Morso Tips

Young Aussie

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Posts
13
Loc
Tasmania, Australia
Dear All

I have only yesterday received a second hand morso guillotine, it is in great condition so I am very pleased.

Just looking for a few tips on its use. In terms of cutting the way I am doing it is making multiple chops or bites out of the moulding - is this the right way to be doing, is it a case of the more small chops the better the overall finish and less wear on the blades ?

Also in terms of the blades, how long do they stay sharp for ? I know that I will be able to tell when they are getting blunt, but I was wondering how long in between sharpenings most of you get. I would only be making approx 5 frames a day - so low volume !!

Many thanks in advance !

Regards

Young Aussie
 
Hi Aussie,

That is the correct method, using little bites, the most important one being the last as it chops off a smaller amount giving you a good finish.
I would be a low volume (5-10 per week) framer and get a few months from my blades. Unless of course i am using Ash or Oak. These blunt the blades pretty fast!

Good Luck,
Steve
 
I usually chop a 2" wood in three or four "bites" on increasingly small notches. Especially, the last cut should be a small one. to finish off the mitered surfaces most smoothly.

Yes, hardwoods will dull the knives more quickly than soft woods. However, you will notice the effects of dull blades more dramatically on the soft woods. Woods such as Obeche will tend to shred or crumble under dull knives, rather than cutting smoothly.

I suggest getting a spare pair of knives, for convenience in avoiding delays when sharpening is required. When you replace the knives, make sure their leading edes mate perfectly where they meet at the point in front, closest to the operator. And of course, be careful. Those knives are like 5 lb. razor blades, and if dropped, one could easily lop off several toes.

For your light use, routine maintenance is easy. Just make sure all of the moving parts are lubricated a few times a year, and check adjustments and tightness of bolts.
 
To help avoid the rough edges you get with a chopper I have been putting brown framer's tape along the side of the moulding (the side facing you when it is in the chopper) - this prevents the wood from splitting along that final cut and any compo from cracking. Just make sure the finish won't pull off when you remove the tape. The corners turn out a neatly as if they were cut with a saw!
 
Back
Top