Question Morso Chopper Suddenly Cuts Incorrect Length

[k2500guy]

I recently took my blades off to sent them off for sharpening. I put my other set of blades on and went about my business. Then, after cutting my first frame I found out it was too small. So I tried cutting a 30" piece and measuring it and found it to be a full 1/16" too short. So, I'm thinking it is the blades, or the installation of the blades, right? OK, then I got my original blades back from being sharpenedd and installed them and tried another 30" piece, and it still measures 1/16" short. I know there is a forward travel adjustment that I haven't messed with in a long time because I haven't had a problem. Could that be the problem? Will have to look in the manual to remember how to set that, but I don't want to change that if there's something else involved. If I cut a shorter piece, say 7" it's not off hardly at all, maybe just a smidgeon short. The cutter has not been moved or anything, so I am a little puzzled why this happened all of a sudden. Any suggestions?

 

[David Waldmann]

It's not the blades, or the sharpening of them.

Did you happen to take things apart to give everything a good going over? If you took off the fence*, since the point where the measuring lines intersect the fence changes as you move the fence back and forth, that can change the measurements.

If it's just about right on at 7" and off a 1/16" at 30" I'd say that's the likely culprit. Loosen the bolts that hold the fence in place and push it away from you about 1/16" at the 30" point. You will want to leave the left end (near the chopper) in the same location. Note that at 30" there is a break in the fence (at least there is on both of the older ones we have), so you will also need to adjust the next section. Line up the joint and leave the far end alone unless it's off there too.

*the part that the stop slides on, not the part right next to the blades.

 

[k2500guy]

Turns out that it WAS the forward travel adjustment on my Chopper. It was way too far forward. I'm not sure how it got moved, but maybe I did something during the blade changing process that bumped it loose. Anyway, I re-adjusted and problem solved. Thanks for your help, though.

 

[David Waldmann]

I would take a closer look. The forward travel of the blades will affect every/any length. Maybe you were (and are) getting -1/32 at 30" and +1/32 at 7" and they both looked "good enough", but when it was off by a 1/16" at 30" it became more noticeable.