Rock Chuck for CarveWright

[Dave Garcia]

One and all,

As a final follow up to my original post, I thought I'd jot down a few final comments and thoughts after carving my very first project using my new Rock Chuck.

The moment the CW started up it was QUIET with hardly ANY vibration! Although with the door to my shop closed, I still had to wear ear protection inside my shop. But walking around outside and visiting with my neighbors while the machine was running, the machine was not any louder than a car driving by. Now that is quality! Ron Justice, ya done good!

My only question to Ron, is why haven't you gotten with the CarveWright folks and made them some sort of deal to have your chucks installed at the factory???? Seems there would be a ton of money to be made there. And how about getting your fine product patented or at least trade market?? I'll be glad to write you a glowing endorsement!!

Ok, now on with the story. As usual, even with watching the video and reading all of the written comments that Ron has made I still messed up with my first carve. I thought I had tightened the set screw on the Rock Chuck good enough but........ Yup, about a third of the way through the carve I started to see ridges appearing, deeper and deeper as the carve went on. After I stopped the machine I tightened the set screw again, probably a little more than what Ron recommends in his video, and the carve continued on as smooth as silk.

The only other concern, or issue, that I had with this first carve on the new Rock Chuck was the bit length out of the chuck. Initially I used a block of wood for a depth gauge to set the bits. This carve used the regular 1/16" carve bit and the 1/8" ogee bit. The carve bit I had no problems with. But when the machine asked me for the ogee bit during the last stages of the carve, and I replaced it as asked using my wood depth gauge, the machine told me that it was not set right. It did ask me whether or not I wanted to adjust and or continue, so I pushed the continue button and the carve proceeded along quite nicely and turned out very well.

Now if I could only figure out how to use the Designer Software!

I am extremely happy with the Rock Chuck and would strongly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of and or already has a CW machine. It is one of the best after market items that I've purchased in a very long time! Noise and vibration were cut at least in half from the original QC. Even the flex shaft was steady as a rock. And flex shaft heating? Other than what I consider to be normal, after an hour running, not even a warm spot.

Hope this helps those of you that are still sitting on the fence trying to decide to buy one of these things or not. Do it now! You'll certainly be happy with it.

Dave Garcia
The Wood Block, Ltd

[AL Ursich]

Here is an offering from Ask Bud of the CarveWright Forum, plans to make your own front loading dust collector vacuum port. http://store.carvewright.com//home.php?cat=261

This machine is bring out lots of ideas and making your own collector is a good idea. I made my collector from Copper Circuit Board Material.

Check out the postings about Ask Bud's port on the CW Website.

I am working on a 4th axis sled..... in my spare time...

AL

[Gary Hitchcock]

Where do I buy a RC ?
Is it a direct replacement?
No special mods need to be done on the RC ?

How much ?
and
From whom ?

http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?...view=thumbs&ck=

Some photos of rejects,

[Dave Garcia]

Gary,

Here is the web site for purchasing the RC.

www.cw-parts.com

The gentlemen in charge is Mr. Ron Justice.

The only issue you might have, besides voiding the warranty with LHR the maker of the CarveWright, is getting the original QC off. I had to use a propane torch with a special fixture to do so. But Ron gives you everything you need in the way of instructions to do just that. Sometimes it's difficult, like my case, other times it's easy. Someone even used a hair drier to heat it just a little to loosen the lock tight.

The entire package will run you about $180. But, my suggestion to you is that you spend the extra bucks and get a second removal tool. Just about every one that has changed to the RC, has broken at least one of those little things. I broke two in the process. But here again, Ron will help you in any way he can.

Bottom line is that once you change to the RC, your noise and vibration will be reduced by at least 50% if not more. The RC removes all of the run out of the original QC. And I'm also hearing that LHR is considering some sort of warranty change for this as well. Stay tuned.

Hope this helps. And good luck with the removal of your original QC, it is worth every penny!

Dave Garcia
The Wood Block, Ltd

[Gary Hitchcock]

Thank you
My QC is at CW now , I had purchased a QC (3rd one) and it was defective, so had to go a few rounds with sales, finely sent entire truck assy. to CW, no outcome yet. I'm not too pleased with my CW, I've had it
for 18 months, got less then 300 hours on it, keeps breaking,
the click and drag icons software is great, spent some time in a learning curve, the depth of cuts set with the icons are way to deep, most of my carves are less then 1/8th deep @ 80 to 90%.
I had to cut one of the old QC's off with a grinder, did ok but the finial
cut was a grind along the threads of the shaft and then twist and break the last few mills of metal of the QC, just flattened the tops of a few threads,
I'll spend the $$$, after three QC's and the support hassel, I think it's worth the money.

Thanks again for the info.

[Dave Garcia]

Gary,

Sorry to hear of your problems with the CW. But am glad that you are getting it fixed.

No worries about the software issues. Everyone that I've spoken with goes through the same thing. I think Jason, of The Little Red Wood Shop, who I bought my machine from, is the only one who can cruise through using the software, but then again he's been working with it for a number of years now. For the rest of us it's the tried and true trial and error schoolf learning!

You'll be impressed with the Rock, especially the 50% reduction in noise and vibration. Have even been told that with the reduced vibration most of the other issues with the trucks etc, seem to go away. Hmmmm. School is still out on that one.

Dave Garcia
The Wood Block, Ltd

[AL Ursich]

If you still have vibration with the rock look at the bearings on the X and Z. I found a loose Y bearing last night... A tug in all directions of the bit after loading will find a loose bearing. It is a eccentric bearing lock.

AL