Buddy has mid cut crisis

[richard_saylor]

My PRS Standard Porter Cable Buddy hiccuped today and ate an alder guitar body blank.
It was rounding the tightest curve of the upper horn, like it has successfully done many times before with the same file, and decided to continue the radius right into the body. At that point, seemingly confused, it started making rapid 1 1/2" strokes until I hit the big red button.
I use a CMT down spiral bit. The width of the bit is excessive to help the dust collector keep the cutout chip free.
It was making 1/8" pass depth cuts at 1.5 IPS at 13K RPM. Total depth of the cut is 1 3/4" and it was on the 1 5/8" depth cut. This probably sounds like a too conservative method of cutting, but it's worked for me in the past.
Anyway, this is the first time Buddy has every gone off on it's own tangent (pun intended).
Anyone have any ideas?

[rcnewcomb]

Sounds like a grounding/static issue. I assume you have run the same file before with no issues?

[richard_saylor]

Yes, I've cut this same file dozens of times. I had grounding issues months ago which always resulted in communication error messages, but with Frank's help, solved them.
We ran a speed test with the current computer and came up with a 53. I ran a speed test with my Vista based laptop and came up with a 73. It just seems that at 1.5 IPS, I'm not really pushing the boundaries.
I'm a bit tenative putting another piece of wood in there regardless of which computer I use.

[erik_f]

USB cable maybe?

[richard_saylor]

I guess my main concern is the low speed test score. I'm using a 1.05 GHz Athlon with 1.00 GB of Ram. USB 2.0.
Is this a common speed for this setup?

[wberminio]

Richard

Do you have a USB hub connected between the control box and computer?If not,this will increase your comm speed.

Erminio

[richard_saylor]

Yes, I have the USB hub connected. I've tried it with and without the hub, and it is a bit faster without.
I replaced the USB cable and the speed is still the same.

[richard_saylor]

I took a close look at the cut and possibly the router bit was deflected. I was cutting alder at a depth pass of 1/8" at 1.5 IPS, .5 spiral bit. The total depth of the piece is 1 3/4" and it was on it's next to last pass rounding a tight radius. Is it possible that the grain split and deflected the bit? Here's a picture.

8063

[frank134]

I just had a problem like your. I check ground, software, and the usb hub. Finally talk to frank at sb and found the trouble to be in the connector to my spinder. right at the spindle. this drove me crazy for over a month. sometime it would work great and then other all hell would break loose. this problem was alway in the z. those. that could of told me to check the z area first. hope this help you.

[richard_saylor]

I upgraded the computer and am getting a 76% speedtest score. So far, no problems.