Educational use only. Every setting in CHIP is a starting point, not a guarantee. Your machine, spindle, bit, material and workholding all change the right answer.
Troubleshooting · Start herebeginner~2 min read
Find your problem
Short answer
Pick the symptom that matches what is actually in front of you. Each one lists its causes ranked from most common to least, tells you what to check first, and links to the modules that explain why.
Marks on the workpiece
Lettering and V-carving
Dimensions and position
Tools and holding
The machine itself
How to use a diagnostic page
Match the symptom, not your theory. What you can see is reliable. What you think caused it often is not.
Read the ranked causes in order. They are ordered by how often each one actually turns out to be the answer on a hobby machine.
Do the check-first step. It is there because it rules out the most likely cause in under a minute.
Change one thing at a time. Changing three settings at once teaches you nothing, even when it works.
Two things fix more CNC problems than anything else
A genuinely sharp bit, and a workpiece that cannot move. Before you spend an evening on settings, check both. A surprising share of every symptom on this page traces back to one of them.
