Morso nightmare

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girlfromkent
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Re: Morso nightmare

Post by girlfromkent »

Hi everyone and thanks for the replies, especially Mark for taking the time to explain with such clarity. I absolutely does help to understand the why and not just the what. Thank you.

I did start off thinking that it was an underpinner / user error issue, and was considering a new underpinner (I have a manual Cassese 89 which has been a bit used and abused before it came to me) but then having read a few threads and looking more closely at how the Morso was cutting, I became convinced and still am that something isn't right there.

The hardest part is that the issues don't seem to be consistent - sometimes I get one cut slightly longer than the other, and get a 'tail' at the join, sometimes the fourth corner just won't join neatly, and sometimes I get an opening at the back of the join as pictured.

In fact, the frame in the photo hadn't been underpinned - it was just laid out on a flat surface ready for clamping. That's when you realise there's an issue - it's not even neatly coming together in a clamp before I attempt to underpin. I did manage to get a decent join on the oak in the end but with a lot of trial and error. Not very confidence inspiring.

I guess the inconsistency in problems is due to several things - different woods, me messing about with fences, and just general user error as a novice.
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Rainbow
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Re: Morso nightmare

Post by Rainbow »

This probably isn't the case with your current problems as it sounds as if it's happening to several types of moulding, but otherwise it's worth checking that the wood isn't warped. I've got a case currently which didn't join properly, couldn't figure out why, until I laid the inner sides of the lengths together and discovered that the long lengths touched at one end but had a gaping gap at the other end.
Not your average framer
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Re: Morso nightmare

Post by Not your average framer »

Cutting the mitres at exactly the correct angle, does not mean that there won't be a gap on the last corner that you join. You will often need to close that gap by hand as you complete that last joint. Have you checked that the underpinner fences are set to 90 degrees with a decent square, if not, they may be out a little and a little bit out on the first three mitres adds up to all those errors adding together on the last mire.

Added to that. It's an unfortunate fact of life that mouldings are not guarranteed to stay flat and dead straight, wood does it's own thing. changes in temperature, or humidity will affect the wood, because it once was a living thing, before someone decided to cut it up. Well it's still behving like some of that original life is still there. Wood lives by absorbing moisture and humidity is moisture. The wood is still absorbing moisture and some movement, twisting, bowing, etc, is still possible.

Some woods do it more than others, but there will be some natural variations, even when everything else is perfect. Working with some variations are part of the skill. In this case an accurate try square is your best friend, check that the fences on your underpinner are set square and only then revisit the adjustment of the fences on the Morso. A single corner should be 90 degrees after making both cuts on the morso, atfer joining on the underpinner, there may be slight differences and measuring again with a square may be counter productive.

Careful checking and re-checking is very necessary at first before adjusting anything later I becomes both natural and easy to set things right. We all struggle with it at first. It just part of learning to be a framer. Give it time and it will come.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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