robutacion
Member
Hi peoples,
Workshop equipment failures and problems are as old as tools themselves so, most of you like me is not new to that but, it always happens at the wrong times, huh...?? (is ever a good time..??
)
Well yesterday, my Carbatec drum sander, one of these
decided that would stop for good, what I mean is, about 1 year after I got it, I started to notice some considerable loss of power on the main sanding drum motor to the point where the safety heat button would turn the motor off at the least sign of the drum starting to bog.
I reduced the amount of wood sanding to a minimum each pass but even that, would kick that switch/button to quick so, I decided to bypass that switch that had become far too sensitive and continue using the machine.
The lack of power was really getting low and I was spending far too much time making several passes when one should have been sufficient but, I did not realise that every time the drum jammed the wood, the table conveyor belt would either stop turning or spin the belt under the wood but not strong enough to push the wood from the jam.
I contacted Carbatec late last year, just before I got sick, the machine had 3 years warranty and about 18 months use so, I spoke to the guy that actually sold the machine to me and requested a possible solution for the main problem that at the time was the main sanding drum motor.
We spoke about the possibility to have their technician to come on site from Adelaide (about 70km away) and check the motor but that visit would cost me unless I would take the machine to their shop for testing.
The damn thing is heavy for me and I was using it almost daily so, I considered what would be the best option, take the machine to them have the motor possibly replaced and be without a machine for some weeks or, continue using it and when it would burn, I was considering to buy a stronger motor for it, the 1Hp is just not enough.
I then got sick and the last thing on my mind was the damn machine so, months later, and with so much work to catch up, I have been using that sander quite a lot until yesterday when, halfway through one lot of pen blanks, the table conveyor belt stop turning, while the main drum sander was still going but obviously, the wood got jammed.
The small motor that runs that table belt seemed that was not turning so, I reduce the belt tension and tried again and this time, the whole power to the shed went out
Tried again, the same result so, I had to try find the problem and with some luck fix it. It took me a little while to figure out how to dismantle that small motor and attached gearbox, I had to undo a lot more bolts and screws than I ever though but after some time, I had the whole thing out.
The motor brushes seemed OK so, that was not the problem, the "finger joint" between the gear box and the rod that turns the belt seemed OK so, it had to be something inside the gearbox.
Was not lack of grease, it had plenty but I could see immediately that, the bottom cog that engages the motor shaft was chewed up pretty bad. Cleaning all the grease, it became obvious that the whole gear box was stuffed, cogs and pins were all damaged.
There was nothing else I could do then contact Carbatec and tell them the news. I told them that I had some pics of what I had found and that I was going to send them for their viewing and deliberation.
What are they going to do...?? I have no idea, are they going to send me a new gearbox so that I can put the machine back together..?? and about the problem with the main motor loss of power..??? after all, was that constant jamming that caused the cogs to strip so, a new gearbox is not going to resolve all the problems with that machine so, what will they do..???
Are they going to void the warranty because I worked on the machine? possibly, are they going to replace it? I doubt.
I wouldn't mind an upgrade to an identical size machine from Jet, the 16-32, same drum size and belts that I have a lot spare however, what am I going to do with this one and, it's a $1,500 investment that I could do without, at the moment.:redface:
I haven't heard anything from them today, I need to wait and see what they are willing to do, the one way or the other, I need a working machine here, ASAP so, is not going to be fun, for sure...!
Here are the pics I took;
Cheers
George
Workshop equipment failures and problems are as old as tools themselves so, most of you like me is not new to that but, it always happens at the wrong times, huh...?? (is ever a good time..??
)Well yesterday, my Carbatec drum sander, one of these
decided that would stop for good, what I mean is, about 1 year after I got it, I started to notice some considerable loss of power on the main sanding drum motor to the point where the safety heat button would turn the motor off at the least sign of the drum starting to bog.I reduced the amount of wood sanding to a minimum each pass but even that, would kick that switch/button to quick so, I decided to bypass that switch that had become far too sensitive and continue using the machine.
The lack of power was really getting low and I was spending far too much time making several passes when one should have been sufficient but, I did not realise that every time the drum jammed the wood, the table conveyor belt would either stop turning or spin the belt under the wood but not strong enough to push the wood from the jam.
I contacted Carbatec late last year, just before I got sick, the machine had 3 years warranty and about 18 months use so, I spoke to the guy that actually sold the machine to me and requested a possible solution for the main problem that at the time was the main sanding drum motor.
We spoke about the possibility to have their technician to come on site from Adelaide (about 70km away) and check the motor but that visit would cost me unless I would take the machine to their shop for testing.
The damn thing is heavy for me and I was using it almost daily so, I considered what would be the best option, take the machine to them have the motor possibly replaced and be without a machine for some weeks or, continue using it and when it would burn, I was considering to buy a stronger motor for it, the 1Hp is just not enough.
I then got sick and the last thing on my mind was the damn machine so, months later, and with so much work to catch up, I have been using that sander quite a lot until yesterday when, halfway through one lot of pen blanks, the table conveyor belt stop turning, while the main drum sander was still going but obviously, the wood got jammed.
The small motor that runs that table belt seemed that was not turning so, I reduce the belt tension and tried again and this time, the whole power to the shed went out
Tried again, the same result so, I had to try find the problem and with some luck fix it. It took me a little while to figure out how to dismantle that small motor and attached gearbox, I had to undo a lot more bolts and screws than I ever though but after some time, I had the whole thing out.
The motor brushes seemed OK so, that was not the problem, the "finger joint" between the gear box and the rod that turns the belt seemed OK so, it had to be something inside the gearbox.
Was not lack of grease, it had plenty but I could see immediately that, the bottom cog that engages the motor shaft was chewed up pretty bad. Cleaning all the grease, it became obvious that the whole gear box was stuffed, cogs and pins were all damaged.
There was nothing else I could do then contact Carbatec and tell them the news. I told them that I had some pics of what I had found and that I was going to send them for their viewing and deliberation.
What are they going to do...?? I have no idea, are they going to send me a new gearbox so that I can put the machine back together..?? and about the problem with the main motor loss of power..??? after all, was that constant jamming that caused the cogs to strip so, a new gearbox is not going to resolve all the problems with that machine so, what will they do..???
Are they going to void the warranty because I worked on the machine? possibly, are they going to replace it? I doubt.
I wouldn't mind an upgrade to an identical size machine from Jet, the 16-32, same drum size and belts that I have a lot spare however, what am I going to do with this one and, it's a $1,500 investment that I could do without, at the moment.:redface:
I haven't heard anything from them today, I need to wait and see what they are willing to do, the one way or the other, I need a working machine here, ASAP so, is not going to be fun, for sure...!
Here are the pics I took;
Cheers
George
