Gerber Sabre Engraver Option User manual

Sabre™
Engraver Option

Copyright Notice
COPYRIGHT1997 Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This document may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without written permission
of the copyright owner.
This document is furnished to support the Engraver Option. In consideration of the furnishing of the
information contained in this document, the party to whom it is given assumes its custody and control
and agrees to the following:
1. The information herein contained is given in confidence, and any part thereof shall not be
copied or reproduced without written consent of Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.
2. This document or the contents herein under no circumstances shall be used in the manufacture
or reproduction of the article shown and the delivery of this document shall not constitute any
right or license to do so.
Printed in USA
Sabre , ART Path, and T-Vac are trademarks of Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.

Contents
Welcome ............................................................................................................ 1
About this booklet.........................................................................................................................1
Getting help...................................................................................................................................1
Unpacking the Engraver Option....................................................................................................2
Kit contents...............................................................................................................................2
Assembling the engraver and mounting plate ...............................................................................3
Installing the Engraver Option ......................................................................... 4
Removing the motor or spindle.....................................................................................................4
Reinstalling the motor or spindle..................................................................................................5
Mounting the engraver on the carriage .........................................................................................6
Removing the engraver.................................................................................................................6
Changing the engraver nose cones................................................................................................7
Engraving Basics .............................................................................................. 8
Materials and cutting tools............................................................................................................8
Hardness, sharpness, cutter rpm, and feed rate.........................................................................8
Surface layer thickness and tool depth......................................................................................9
Tool width and engraving types................................................................................................9
Finish......................................................................................................................................10
Using the Engraver Option............................................................................. 11
Operating modes.........................................................................................................................11
Float mode..............................................................................................................................11
Fixed mode.............................................................................................................................12
Installing cutting tools.................................................................................................................13
Setting up and initializing for different types of engraving.........................................................14
Float mode..............................................................................................................................14
Fixed mode.............................................................................................................................16
Changing the cutter rpm..............................................................................................................19
Maintaining the Engraver Option ................................................................... 20
Tightening or replacing the belt..................................................................................................20
Cleaning the nose cone and micrometer dial...............................................................................21
Cleaning and lubricating the spindle...........................................................................................21

Welcome 1
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing the Engraver Option for your Sabrerouter. This
option provides higher quality engraving than can be achieved by using a
standard router motor or the high frequency spindle.
About this booklet
This booklet contains a list of the kit contents and instructions for unpacking,
assembling, installing, using, and maintaining the Engraver Option. The booklet
also provides a section on engraving basics, such as material and tool selection,
and types of engraving operations.
In order to prepare and engrave a job, you should be familiar with ART Path
and the Sabre operating controls and control pad.
Special information in this booklet is presented in notes, cautions, and warnings
as follows:
Note: A note contains important information which could affect successful
completion of a task.
CAUTION: A caution statement contains information which, if not
observed, could result in damage to the equipment.
WARNING: A warning statement contains information which, if not
observed, could result in personal injury.
Getting help
If you have questions regarding the installation or use of the Engraver Option,
please contact the Gerber Router Support Group at:
860-528-1028
860-290-5568 (fax)

2 Engraver Option
Unpacking the Engraver Option
The engraver motor and casting are attached to a palette with two screws. Use a
Phillips screwdriver to remove the screws and save the screws and pallet.
After unpacking, inspect the following:
1. Verify that the part numbers on the packing slip and invoice match the part
numbers on the motor.
2. Verify that the kit contents listed below have been received.
3. Check for shipping damage. If any part of the engraver is damaged or
missing, notify the shipper immediately.
Kit contents
1 engraver motor and casting
1 mounting plate
4 M6 x 45 screws
4 M6 x 25 screws
8 M6 washers
4 M6 lock washers
20 tie wraps
6 self-adhesive power cord clips
1 cutter knob wrench (handle and separate spline insert)
1 cleaning brush
1 .03" or .75 mm diameter engraving cutting tool
1 .06" or 1.5 mm diameter engraving cutting tool
1 spare drive belt
1 vacuum nose cone
1 pressure foot with foam ring
1 spare foam ring
a vacuum hose for use with the Engraver Vacuum Option

Welcome 3
Assembling the engraver and mounting plate
Before installing and using the engraver, you must attach the engraver and
casting to the mounting plate. This assembly operation is only performed once −
afterward, the mounting plate is considered part of the engraver.
The mounting plate, shown below, has guide pins on both the front and back
surfaces. Attach the mounting plate to the motor casting in the orientation shown
in the illustration (the lower guide pins on the front going into the back of the
casting so that the mounting plate extends above the top of the casting).
After sliding the guide pins into the back of the casting, secure the casting to the
mounting plate using four M6 x 25 screws and washers provided in the kit. To
gain access to the two screw holes on the right, open the engraver cover.

4 Engraver Option
Installing the Engraver Option
This section provides procedures for:
removing and reinstalling the standard router motor or high frequency
spindle
mounting and removing the engraver
changing the engraver nose cones
Removing the motor or spindle
Note: The word "motor" in the following procedure refers to either the
standard router motor or the high frequency spindle. They are both removed
from the carriage in the same way.
1. Shut off power to the Sabre by turning off the main power breaker on the
electrical cabinet.
2. Unplug the motor power cord from the carriage.
3. Remove any tool or collet in the motor.
4. Disconnect the chip removal system vacuum hose from the vacuum shroud
and tuck it behind the carriage.
5. Remove the pressure foot and vacuum shroud from the carriage by
removing two screws from each side of the shroud. Store the screws with the
shroud.
6. Unhook and remove the side springs.

Installing the Engraver Option 5
7. Remove the two lower screws attaching the lower spring brackets and motor
plate to the carriage, then remove the spring brackets.
8. Remove the two upper screws attaching the motor plate and motor to the
carriage. The motor and plate remain attached to the carriage by two
alignment pins in the plate.
9. Pull the motor plate and motor from the carriage.
Reinstalling the motor or spindle
1. Shut off power to the Sabre by turning off the main power breaker on the
electrical cabinet.
2. Manually lower the Z axis to approximately 8" (203.2 mm) above the router
table surface.
3. Slide the motor into position by aligning the pins in the mounting plate to
the mounting points in the carriage.
4. Attach the motor plate and motor to the carriage using 2 M6 x 1.0 screws,
flat washers, and lock washers in the upper left and right mounting holes.
Hand tighten.
5. Attach the left and right spring brackets to the lower mounting holes using 2
M6 x 1.0 screws, flat washers, and lock washers.
6. Tighten all mounting screws.
7. Turn on Sabre power and use the control pad to raise the Z axis all the way
up.
8. Install the springs by hooking one eye of each spring to the lower bracket
and the other eye to the upper bracket.