Fletcher 2100
- Thread starter sondrajor
- Start date
Welcome to the Grumble.
There are adjustments on the cutting head to take any slop or wobble out if that is the issue.
Do you have the manual?
If not I can post it from Larry Peterson's great site where he keeps a library of equipment manuals.
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sondrajor
Grumbler in Training
Thanks a million. I did not have the manual because I purchased it at an auction. I will download the manual and see if that’s the issue. It probably is because there’s “play” and it’s not as tight on the long rod as with other Fletchers I’ve used. This is truly a great site, truly beneficial for all of us in the industry. Kudos Neil!!!!
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Nikodeumus
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I had the same issue many years ago.
I agree with neilframer's assessment.
It's the first thing I would look into.
Also, it could be an issue with the bearings?
I agree with neilframer's assessment.
It's the first thing I would look into.
Also, it could be an issue with the bearings?
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artfolio
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
You are right to love it; I used one for 18 years and only retired it when I bought my Wizard. In my humble opinion it was the best manual cutter around.
As regards your problem there are a few possibilities:
A worn blade holder will let the blade wobble slightly as will cutting with the blade extended too far. Tweaking the blade (carefully) will reveal this - there only needs to be a tiny amount of play to cause problems.
The blade holder is held to the body of the slider with a screw which needs to be tweaked tight occasionally or this will cause wobbles.
The slider itself can become loose and there are 2 screws to adjust its tightness. Ideally, when you grip it and try to twist it from side to side there should be no play at all. If there is tighten the screws one at a time to eliminate it. When you have finished the slider should move freely with no lateral play at all. My test was to give it a sharp push. It should slide a couple of feet, gradually slowing to a stop. If it stops too quickly the screws are too tight and this will cause unnecessary wear.
Worst case scenario is that the rod the slider runs on is worn, most likely at the lower end, and there is no easy fix for this apart from replacing it.
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I believe Larry is not updating his library anymore, as his complete library is right here on the G, under resources. Mike adds new manuals to it regularly, or when becoming available. Anyone who has a manual not listed there, please submit it to us and it will be added too.
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Nikodeumus
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I followed the maintenance instructions on pages 17 & 18 of the manual.
Which was linked to in a post earlier in this thread.
That helped me get the cutting head properly functioning as far as wobble/slop.
Clean all parts (do NOT oil anything!), adjust cutting head alignment screws for smooth "travel" along the bar, and use good sharp blades and a fresh slip under the mat.
Do some trial and error with small scrap mats to examine where overcut/undercuts may be happening, and adjust the stop guide knobs to correct for it.
Don't adjust the blade depth to compensate for over/undercutting.
I use the two small notches on the blade holder as visual guides for how deep to extend the blades.
An over-extended blade can flex (if it is a thin blade) and cause "hooking" at the start of a cut.
That's why others note of extending the blade only just enough to score into the underlying slip, not cut deeply into it, is important.
If you change the thickness of the mat (4ply, 6ply, 8ply, or something else) you will need to adjust some things; blade depth, stop guide knobs, etc.
If you were cutting something thick (and everything was set for perfect cuts) and then changed to something thinner, you will probably experience overcuts, hooking, etc.
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