I am having an issue with my XXL. My wife see all these we the people flags and wants one on the wall. For some reason when I try to cut a star though one leg is shorter than the other. I have tried rotating the star to make sure it wasn’t the geometry. I even cut the star in half and mirrored the geometry just to make sure they were the same. Same results every time. I did all the art work in Illustrator exported .svg and imported in to create. I use carbide motion to run the code. Any Ideas?
Usually this is caused by an uneven wasteboard or stock thickness, or some mechanical issue. Please check:
- Pulley set screws:Â http://docs.carbide3d.com/shapeoko-faq/shapeoko-3-how-to-check-the-pulley-set-screws/
- V wheels / eccentric nuts:Â http://docs.carbide3d.com/support/tensioning-eccentrics
- Belt tension — the Z-axis should be guitar string tight (but careful not to bend the motor shaft): http://docs.carbide3d.com/assembly/shapeoko/xxl/step-5-belting/ on deep cuts it may help to remove one spring from the Z-axis temporarily, esp. if one hasn’t added a spoilboard on top of the wasteboard — it also helps to install the router as low as possible (installing the Makita adapter upside down will help). Some folks have found it helps to remove the M4 Z-axis tension bolt, apply a thin bead of threadlock along the length of the threads, then reinstalling it after it has dried.
I wonder how many times you have used this answer…haha…I’m so glad you don’t get tired of answering the same question, over and over. You’re a saint Will
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Only sportsmen count — professional support person here. Just copy it from: https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/FAQ#Mechanical
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I wasn’t sure what to search. I searched stars but it didn’t bring anything up that seemed relevant.
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- If I turn the eccentric nuts just a little then the plate z carriage rocks. I turned them till the carriage stopped rocking.
- I have a video of the belt tension. It seems pretty tight but I dont know.
- When the XXL is off and you push the router down is it supposed to go back up? Mine stays down. I have a video of it if you would like to see it.
- I got a dust boot for Christmas. When I try to run it with the boot on the brushes stop the router from going down. Could this all be from the same problem?
Sounds like either a loose Z belt or a loose Z pulley. Check your set screws on the Z pulley.
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1 - sounds good
2 - this is a bit tricky — it’s tight enough so long as it doesn’t lose steps on the belt, it’s too tight if you bend the motor shaft
3 - the spring is just there to keep the router from dropping precipitously and snapping off an endmill
4 - Please test without the dust boot — if it works okay, then try the dust boot
I took the z plate carriage off, Checked all the bolts and reinstalled it. It seems to be working correctly even with the dust boot on it. But now it is not trammed correctly. Is there a way to loosen the bolts on the back of the z plate that hold the spindle mount without taking the Z plate back off?
Yes, there should be holes drilled on the opposing plate to allow access to the bolts.
Well it has been a crappy morning. I thought it was fixed. I started to make something. Every time it lifted up and came back down it was a different height. So I tried to tighten the set screws on the pulley. The 3mm hex key wrench that came with the shapeoko broke taking off the plate in front of the pulley. So I grabbed my set of Bondhus wrenches and now have 4 stripped out screws. The two little set screws on the z axis pulley the button cap the the 3mm broke in and one of the in the z axis carriage plate holding the spindle mount. So now it wont cut the same z axis at all.
I tried a pocket and got that lovely multi stepped pocket.
Some folks have replaced the M3 set screws w/ M3 SHCS — there seems to be room for 10mm long ones.
what about the ones in the pulley on the stepper motor. I ether stripped them or the pulley threads.
I think there’s clearance there — it’s tight, but there is room around the pulleys for rotation.
No I mean the set screws that keep the drive sheave from spinning on the stepper motor shaft. Those little bitty tiny ones. I ether need ones of those or the drive sheave attached to the stepper motor. Something is stripped in there and I cant tighten them or get them out of the sheave.
If you can’t tighten them or loosen them, mark the pulleys, if you’re lucky, things are tight and will stay in place. Mark them, try using the machine, and if they don’t move, you’re good.
If you need replacements, all of the pulley set screws should be M3 set screws which you can get from any decent hardware store, and M3 SHCS ~10mm long should fit and work.
If they’re spinning, then you’ll need to remove them without damaging the motor and replace them — contact us at support@carbide3d.com
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