Still Morso Chopper Problems

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I

ice

Grumbler
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Posts
47
Loc
Los Angeles
I put on the new blades. They were just sharpened by Tech-Mark. It still get stuck/stops in the middle of the second cuts (or any deeper cuts). The first cut takes a v-nibble out cleanly but it is very small. The next cut takes a wider v out but gets caught up.

Not sure what is wrong...I'm also (being a newbie) thinking about why we need to make multiple chops...the first one has no effect on the second one because the knives are striking at a new point on the moulding are they not? A bigger "V" outside the first smaller "v"
 
The first cut gives the debris to follow somewhere to go.
In essence you are "shaving" the cuts to follow.
Some little mouldings you can just mash into with one chop but on some mouldings you will get a bad cut.
Not to be funny but are you sure the blades are facing the right way? The flat side should face out and the tapered edge should not be visible from the front.

Hope this helped.
 
Ice, there isn't any problem. What you're describibg is what choppers mostly do. There is friction between the freshly cut sides of the molding and the knives. If the rabbet supports are set exactly right, the friction is reduced a bit but it's still there, Trying holding the molding down as close to the knives as you feel is safe. I've also applied a little silicone lubricant to the knife sides. I've never noticed the silicone hindering glue later on. The first cut doesn't stick because there is very little contact between the molding and the knives but as you progres, there is more and more. You should be taking small steps through the molding, no more than two clicks at a time. I use my thumbs as hold downs with my fingers wrapped around the back of the rabbet support.
 
When I first started using my Morsø I would get "hung up" on the right hand rabbet support. Don't know how or why, but the blade would catch on the edge of the support. Took a good nick out of the blades, and the top of the support.

Had to learn to slow down and move the blade before or after "biting" not during.

OK so back to your problem.

Slow down, and over do the caution, when you get comfortable (OK Moreso than you are now) you can chop through in 2 or even 1 bite. But please take small nibbles, and work your way in one notch at a time on the depth of your bites. I know you don't have to but just do it! <small>PLEASE!</small>

After all, when driving a manual transmission, so are going to get into 4th gear, and you can start up in 4th. But for some reason most of us go from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 4th. You don't have to but it doesn't hurt!

I have a framer friend who can chop any moulding in two bites. It pains me to watch, and the edges tend to get a little dicey. I prefer to go slow, and take nibbles.
 
The thing is I have used a Morso before and it went right through with no issues...I am only going two clicks at a time...so on 3" moulding I'm making a lot of cuts.

When you say slow down - do you mean the speed of the cut? I was taught to cut at a steady pace, not slow, not fast.

Would WD40 help on the blades?
 
No, and I hope I'm not offending you, but I mean just take lots of bites. You need a certain speed, weight, pressure , whatever you want to call it, on the foot pedal to get through the moulding, but just shave off little bits, not big ones.

You may have to take more time cutting the 3" mouldings, but you will be less likely to have to re-cut the moulding. Take time, relax, to quote a fellow grumbler's signature line, "it's only framing".

I, personally, may take 4 bites out of a 1.5" moulding. Whatever the moulding takes to get it done right, and cleanly. The least amount of bites is usually 3, even for the littlest ones. You want to shave off bits, not rip out chunks. Less puttying when the edges are clean.

OK, Just counted a moulding. Decor 2019, 1 1/2" gold, fairly soft wood, (sometimes really punky **** BTW). Used 7 bites. Currently cutting 25 frames @ 16X20 each, so a lot of bites, but it gets the job done, and I don't have to putty any "chattered" edges. Or cut down a 20" leg to "fix" a crumpled top edge. I move in 1 click, maybe a 1/2 a click at a time. Just being picky.

I'm not saying my way is right, it just works for me! More work, maybe but less time in the long run.

Have fun with it!
 
Ice,
are you cutting a really hard wood? That could have alot to do with it. The harder the wood the smaller the notches. Just a thought...good luck
Patrick Leeland
 
This one was the framerica stainless steel made out of MDF. It does it no matter what moulding I cut.

I guess I will just go 1 bite at a time and go from there. I'm going to see if Tech-Mark has any ideas.

I just think it is weird that it gets stuck in the moulding and that I have to give the pedal a second pump to get through it.

Wonder what would happen if I cut shadow box moulding?
 
If that moulding ALWAYS gives you trouble, order it Chopped and let them deal with it. Or get a good chop saw and cut select mouldings with it and others with your Morsø.

I hate cutting moulding with metal inlays (or hidden nails) with my chopper. It's for wood.
 
Ice-

I don't like to cut MDF with my chopper and Framerica says not to, however I have done it many times. I have cut the Stainless at least 10 times with my morso because my saw blades were dull and I was out of sharp ones. I have had no problem with it. I could cut the 2" profile in one slice if I wanted to (it wouldn't be a great cut but it would go through.) If the blades are sharp there is something wrong with your chopper, not your technique. I once had a local company try to sharpen my chopper blades, they had never done morso blades before. The sharpened every edge of the knife including edges that are naturally dull. This was a problem because the blades no longer went on perfectly straight. They looked fine but they would get stuck before I could get them all the way down. Have you ever had the blades sharpened by anyone else? Are they second hand blades?

I'm just throwing that out, I don't really know, other than the fact that it's not your technique with that specific profile.

Jeff
 
The silia, (not silicon -- thats in breasts.) in MDF is very hard on chopper blades... ain't nice on saw blades either...

Order that **** stuff chopped...

I liked the new look, hated the medium.
 
Do not Use WD40, while it may work on some woods, and not F@$@ up the gluing process, this is not the case with them all. Part of the problem with cutting the MDF, is there is *** loads of impurities , and non wood crap in the moulding. All of this is for not though, because no matter what kind of wood moulding you're cutting. the only thing that will get you through it is patience, and the knowledge that there is not one way to cut them all. You have to be willing to burn an inch of stock every now and then, to fine tune your equipment.
 
It doesn't only do it with MDF - it does it with all types of moulding. The guy told me he had the blades sharpened at Tech-Mark.

Maybe I should just buy new blades from them.
 
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