Recommended Posts

I received my carriage blade holder and I asked David from US Cutter to please email me tips and or instructions on how to replace. Long story short no email and when I call US Cutter and try to talk to David  trying to get Obamacare on the first phone call :o) The new person said he can explain it,  "it's real easy". Needless to say my wife and I want to SCREAM! He said to remove the carriage from the tracks (way easier said than done) then remove ribbon cable then remove two screws on back removing little metal plate covering rubber track band and put on new carriage and work steps backwards. When I removed the two screws the rubber track fell apart and has two ends. Is this correct? I thought it was going to be one continous ruber band. I keep trying to put band on but I am left with a lot of slack in the band. Is there a band tensioner? ANY help would be appreciated. I had my PCUT for the last 7 years and has been flawless till it snaped a blade holder arm.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

my guess is if you take off the end caps there is a pulley the belt is no longer on - haven't had one apart in a long time but pretty sure that is what you will find

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I found the pulley tensioner (right side same as lcd display on PCUT). Do you know if belt is single complete loop or if it is cut to "thread" threw machine?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Been too many years since I had one apart but at least one of the machines I worked on the belt ends were clamped on the back of the carriage - hopefully Jay will be around soon - I know he has done one on a laserpoint 1 which is the same machine

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, I have been going blind trying to zoom in on it to see. I even went as far as dropping it into photoshop to play with the lighting to see, no luck. I just went to youtube to watch video on laserpoint but it was a 2 not 1. Belt and carriage is definatly different on that than the PCUT.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

it may be one continuous loop but I just can't remember - can you tell if the ends are cut or slightly jagged like just old and broke?  are there other cracks in it that might be a clue?

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I hate to say it but as I get older my memory fails me but it seems like the belt was split on the back of the carriage on the LP1. Had to do the LP1 and the LP2 so I'm trying to remember which was which way.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just wanted follow up with my "experience" with changing the blade holder carriage. Don't know if the belts was supposed to be split or noe because I have had NO response back from US Cutter. To busy counting my money rather than returning emails and phone calls I left them. I joined the belt together myself to the metal backer plate with some e6000 glue let dry for 48 hrs then put plate on back of carriage with two screws. Its now better than ever. I still stand behind my PCUT machine because God knows US Cutter didn't have my back. I also had a Chinese CNC router but at least with that company they had tons of how to videos on how to problem solve on your own before you had to "bother" them. It comes down to the golden saying "You get what you pay for" the cutter works great when it works (mine has been going strong with no incidents for the past 6 years) but when it stops working, thats when you will wish you bought a brand name cutter with proper customer support. But with a brand name your getting a larger purchase price. Hard to swallow but going through this I am doing my research for a second cutter. While ordering my parts I was 99.9% sold by David on the Copam cutter for $750 but after I went through this hair pulling out experience, a $2,000 machine dosen't seem that much more in the long run. US Cutter may have lost a 6+ year customer that was looking into upgrading my machine over a two second email they could have shot back to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

glad to hear you got anyways - I think my first 4 cutters I upgraded about once a year as I made the money - the copam is a great machine and the first one I really noticed a difference in as the stepper motors are a much higher step count than the value cutters . . . when you upgrade consider a servo machine - which of course includes the graphtec, roland or titan2 cutters.  I am sure it didn't help that you started this ordeal on a saturday when usc is closed - did you happen to try to call support monday or tuesday when they was open?   I think I heard they are filling some vacancies in the tech department and at least one of the head techs is on vacation - that doesn't help either cause someone should have been able to help if you called.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For the record it was a 2 pc. belt on the LP1 with the metal clamps to the carriage. The LP2 carriage kinda snaps onto the belt from the back. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks jaybird for the info on belt. It's fixed and working perfect but I still was in wonder if it was cut by damage or not. I received the carriage Friday morning and called them right away (USC) fully knowing weekend was fast approching and tech. support would be impossible from them. I called for David who was the guy that set me up with part but trying to reach the same person is next to impossible. I even offered to stay on hold till he was ready (on my dime). Thats when the other guy explained how simple it was to swich carriages. Forgot to mention the belt part and the belt tensioner.  And trying to get the carriage on and off the tracks, what a bit#@. I see where the newer machines the belt just clips on the back. Wish mine would have been like that. Main thing is its fixed by my doing and the help of this forum. Thanks to everyone who post experiences and know hows, you guys make the brand that much easier. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The truth is you're more likely to find people who have been hands on here than with their support. They do pretty good troubleshooting and with the computer side through remote setups but for hands on many of us have dove into the belly of the beast.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this