Euro 8008

[Douglas]

Hi folks,

I am new to this forum, and am returning to picture framing after a 20 year absence. I have recently bought an old Euro 8008 butterfly underpinner from a retiring picture framer. He advised that he absolutely loved the underpinner and that it would be a great buy to get started again. I have recently started to use it and I have found it very difficult to work with. The foot pump does not give enough pressure to put the wedge into the moulding and the moulding wants to push up whenever the wedge is trying to go into the wood. Is there a technique to using this underpinner as it gets glowing reports from all who have used it, but i am struggling with it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Doug.

 

[wpfay]

Start with the basics.
Are you getting enough pressure from your compressor? The foot pedal is a valve switch, not a pump. It simply allows compressed air into the line, then releases it. The observation that the moulding is raising up when you try to insert a v-nail indicates that the pressure is insufficient. This can be a combination of weak air compression and/or hardness of the wood.
Do you have or have you searched for an owner's manual? Member Larry Peterson may have one on his site.

Euro was known for very strong tools. Unfortunately, support for the brand is inconsistent.

Best of luck.

 

[Prospero]

Hi Douglas.

I have a 8001 model Euro which I bought new in 1984 and still use daily. It's the same basic mechanism as
the butterfly model, you just stand in front rather than behind.

I can mostly set the pressure just by intuition - we've been together for so long.

The proper method is to wind the pad up to the top, then press the pedal until the pad stops descending. Hold your
foot at that point and wind the pad screw down until it's finger-tight against the moulding corner. That should be the
optimum setting for that moulding height. Too much pressure and the cycle gets out of wack. Too little and the joint
will lift before the v-nail bites. Hard woods maybe need an extra half turn or so.

** the Euro top pad is fairly pathetic. It is hard with sharpish edges and the felt covering is next to useless.
I have made various supplementary pads over the years. I always use a wood triangle covered in thin cork, wrapped
in film. The film can be replaced when it gets gluey. OK, you have to manually place it on the corner but you never get
dents.

*** If you want any more sneaky Euro tricks, I'm your man.

 

[Prospero]

The 8008 is not air-driven Wally.

 

[wpfay]

Well, that explains a lot. Thanks Peter.

 

[Douglas]

Hi,

Thank you both for taking the time to reply to my query, it was appreciated. Thanks Prospero for your advice about the Euro 8008, it was spot on. The pressure from the pad was not sufficient, I made a further pressure pad to help keep the frame in place when the staples were being put into it, and this has worked very well.

The underpinner has worked well today and I am fairly confident that I have sorted the issue that I had with it. I will definitely be back to pick your brains about some more Euro tricks Prospero.

Many thanks guys.

 

[Douglas]

Hi Douglas.

I have a 8001 model Euro which I bought new in 1984 and still use daily. It's the same basic mechanism as
the butterfly model, you just stand in front rather than behind.

I can mostly set the pressure just by intuition - we've been together for so long.

The proper method is to wind the pad up to the top, then press the pedal until the pad stops descending. Hold your
foot at that point and wind the pad screw down until it's finger-tight against the moulding corner. That should be the
optimum setting for that moulding height. Too much pressure and the cycle gets out of wack. Too little and the joint
will lift before the v-nail bites. Hard woods maybe need an extra half turn or so.

** the Euro top pad is fairly pathetic. It is hard with sharpish edges and the felt covering is next to useless.
I have made various supplementary pads over the years. I always use a wood triangle covered in thin cork, wrapped
in film. The film can be replaced when it gets gluey. OK, you have to manually place it on the corner but you never get
dents.

*** If you want any more sneaky Euro tricks, I'm your man.

Hi Prospero,

I posted here a while back asking for some advice about the Euro butterfly underpinner 8008. I have been using it successfully for a while, but lately the v nails are not going into the wood as well as they did before. The v-nails are going in but one side of the nail is very slightly raised and when you run your finger over the nail side of the join, you can feel the sharp edge which is one side of the nail that is very slightly raised. One side of the join is slightly raised slightly so the joins are not neat. Do you have any advice about where I am going wrong? I have tightened bolts and checked the underpinner to see that everything is in place, and it is. Anything you could offer would be very welcome. Many thanks. Doug.

 

[Douglas]

Here is a photo of the problem…

 

[Prospero]

Hi Prospero,

I posted here a while back asking for some advice about the Euro butterfly underpinner 8008. I have been using it successfully for a while, but lately the v nails are not going into the wood as well as they did before. The v-nails are going in but one side of the nail is very slightly raised and when you run your finger over the nail side of the join, you can feel the sharp edge which is one side of the nail that is very slightly raised. One side of the join is slightly raised slightly so the joins are not neat. Do you have any advice about where I am going wrong? I have tightened bolts and checked the underpinner to see that everything is in place, and it is. Anything you could offer would be very welcome. Many thanks. Doug.

Old machines develop quirks, just like people. It sounds like the hammer is not performing a full stroke. There is a nut attached to
a tie-bar that allows you to adjust the hammer travel. It has a plastic locking insert, but tends to move anyway. The only thing I can
think of is to tighten it a turn or two. It is easily accessible.

Sorry for slightly lame answer.

 

[Douglas]

Hi, many thanks for getting back to me so quickly and for your time. I have had a look to see if there is a nut to tighten that is attached to a tie-bar to allow me to adjust the hammer travel, but I am at a loss as to finding it. I have attached a couple of photos (I have taken the supports off whilst I work on trying to fix the problem). could you advise of where the nut is located? I have attached a photo of the hammer when fully raised - it is slightly above when raised which I think is causing the problem…

 

[Prospero]

I can't really tell, but you are in the right area. I could very well be that the nut has come off unbeknownst to
you and that could very well be the root of the problem. Is there a threaded rod dangling anywhere?
I still have my retired pinner tucked away in my shed so if I can access it I'll have a look and take some pics....