Why do the blades keep separating?

[RobM]

Morning All,

This morning, when doing cuts on the Morso, the blades are coming apart almost every time, as shown.

Obviously, this is not right, so I keep correcting them, realigning the blades and tightening the bolts - only for it to happen again.

Why should it be doing this? Is it something to do with the bottom blades knocking them out of sync?

[Justintime]

There shouldn't be any direct contact between your top and bottom blades. If there is you have more than likely damaged the cutting edge of your top blades. I would loosen the bottom blades and move them back away. Remove top blades and clean the face where they sit to ensure that nothing is preventing them from sitting perfectly flat. Refit top blades tightly, lower top blades and while lowered reset bottom blades into the correct position without any contact with top blades.
Are your top blades tightened sufficiently? If so how are they moving??

[Justintime]

The only thing the blades cutting edges should come into direct contact with is the moulding.

[Tudor Rose]

Pretty much what Justin says.

A quick experiment - move the head back the full way, lay a piece of paper across the the cutting area and gently make a cut through the paper. It should be clean and with no bearing up, no drag or anything. If it isn't then as Justin says, most likely the bottom blades are too tightly set against the top blades.

[RobM]

There shouldn't be any direct contact between your top and bottom blades. If there is you have more than likely damaged the cutting edge of your top blades. I would loosen the bottom blades and move them back away. Remove top blades and clean the face where they sit to ensure that nothing is preventing them from sitting perfectly flat. Refit top blades tightly, lower top blades and while lowered reset bottom blades into the correct position without any contact with top blades.
Are your top blades tightened sufficiently? If so how are they moving??

I'm not entirely sure the top and bottom blades are touching - though the gap is very fine. I've just retightened them again and pressed the pedal to show what it looks like without a moulding there. Here's a photo. While close, it doesn't feel like they're touching as there's no abject pressure when the blades pass by one another.

This might be a good time to ask what tool you use to loosen the bottom blades. I had bought a long (though not long enough, as it turned out) 5mm T-handle screwdriver. However, either the screws are more than 5mm, or they are too greased/gunked up, so I've admittedly not been able to alter them as yet. Is there a more specific tool that you all use for this?

As for the tightening of the top blades...I am of the belief that these should be tightened just enough that they are not loose of course, but not too tight.

[RobM]

Pretty much what Justin says.

A quick experiment - move the head back the full way, lay a piece of paper across the the cutting area and gently make a cut through the paper. It should be clean and with no bearing up, no drag or anything. If it isn't then as Justin says, most likely the bottom blades are too tightly set against the top blades.

Nice to hear from you, Jo. I spoke to you briefly when I was training with Ian Kenny.

I've done the paper test (I'd forgotten about this - it was suggested to me by someone else a while back), and the result looks pretty clean to me.

[Gesso&Bole]

Sounds as though you need to tighten the top blades so they can't move. Your machine was cutting fine when I was there for training, and it doesn't sound as though you have moved the bottom blades since then, although I know you have taken the top blades off.

So check there's nothing behind the top blades stopping them from sitting correctly, then line them up, and tighten them more than you have done, and they should stay in place.

[Tudor Rose]

Nice to hear from you, Jo. I spoke to you briefly when I was training with Ian Kenny.

I've done the paper test (I'd forgotten about this - it was suggested to me by someone else a while back), and the result looks pretty clean to me.

I hadn't made the connection sorry!

If you haven't moved your bottom blades before this problem started, then leave well alone. It is most likely that the top blades are not done up enough. "just tight" isn't enough - get them so they are firm down and then a small secure "tweak". Don't lean on it like you're putting the wheel on a car, just a firm tweak.

[RobM]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

I just continued to fasten the top blades bit more tightly, and it seems that worked. A schoolboy problem on my part in hindsight, but I'm reassured by the always-excellent feedback from you all.

[Tudor Rose]