    My CW "C" machine is giving me a head scratching problem. I was finishing a wall plaque carving yesterday which was carving with no issues until the last operation of using the 1/8" cutting bit to cut it out. It was a maple project and I usually do it in 3 passes. I loaded the bit and went on to something else in the shop. I heard the CW running but didn't notice it wasn't cutting. When it was done, I went over to see that nothing had been cut out and the bit was broken. Not the first time I have broken a bit, but I found it interesting that it didn't cut into the board at all. Simply saw a few tap-like marks where the path would have started. I chalked it up to a bit issue, re-programmed the mpc to delete all but the cut path, loaded a new bit and it cut out the project just fine.

    A little while later, I had another project to carve which was simply a centerline text name in a board. I loaded the 90 degree bit and waited for it to start carving. There were no other elements to the project. After going through the pre-carve process, the CW said it was ready to carve. Just before it started, the CW quit. I walked over to the display and it said "check cut motor". I recently put in new brushes and did see this message occasionally before I replaced the brushes, so I simply hit enter. Even though the display said it was working the bit was simply bouncing up and down off the board. I immediately hit "stop" and finished the project on my second machine.

    Today I wanted to see if this was a fluke or something real, so I loaded a new project which consisted of a flat board with a centerline message using a 60 degree bit. The font wasn't going to take it too deep, but I wanted to see if I would have a repeat of the day before. It carved just fine. No misses or unusual behavior. I chalked the day before up to gremlins (my shop was a mortuary once in its long history). I then started the next project, but before I did, I cleaned all the y and z rails, bearings and bearing covers with WD-40 and then added a light coat of 3 in 1 oil to the rails.

    This new project is a memorial box for ashes and I started on one of the sides which has 1/8" deep carve area and centerline text inside the carve area. I have built a dozen of these boxes and have never had an issue. The CW carved the the 1/8" deep carve area just fine and then asked for the 90 degree bit. I put it in and off it went. The CW went through its new bit pre-carve routine and then said it was carving, but before it actually carved it stopped and I got the "check cut motor" message again. Just to see what would happen, I hit "enter" and watched. The bit moved slowly downward and started to lightly scratch the surface of the carve area while it was shuddering slightly. The display continued to read "carving project" (or whatever the exact wording is under normal conditions), but it was no where near a normal carve. I kept waiting for it to quit and give me an error message, but it never did. I finally stopped it and took the board out. It was very slightly scratched from the "V" bit, but not really distinguishable....

    Sorry for the long dissertation, but I wanted to get it all down before I forgot details. Any help on what is going on with my machine would be greatly appreciated. As I mentioned it is a C machine with about 450 hours. I performed the 250 hour schedule at 400 hours (lost track of time), so it was done recently. I am running the latest designer with about all the add-ons except for DFX importer.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this novel
    John
    www.jdmwoodworks.com
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    Bessemer, MI (shop location)
    Lake Gogebic, MI (where I hang my hat)

    "He who wants by the yard, but gives by the inch, should be kicked by the foot"...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
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    Default

    I had this problem a while back and if I remember well it was the cover switches which prevented the motor from working.
    I also broke a bit with that issue since it was dragging on the board.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Michigan
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    Default

    Interesting, Suzanne. Thank you for the perspective. I will ck out the cover switches.
    John
    www.jdmwoodworks.com
    Facebook Page: click FB button on web page

    Bessemer, MI (shop location)
    Lake Gogebic, MI (where I hang my hat)

    "He who wants by the yard, but gives by the inch, should be kicked by the foot"...

  4. #4
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    New Iberia, la.
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    Default

    John, just a quick trick, you don,t have to delete all your oather functions, just hide them and the cutpath will work just fine. That way you have all the other functions in tack on your project. The bit could have broke because of your cut motor not turning problem
    My Shop 1044

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  5. #5
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    Default

    Thanks Perry. Good suggestion. Appreciate it...
    John
    www.jdmwoodworks.com
    Facebook Page: click FB button on web page

    Bessemer, MI (shop location)
    Lake Gogebic, MI (where I hang my hat)

    "He who wants by the yard, but gives by the inch, should be kicked by the foot"...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    NE PA USA
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    Default

    The Seat Belt trick can help keep the clear cover tucked up against the switches. I use this on my left switch. Put masking tape on the cover and housing with the cover up about 1/4 the way.

    I would replace the FFC Cable too... Could be intermittent and not lifting and can result in a "Trip" over the board edge and snap the bit... Later when project done it retracts and you are left wondering what happen... And like posted above, the cut motor not running and that will surely snap a bit.

    AL
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  7. #7
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    Aug 2011
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    Michigan
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    Default

    Thx for the insight Al... will give the suggestions a shot


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    John
    www.jdmwoodworks.com
    Facebook Page: click FB button on web page

    Bessemer, MI (shop location)
    Lake Gogebic, MI (where I hang my hat)

    "He who wants by the yard, but gives by the inch, should be kicked by the foot"...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Michigan
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    Default

    AN UPDATE and more QUESTIONS!!

    I have given this a lot of thought and perhaps I need to add some detail to make sure I am heading in the right direction. I put together a quick test carve after thoroughly cleaning my machine. A screen shot of the design is attached. It was on an 8" long by 4" wide cherry board. The carve depth of the rectangle is .125 and the text is with a 90 degree v-bit with the "bold" button off.

    I placed the board in the machine and selected the test project. It ran through the initial measurements just fine and asked for the 90 degree v-bit. After loading it, it went through the bit recognition process just fine and then asked for the 1/16" carving bit. I loaded that bit and it went through the recognition process and began carving. It carved the 1/8" deep rectangle just fine. It then asked for the 90 v-bit. After I loaded it and hit "enter" it immediately didn't run as it usually does. Normally when I load a bit and hit "enter", the cut motor gives it a quick spin before it starts the bit measurement process. It did that with the 1/16 carve bit, but when I hit enter after loading the 90 v-bit, it was an anemic spin and a jerky bit cking process.

    When the process was finally at the part where the display read "carving figure", it moved all the way to the left and stopped. The display said "check cut motor". I hit "enter" and the bit lowered and without the cut motor running, it started to scratch the surface of the previously carved area.

    I have tried 3 different projects and it only does this using a 90 degree bit in a previously carved area. Is this a coincidence or something related to adding text to a carved area?

    Is this a sign of a bad FFC cable as Al mentioned before? I certainly don't mind changing the cable, but if there are other potential issues, I would like to make a single part order with any other potential culprits.

    Thank you all once again for any help with this. This is my first issue with either of my machines after about 800 hours of carving so I am in new territory...


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    John
    www.jdmwoodworks.com
    Facebook Page: click FB button on web page

    Bessemer, MI (shop location)
    Lake Gogebic, MI (where I hang my hat)

    "He who wants by the yard, but gives by the inch, should be kicked by the foot"...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Vancouver Island
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    8,193

    Default

    This sounds like it could be erratic software behavior. To eliminate that possibility, I would first format and reflash the card.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Southeast Idaho
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    641

    Default

    Unless the instructions for the Vbit comes along a different path in the FCC cable, I am having a hard time with that being the issue. But that could be the case, and that wire/connection is damaged.

    Have you tried updating the firmware on the card? There is an update that stops the errant cut motor message, perhaps this is the cause - did you do the update when it was issued? http://forum.carvewright.com/showthr...910#post258910

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