# Cams Skipping stones



## piabows27 (Dec 16, 2011)

Hi,
I have a cams 1v-2p and recently when I am running a design, it is skipping stones. It will go to pick up a stone, leave it in the parts feeder, and continue missing stones until it finally picks up a stone to pass the to the spin gun. 
It starts off picking them up fine, then will start skipping about 50 stones or so into the design. The small screw on the front of the top gun, was really loose so I thightened it all the way, not sure if that has anything to do with it, but this was happening before I adjusted that. 
This is happening with both 6ss and 10ss stones I am running for 1 design.

I have checked for a clog, adjusted the parts feeder many times, checked the barr setting and drained the compressor/chiller. 

Any ideas on what this could be?


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## ifusion (Jun 3, 2011)

piabows27 said:


> Hi,
> I have a cams 1v-2p and recently when I am running a design, it is skipping stones. It will go to pick up a stone, leave it in the parts feeder, and continue missing stones until it finally picks up a stone to pass the to the spin gun.
> It starts off picking them up fine, then will start skipping about 50 stones or so into the design. The small screw on the front of the top gun, was really loose so I thightened it all the way, not sure if that has anything to do with it, but this was happening before I adjusted that.
> This is happening with both 6ss and 10ss stones I am running for 1 design.
> ...


Does the top gun pick up the stone from the plate and just drop it back into the bowl? If so, I've seen that before and for me, I took off the top nozzle, stuck a small paperclip from the back to push out small chips through the front of the gun and that cleared it for me.

I've seen other times where I had to clean the coil from the top nozzle because it was getting stuck in the recoiled format and wasn't extending to collect the stone.

Hope that helps.


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## blzpowr (Apr 16, 2011)

piabows27 said:


> Hi,
> I have a cams 1v-2p and recently when I am running a design, it is skipping stones. It will go to pick up a stone, leave it in the parts feeder, and continue missing stones until it finally picks up a stone to pass the to the spin gun.
> It starts off picking them up fine, then will start skipping about 50 stones or so into the design. The small screw on the front of the top gun, was really loose so I thightened it all the way, not sure if that has anything to do with it, but this was happening before I adjusted that.
> This is happening with both 6ss and 10ss stones I am running for 1 design.
> ...



Check this:

The distance between the extended swing gun (top) nozzle tip when extended fully to the feeder plate is critical. When extended to a stone, the distance between the tip of the gun and the stone or plate should be about the thickness of an average business card. If it is more, the vacuum isn't strong enough to lift it, if it is less, the gun actually hits the stone and knocks it out of position.

Above the actually swing gun tip you have an aluminum tube to which the tip is screwed. At the top of that tube is a nut which also should be tight. To adjust the tip to plate distance, loosen the nut and turn the now loose rod on which the screw is riding clockwise to lift the tip or counterclockwise to decrease the gap. You can use a business card as a feeler guage. When it seems correct with a little drag on the card tighten the nut snugly to secure it. The allen screw on the top gun tube should also be secure.

While you're doing this, check the very tip of the swing gun tip closely and be sure it is not becoming concave. Depending on how much use the machine has had, concaving of the tip is a sign of wear and the tip itself may need replacement. It is considered a consumable wear item.

Also check the digital readout when you are in the parts feeder adjustment mode. the readout needs to be between 100 and 300 somewhere. A reading over 300 can or will screw up the sensor function and the feeder may not hold adjustment causing continual pains in the butt (like you describe). If it's out of those 100/300 parameters you would use the left or right keys to advance or back up the feeder until you get it in the desired range and then adjusted for centering of the stone correctly.

I hope this helps. The 1V-2P really is a great little machine but it is touchy. Good luck.


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## Leg cramps (Feb 9, 2009)

Love your quote!


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## ifusion (Jun 3, 2011)

Somewhat related... when adjusting the distance between the nozzle and the part feeder to the correct distance, I find that after I optimize the distance between the nozzle and PF1 that the distance between the nozzle and PF2 contains a little more spacing than I would like.

What would be the adjustment to bring PF2 closer to the nozzle? I find that I can run ss10 and ss20 ok from PF2 but have occasional allignment issues with ss6.

I was thinking that it may require taking the case off the machine and tightening up the part feeder arm a little (which I dread).


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## blzpowr (Apr 16, 2011)

ifusion said:


> Somewhat related... when adjusting the distance between the nozzle and the part feeder to the correct distance, I find that after I optimize the distance between the nozzle and PF1 that the distance between the nozzle and PF2 contains a little more spacing than I would like.
> 
> What would be the adjustment to bring PF2 closer to the nozzle? I find that I can run ss10 and ss20 ok from PF2 but have occasional allignment issues with ss6.
> 
> I was thinking that it may require taking the case off the machine and tightening up the part feeder arm a little (which I dread).



Very good question----I'm not aware of a direct adjustment on the 1V-2P for that specifically but it's a great question.

Not being in the same building right now as the machine, my first response would be tightening the PF bracket but unless it's loose that may not do anything. Possible addition of some very thin shim stock or washers between the arm and it's mounting surface would work or possibly very thin shim washers (available at HD or Lowes, like .001 or .002) under the feeder plate itself to slightly raise the plate. This could or would require readjusting the sensor height and clearance between the sensor and the sensor in the PF.

It is possible you could get correct by just loosening, adjusting and retightening the screws for the fore and aft PF adjustment very carefully.

Like I said, great question. Maybe a Coldesi or Mesa tech could jump in and tell us both.


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## best26102 (Sep 29, 2013)

yes you need to go to system output and find your value for P1 and then do your formula and change the P1 and P2 values. That will solve your situation.


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