Engraving quality and mechanics

How deep the SeedHammer II engraves, how to test a job, and what to tighten when text is faded.

Get the deepest engraving the machine allows on stock firmware v1.4.3 and fix text that fades or wobbles. Wear and spare parts: Hardware and spare parts. Heat: Heat and noise.

Use a public test wallet for test runs. Seed words are typed on the machine only and never pass through a phone, a computer or a chat assistant.

What you need

The machine on firmware v1.4.3 ("Firmware: v1.4.3" at the bottom right of the start screen).
A USB-C PD port with 20 V or 28 V at 5 A, preferably 28 V (power).
The hex keys from the box, a drop of light oil, and low-strength threadlocker if you have it.
For test runs: a spare plate and a public test descriptor sent with NFC Tools.

How deep it engraves

The needle engraves about 0.3 to 0.4 mm deep into the 3 mm steel plate; 1.5 mm is out of reach. No setting changes the depth, and it does not drift with use. 2 mm plates engrave but warp (Plates). Strike strength follows the supply voltage, the highest the charger offers between 20 V and 28 V. At 20 V each strike gets a slightly longer pulse. 28 V engraves deeper and crisper (unverified). Full procedure: Load a plate and engrave.

Plug the cable from the box into the charger port that offers 28 V.
Put a drop of light oil on the plate.
If steel has built up on the needle tip, scrape it off with a fingernail.
Close the lock firmly.

Screenshot pending: The same job engraved at 20 V (left) and 28 V (right)

What the machine shows

Homing: at power-up, before every job and after a job that ends normally, the head drives into its corner until both axes reach their stops, then to the plate's top-left corner.
"Engraving failed.": the head stays where it stopped. Next: Retry and restart.
Any other error: Engraving errors.

Engrave Plate screen after a homing failure

Test a job without engraving a plate

v1.4.3 has no preview or dry-run mode (removed after v1.3.8). Test on the back of the test plate from the box, if yours came with one, or on a spare plate. Or unplug the solenoid.

Unplug the engraving solenoid

Unplug the USB-C power.
Unplug the 2-pin engraving solenoid plug in the middle of the controller board.
Plug the power back in.
Start the job. The countdown shows how long the real job takes.
Watch where the head travels. It should run the whole job without striking (unverified on v1.4.3; it may stop with an error).
Unplug the power.
Plug the solenoid back in.

Screenshot pending: The 2-pin engraving solenoid plug on the controller board

Take the play out of the axes

Each axis runs on a threaded shaft with a brass nut, driven by a stepper motor through a belt. Unplug the power first.

Brass nuts: words fade toward the end

Loosen the set screw in the brass nut with the supplied hex key.
Turn the nut until the slack is gone.
Tighten the set screw again. Low-strength threadlocker on it is optional.
Do the same on the other axis.

Screenshot pending: Brass nut on the threaded shaft with the hex key in its set screw

Pulleys: homing error, or an axis stands still while its motor turns

Move both axes by hand. They should turn freely.
Remove the left motor cover.
Plug in the power.
Watch the homing. A motor that turns while its axis stays still has a slipping pulley.
Unplug the power.
Tighten both set screws on each pulley with the smallest hex key, pressing the pulley against the frame.
If play remains, loosen the locking nut on the other side.
Tighten the pulley.
Tighten the locking nut.

Screenshot pending: Pulleys behind the left motor cover with their set screws

Belts and Y-axis holder: wavy or wobbly text

Tighten the set screw on the Y-axis holder.
Secure that set screw with threadlocker.
Loosen the four M3 screws that hold the belt's stepper motor.
Slide the motor along its slot to tension the belt.
Tighten the four screws.
Repeat on the other axis.

Screenshot pending: Stepper motor with its four M3 screws and slot

Needle and cables: the head moves but stops striking

Press the engraving-head cable and the 2-wire cable fully into their sockets.
Move the head to the right side by hand. Neither cable should pull.
Unscrew the red head housing. The needle should move freely; spring resistance is normal.
Oil the needle.
Refit the housing.
Run a test job from a port that offers 28 V at 5 A.
If the head still stops, contact SeedHammer. It has sent replacement parts for this fault.

If it does not work

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Shallower than the test plate from the box	A 20 V supply; the test plate was engraved at 28 V and may have run twice	Use a 28 V port (depth)
Words fade toward the end	X-axis play, a loose brass-nut set screw or a loose lock	Brass nuts; close the lock firmly
Wavy or wobbly text	A loose Y-axis holder set screw or a slack belt	Belts and Y-axis holder
The head stops striking partway, often on the right or in the QR	A weak supply, a loose cable or a sticking needle	Needle and cables
"Error: stepper: homing timed out" (older firmware: "Mjolnir2 homing timed out"), or the head scrapes the frame	A loose pulley	Pulleys
The head starts over the orange frame at power-up	Normal	None
A new machine leaves grease on the plate	Normal, in small amounts	None; the grease liquefies as the machine warms up