I’m sure this is a long shot, but does anyone happen to have any suggestions for how to potentially repair/replace the part of the Carvey that the Smart Clamp gets clamped to? Our students have stripped the threaded hole and it no longer will hold a screw tightly. When I called a few years ago, Inventables suggested having a machine shop recreate the piece, since they didn’t have any in stock anymore. Any other suggestions? Maybe someone that is selling the parts of a broken Carvey?
Did they offer the CAD file for the part?
Aside from that, have you tried using a tap to see if the hole threads can be restored.
The easiest(best?) solution would be to stop using Easel and therefore stop using the “Smart” clamp.
They did not offer the CAD file, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
I had assumed that tapping wouldn’t work because the screw slides in about half way before making contact with the lower half of the threads. My current workaround is to use an extra long screw with a spacer to give it the proper height.
Do you have a suggestion for a free software tool that we could use instead of Easel? Our Carvey is used in a middle school, so we’ve really appreciated the ease of use of Easel for students.
That makes sense. You could drill those out with a 5mm drill and tap for M6. You could use threaded inserts designed to press into aluminum (probably what Inventables should’ve done).
That said, cncjs and gSender should both work with the Carvey. You’d lose the automatic functionality of the smart clamp, but gain in many other ways.
If the students run the machine, that’s obviously another step you’ll have to teach them.
If you do get the CAD file, let me know…I might be able to make a replacement.
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Thanks. I did get a CAD file from Inventables last night, but we’re going to try and drill a the hole a bit bigger and then put an m5 insert into it. Hopefully that will solve the problem. The Smart Clamp for sale on the website is unfortunately just the top portion.
All be it a bit on the pricier side key inserts are the best inserts for aluminum. They are available on mcmaster. I have used them in a variety of sizes and they never disappoint.
Depending on the school’s metal shop equipment it would be a good student shop project to take a piece of steel or aluminum dowel, drill and tap the center for a the 5mm bolt, then put lets say (awag here) an 8mm tap through the table and an 8mm thread on the dowel, cut it to length and you have made your own insert.