Poor Little Machine, Part I

So, it’s pretty important that my tools and everything work for me.  Normally I get really, really cranky when they don’t.

I’ll admit there have been days when I’m yelling.

I’ve tried a new approach.  Talking.  Sometimes, I too, question my own sanity.  BUT, a good friend once told me that if I’m questioning it, then I’m probably all right.

So, the carving machine won’t work.  It gets this error “check cut motor”.  Dude, I don’t know what that is….although, “motor” sounds pretty important.  It sounds like it’s something that makes the whole thing, you know, go…

Ya, pretty much.

What do I do?

“Oh, did you work really hard yesterday?”  I talk to it.  ”I know, I worked you really hard, but if you would please, please work for me, I would really appreciate it.”

Nothing.

“Okay, I’m going to turn you off, and clean you all up, and see if that makes you feel better.”  I turn it off, unplug it, and get all the sawdust out from underneath it, and inside it, and all around it.  It’s cleaner than it has looked in, oh, probably it’s whole life since inception.

Plug it in.  Power on.  I run through all the motions, saying, “I’m sorry I used the MDF yesterday.  I shouldn’t have.  It’s dust is probably too fine to be putting through you.”  I cough, “See, it’s getting in my pipes, too.  I’m so sorry.”

I’m going to give the carving machine credit here, it tried, but, no go.

I come inside, text the hubby, just so he knows what he’s in store for tonight.  ;)  And, then I get on the forums.  I’m going to trouble shoot this.  I’m smart.  I went to college.  I can dothis.

Ya, I don’t understand a word they are saying.  Something about motors and taking it apart (eep!!) and brushes inside (??) and circuits coming loose (!!!)…  But, there was one golden article that said it could just be a fluke, so let the machine rest, and try again in an hour or so.

That, I can do!

So, I walk in the garage, and tell the machine that I’m going to let it rest, and then we’ll see how it goes.

I started scroll sawing some pieces from yesterday.  See, if I can’t do carvings, then I can at least do this part.  Momentum.  That’s good.

After that, I start cleaning up the garage, because….well, sawdust, everywhere.  Messy, messy, messy.  Also, I clean when I start worrying.  I’m trying not to panic about when I’ve promised things, and I convince myself we’ll have it fixed in no time.  And, by “we”, I mean my husband.

Every time I passed the machine, I’d say, “You okay?  Just hang tight.  Relax…”  Cleaning took a good hour, and I also straightened up all the wood piles, too.

Okay, let’s try this again.  I go through all the motions, having a whole conversation with the machine.  Letting it know that I know it works really hard for me.  Sometimes we all need encouragement.  I told it that I’m here trying to help it along.  That if it would just tell me what to do, I’d do it.

Now, it wants me to clean the sensor.  Once I found that, dude, done deal.  Easy peasy.

Then it wanted me to check the rollers.  Nope, you’re fine.  Good to go.  ”I appreciate you pointing things out to me that I can potentially fix,” I tell it, “But, don’t make things up, tell me what your real problem is.”

I look at the display panel, “Check Cut Motor”.

Sigh.  ”Well,” I pat it on its little door, “hopefully, we’ll figure that out tonight.”

Poor little machine.

…..to be continued