Can you explain this?

[blake_koehn]

This is what I designed as a test cut.

6685

This is what happened. Do you have any ideas what I did wrong?

(The "B" in the lower corner and the hole in the center are from a previous mistake. Ignore them.)


6686

It cut the "B" area first, then moved on and cut the rectangle in the correct location.

This was designed in Aspire. The toolpaths look fine when you preview them in aspire. It also looks fine in the Shopbot preview.

Thanks for your help!

[bcondon]

My very first cut looked like that.

In my case, it was the number "14". In my case, I did not have the bit tight enough in the collet so it spun for a while, then jammed in the wood and then the machine spit the bit out (at 12000 RPMs) onto the table and bounced into the dust collector which retained it...

I then changed my pants and went to "my real job"

After taking the bit out, and re-assembling the collet, and spindle nut, it cut just fine.

Now I will also say, this we PRE the time I used to SNAP the collet into the nut which also made the bit loose.

Is your bit tight enough?

[henrik_o]

That looks like a software error of some kind. Are you running the latest version of the control software with correct settings (values) for your specific kind of machine?

I know that older versions of the control software could on occasions produce very strange errors somewhat reminiscent of what's in your pic.

[blake_koehn]

I am using the latest software.

I bought this machine used. Is there a chance that the Y axis is loosing steps when it jogs? that is what it seems like is happening now when i work with it.

The Y stepper makes quite a chattering noise when it runs. Is it going out do you think? I really don't have any idea what it "should" sound like.

Thanks for the replies.

[drodda]

Check you setting for the x and Y move ratio in the setup. Check that your pinion gears are tight and then tighten them again. Check the bit to see that it is tight and sharp. A very dull bit will produce this also. The machine does not realize that the material is not geting cut, it just keeps on moving.

[weslambe]

looks like your machine re-set a zero then kept on going. Machine fart? Does it do this every time even on air cuts? If so, then it's software. If not, it's losing steps most likely. Loose bits really mess things up even more than what you are showing. Loose bits would show in the corners of the rectangle.

[blake_koehn]

I figured it out... I had my jog speed to fast and it was loosing steps. When I slowed it down it cut the same file flawlessly.

Thanks for all your input! I can see this will be a journey.

[chodges]

Another thing that can cause these symptoms is electronic interference: if your data cable misses sending just a few instructions, your router will produce some amazing results!

Be sure to keep you data cables away from all other cables, and to properly ground EVERYTHING.