Touching guide plates

[heyskull]

In the last month I have had a slight tick as the print head comes over the guide plate.
I do most of my printing with the head on the high setting but this afternoon I dropped it and it will catch it and move the guide plate across.
It looks as if it is not the head that is touching but the plate on the left hand of the carriage and touches theraised parts of the guide plate.
Would it be OK to bend this plate upwards or will it cause other problems?

Thanks
SC

 

[heyskull]

Before this crashes into the guide plates....
Can anyone help?

SC

 

[jfiscus]

Something is out of wack. Might be the head bearings are shot or it is really dirty?
I'd remove the guide plates for now if your machine will allow it.
Turn it off and move the head across manually and see what is going on.

 

[rjssigns]

Had the exact same thing with mine. Clean the bottom of the ramps on either side of the print head.

 

[heyskull]

Something is out of wack. Might be the head bearings are shot or it is really dirty?
I'd remove the guide plates for now if your machine will allow it.
Turn it off and move the head across manually and see what is going on.

Their is a metal strip to the left of the print head. It is definitley hitting this on the way back.
I am a bit concerned about removing the guide plates, if the material has a high spot at the end will this cause a crash?!!!!
Would it be an idea to sand a little of the height of the guide plates?

SC

 

[jfiscus]

Hitting vinyl is 100x better than hitting aluminum. A hump in the material will raise the guide plates up and then the head will crash on them.
Bending a small piece of metal on the carriage shouldn't be an issue as long as it isn't part of the head.

 

[flyplainsdrifta]

^^ this. i will gladly smash that carraige into vinyl a thousand times then risk metal edge guides on anything that isnt one of my latex printers (reason being is the head price on a solvent is usually 1 to 3k vs $110 for the latex heads).

 

[heyskull]

I have managed to file about 1mm of the raised part of the guide plate and this has solved the issue.
Too scared to print without guide plates...
I am going to have to replace all the head carriage bearings, which is probably over due as the printer is now 12 years old!!!
Just imagine how many miles they have done!!!

SC