Poor Little Machine, Part II

The husband, who goes by the name of Sean, and I went out in the garage Thursday night, trying to figure out what is wrong with Carvey.  Yep, that’s right, I named the carving machine.  I now, also pet it.  Don’t judge me.  Poor little machine.

The top of the machine was taken off, we used the air compressor to blow a bunch of ga-ga (a.k.a. saw dust) out, and vacuumed.  It was almost like when the dentist is working on your teeth – the assistant holds that sucking tube that tries to suck up everything in your mouth, including your tongue, while the dentist drills away.  So, Sean is blowing all this dust out, and I’m trying to catch it with the shop vac.  Teamwork.

I look down and our little black lab mix, Raven, is just covered in saw dust.  I thought this was funny, but I guess I wasn’t doing my job very well.  I will say, though, that when you use an air compressor to get sawdust out of a machine, it goes e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. Apparently, also on the dog.  It kinda looked like it snowed on her.

When I laughed with her (‘Cause I don’t laugh at her, that’d be mean), she just wagged her tail, all cute like. And, then I thought….”HEY!”, if I were a cartoon a light bulb would have lit above my head, “I have a vacuum in my hand”…

Raven did not appreciate it when I tried to vacuum her back.

She really didn’t appreciate it when Sean used the air compressor to try to blow the saw dust off of her.  She ran behind my legs….”Help me!  Help me!”  ….Completely forgetting that I was the one with the vacuum!

Traumatizing the dog is always fun.

Alas, our efforts were in vain, and Carvey tried really hard to work, but then gave out again.

I emailed some customers, told them of my problems….since some dates are fast approaching.  Turns out I’m the only one remotely freaking out about this.  It’s nice to have understanding customers.

Sean does more research on the computer.  A couple stat readings on the machine.  Some tinkering.

….and……

Still not working.  But, he knows the motor works.  So, that’s a good thing.

He has a theory.  I see the wheels turning in his head, and he’s out in the garage this very minute trying to figure the whole thing out for me so I can make my deadlines.

That’s love, folks.  Best husband ever.  And, he’ll be my hero when he fixes it.  That’s right….when.

I just hope “when” is “soon”, because all the best stories are told in a trilogy.  So, it’d be super cool if this little drama could wrap itself up in my next blog posting.  It’ll be the “Poor Little Machine” trilogy.

One day, we’ll make a movie out of it.  (I look away from the laptop screen in a dream like stance.)  Maybe in New Zealand….

Ahem.

Yeah, you’re right, probably not.

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