Grounding my plotter?!? Knife is dragging.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Hello friends

Im experiencing a problem with my refine. It wont lift up the blade whe done cutting. If is send one item to cut, theres no problem, it still wont lift the balde up, but it wont damage the art. If i send it to cut 2 lines of something lets say 2 columns, it will drag the blade from the las weedframe til the starting point, ruining everythink in between.

I've read other posts and I tried to cool my room a little bit. I put the fan and opened the windows, but still, the thing that I have left to do is properly ground the plotter. How can this be done? Is there any other possibility for the origin of this?

Thanx

Joe

PS

Attached is an image of what it does.

[kenimes 42]

In your box of cables and blades etc....there was a little black ground wire. Connect it to the bottom of the cutter, and the other end to the stand to properly ground the unit, and help keep static away from the unit, especially the carriage arm which is controlled magnetically. Some have even gone as far as to spray a fine mist of water over the vinyl, which will keep the static down as well.

[JoeCamaro 11]

where in the stand Kenimes?

In any of the screws?

[mlee8249 0]

Does this grounding problem exist when the cutter is not mounted to the stand?  Mine is table mounted.

Thanks!

[dgreenh 9]

Interesting question.  Vinyl running through the machine is going to generate static whether it is on a stand or on a table.  The question is how and where is that static going to get discharged.  I don't think I know the answer. :-

I guess if you have the problem then you need to find a way to ground the cutter. If you don't have the problem then I wouldn't worry about it.  I don't think all the cutters on stands have this problem so who knows.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I have never had this problem but I have seen others solve it by turning off the weeding feature. Try that and see what happens.

[kenimes 42]

where in the stand Kenimes?

In any of the screws?

Yes, any of the screws on the stand.

[Guest fivestar]

Joe is this doing it with t-shirt vinyl by chance?  As I am sure you know, t-shirt vinyl puts off so much more static then sign vinyl does.  I can actually make my knife "drop" anytime I want to by simply tugging on my t-shirt vinyl roll and producing the static.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Both. I feel the static. It is strong in both cases.

[mlee8249 0]

So, if the cutter is not mounted to a stand, like mine, and the static is produced by the vinyl, and you all suggest I should still ground the cutter....ground it to what?  The table is wood!  Now, it just so happens that I have a can of anti-static spray around there, and I can mist this smelly junk around the cutter and table to dissipate any static....do you think that will be sufficient?  I have not had a problem as yet, but I want to head it off at the pass.  Suggestions are welcome.

[kenimes 42]

The anti-static spray will certainly help.....are there any metal screws on the wood table you could loosen to ground the unit?

[Guest fivestar]

I got mine grounded to the ground screw of an eletrical outlet.  Really the grounding doesn't seem to help me though.  Some reason I just got to keep it cool and low humidity does the trick for me.  Which right now it is definitely cool in here, actually cold...    :snow: