z axis dead

[Mitch Richardson]

I would appreciate anyone's help on this.
I am new to CNC.
I have a torchmate 2x4 router and vcarve pro. I was cutting an intricate design that was running fine. I went to eat dinner and when I returned 45 minutes later the router had gone haywire. It seems that right after I left the z axis dove into the workpiece and through the table. Eventually it came into contact with one of my t tracks where it apparently became lodged. Now I cannot raise or lower the z axis. All the other axises move, except z. The motor makes a humming sound like it wants to move but then starts this bad skipping sound.
What have I done?

Thanks you in advance,
Mitch

[Joey Jarrard]

If you have not already shut everything down do so. With the power off to the CNC, try to get the Z up out if the table and away from the t-track. When clear power back on and do your homing procedure (if your machine has one). If your z is still on the fritz check all wire connections. If all check out and there is no physical damage to the gearing or ball screw then you could have a drive going bad. (call the vendor)
Please keep us in the loop. I hope this helps.

[Greg Bender]

This might be a little out of my normal range but I have been building and servicing CNC metal working machines for many years. Seems to me if the Z axis was in the table surface and those machines have hard and soft stops then something simple like a broken belt or a loose/broken set screw might be the cause.What else would let the z axis freewheel to a crash.And I ask that because I'm curious ,I've never been around a CNC router so I don't know how there built.
Mitch,good luck on your quest to find the root cause.
Greg

[ed vitanovec]

With the power off are you able to manually move the Z Axis up and down by rotating the lead screw? Keep us posted on what happened. I have the Torchmate 2x4 as well, I have not had the chance to make anything yet.

Regards!
Ed

[Mick A Martin]

Once you get the bit out of the table, power up the CNC and try to tog your Z axis if it does not move then check the shaft on the servo motor you might have broken the shaft, easy fix just remove and replace the servo motor.

Mick

[Mitch Richardson]

Thank you all for your input. I spoke with torchmate and took things apart. As it turns out the set screw on the motor coupling had come loose. The z axis had enough friction to lower but not enough to raise. I was sick thinking I had broken something else; I was afraid it was the motor.
We are new to CNC and this thing just keeps getting more expensive. I have broken multiple bits, torn a cable, burned out a card in the controller, chewed up the table, and have not yet made a dime with the thing. But we will get it all figured out.

Mitch

[Mick A Martin]

Thank you all for your input. I spoke with torchmate and took things apart. As it turns out the set screw on the motor coupling had come loose. The z axis had enough friction to lower but not enough to raise. I was sick thinking I had broken something else; I was afraid it was the motor.
We are new to CNC and this thing just keeps getting more expensive. I have broken multiple bits, torn a cable, burned out a card in the controller, chewed up the table, and have not yet made a dime with the thing. But we will get it all figured out.

Mitch

That's all part of the learning curve ..... been there and done that.

Mick

[Paul Johnstone]

Thank you all for your input. I spoke with torchmate and took things apart. As it turns out the set screw on the motor coupling had come loose. The z axis had enough friction to lower but not enough to raise. I was sick thinking I had broken something else; I was afraid it was the motor.
We are new to CNC and this thing just keeps getting more expensive. I have broken multiple bits, torn a cable, burned out a card in the controller, chewed up the table, and have not yet made a dime with the thing. But we will get it all figured out.

Mitch

Glad you got it all resolved. I know what you are saying about the learning curve though.
I have a homemade CNC, just for hobby purposes.. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I am not sure if I would.
I am happy with it now, but I vastly underestimated the amount of time and $$ to get to the point where I am now.
Just ordered another $180 of router bits yesterday and spent some money on software.
I still get a queasy nervous feeling whenever I start a job.. My CNC ate up two clamps a few days ago due to a mistake I made LOL.

[Bruce Boone]

Talk about eating up cutters; when I used to make bike parts in titanium, the MSC Industrial Supply people would come to MY shop! Doh!