Issues with slab flattening

Hey guys. I have been enjoying skipping the planer and using my 1F x-50 woodworker for slab flattening. So far I have used the 1F to flatten my epoxy/wood charcuterie boards. While I am very pleased with the end result I’ve encountered a few hiccups and I’m not sure why.

I do have dust collection for my 1F which is a Kraken dust boot with clear 2-1/2" vacuum hose attached. I mention this as I’ve heard of static causing my issues. The bit I’m using is a standard slab flattening bit with a 1/4" shank, 1" diameter, 3-wings. I’ve set my router RPM lower (12000 or so) as per the recommendations for speeds and feeds from manufacturer. My depth of cut is VERY conservative - usually .05. I’ve heard of people taking larger passes at .1 but I usually don’t need to take very much material off.

Ok, on to the issue I’ve experienced. During flattening, the screen of my 1F will momentarily turn off and come back on. In one instance, after the screen going black and coming back on the toolpath just stopped. I had to stop the job and re-start and it finished fine albeit with the screen doing its thing again.

Any suggestions as to why this is happening?

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Hi Nick,

This issue is due to EMI. I have also had this issue and I was able to resolve it by installing the following onto the router cable. I also don’t run my router cable in the drag chain to help isolate the noise.

There are a few articles about this issue in the forum. Search on EMI.

Mike

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Thanks Mike! Why does this only occur when flattening a slab? I never have this issue v-carving into epoxy.

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Probably because the router draws more current when it’s working harder, and higher current generally creates more EMI. Also, you’re running the router at a different speed, which will change the frequency of the commutator noise, for better or worse.

I have had this issue since I bought the machine. I tried everything including replacing the HDMI cables, but didn’t stop the issue. I am skeptical if this would resolve the problem. My screen goes in and out when it has more load on the router, i.e., using 1/4 bit to cut out the material.

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Hi Kamran,
I have two woodworkers and an Openbuilds CNC. before adding these ferrite magnets to my CNCs I had the screen problem on both woodworkers and worse issues with homing switches failing on the Openbulids CNC.

Many suggest plugging the router into its own cricket but I don’t do that because I want to be able to stop the everything at the push of an emergency switch in the event of trouble.

These magnets have allowed me to do that.
Mike

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Could that 12K RPM be adding to his current draw? I have a 1F x35 and use my WhiteSide 6210 to flatten epoxy / walnut charcuterie boards all the time, but I will run at speed 3 (17K RPM). That 1" head needs a little more spin on it in my experience. I also do .05DOC and usually 50-60IPM. Never had a screen flicker.

Mike, Thank you for the insight and sharing your personal experience fixing this issue. I ordered a set of these from Amazon via the link above and looking forward to testing them out once they arrive.

Kamran,
I also wanted to let you know that I put the chokes on both the router cable as well as the power and data cable that go to the monitor. I did not add them to the HDMI cable because that cable already had them.

Mike

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Thank you. I just mine delivered. I’ll put them on and try out over the weekend.

Hmm, I’m still having the issue after installing a magnet on the router power cable. I also noticed the router cable has one installed on the cable out of the box. Maybe I need to add ones to the power and data cable going to the monitor as well?

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The tag on the router cable is a security tag that makes the big box stores alarms go off

Hi Nick,
Did the chokes resolve your issue? Just my curiosity as I’ve never encountered this issue on my Woodworker and suspect there is something else causing your problem, though I suppose ‘dirty power’ may be a contributor where chokes may be helpful.

I run both my motor drives and router cable through drag chains and have used it to flatten small as well as large slabs (some times using it in VCarve tiling mode) at various speeds with out interruption.

It did not help, unfortunately. I did find that wiggling the hdmi at the controller causes the screen to flicker. When I say wiggle I mean very lightly touching the hdmi cable.

When I was flattening I do not believe the table would have flexed enough to cause the hdmi to loosen or wiggle enough to cause the screen flicker so I’m at a loss.

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