hex head bolts on square edge sides

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TJR
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hex head bolts on square edge sides

Post by TJR »

I have a mature Morso (14019) and have needed to fine adjust the two square edged fixed bottom blades. The hex bolts are seized or very tight and cheapo allen keys couldn't shift them. I saw Lion were advertising a special long Allen key, 5mm x 230mm - actually out of stock - but I found another source for a 5mm key. The key arrived and to my disappointment, 5mm is undoubtedly too large for the bolt hex heads. I'm wondering if my Morso might have imperial sized hex heads. I want an accurate fit & a long handled key so as not to damage the heads which will need some torque to shift them. Can someone tell me the correct size hex key? Many thanks
JFeig
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Re: hex head bolts on square edge sides

Post by JFeig »

Don't forget to use some penetrating oil on those old threads and then let it soak in before attempting to loosen them.
Jerome Feig CPF®
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David Jarvis Gunnar
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Re: hex head bolts on square edge sides

Post by David Jarvis Gunnar »

Go to Halfords they have an excellent kit of allen keys nice and long about £30 a set and the long ends have rubber inserts. I have never damaged an hex headed bolt with one of these. I think you wll fnd the bottom hex bolts on the Morso are 4mm but they are usually in really tight. Overnight soaking with a rag soaked in plus gas will help. Make sure you take the blades out first to preserve your knuckles.
When realighning the spacers use fag paper to set the gap between the edge of the blades and the plates that should give you a nice clean cut when you have finished the job.
TJR
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Re: hex head bolts on square edge sides

Post by TJR »

Thanks for helpful responses. I'm using WD40 & will get splash out on some fag papers for the spacing.

Maybe my question was too complicated. Essentially it is what size are the hex bolt heads? Mine are certainly not 5mm though they look not very far off 5mm, and even though Lion advertise a 5mm long handled allen key specifically to shift these bolts. My machine is old with imperial scale, but I wonder how many different sized hex heads Morso could have used over the years. Surely not many? Rather than buy a set of long handled keys (much as I appreciate the advice) I'd rather buy just one, the right size. And the right size is not 5mm in my case, for sure.
Thanks for the patience of forum members who've read & responded. (Incidentally, I had thought of asking Morso but couldn't find a web address - so that could be another route to the answer, if someone can give me a link.)
TJR
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Re: hex head bolts on square edge sides

Post by TJR »

Thanks for Morso link - here's the reply from Denmark:
Hello,
Thank you for your e-mail. Your machine is from 1973 and I am afraid that we do not have the drawings of the machine that shows the size of the bolts, so I cannot tell you the size of the bolts.
I regret that I cannot help you. Med venlig hilsen / Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüssen Tove Pedersen dan-list A/S Haraldsvej 21 DK-8960 Randers / Denmark

The response suggests (possibly or probably) that the size has varied over the years. Looks like I'll have to buy a set of keys & use trial & error.
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