My guillotine is cutting poorly

[robbg439]

My Triumph 4810 paper cutter is doing a pretty poor job of cutting straight down. Every time I cut, the top sheet of the stack is cut shorter than the bottom sheet. Any ideas what could be causing this?


Thanks

 

[rbailleu]

depends on how far off it is. are we talking a 1/16th. check your clamp pressure. sharpen your blade. bushings warn out

 

[robbg439]

Yeah, on a two-inch stack the difference is about 1/16th inch. Its a brand new blade so I don't think dullness is the problem. The clamp is as tight as I can get it. How do I check if the bushings are worn out?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[LoneGoose]

Maybe shouldn't be clamping too hard? You can get a 'mushrooming' effect if clamping too hard.

Although, I think, this might result in the top sheet being longer, not shorter. I might be wrong on that point though.

Silly question, but have you tried clamping softer?

 

[Happyprinter]

Had a similar problem with our Cutter. Adjusted the knife guides that run vertical along both ends of the blade as it travels up and down. Might be your problem. The other suggestions are also good.

 

[rbailleu]

sorry by bushings I meant knife guides. take the blade to the bottom cut the power see if the knife holder has any play in it. if not see if there are adjusting screws to push the top in or out as needed. there should be some adjustment. 1/16 on a 2 inch stack is pretty bad.is it the same for 10pt c1s as for 60# OFFSET. I have seen several different types some have bushing plates that push against the front of the knife carrier. some have guides in the side frame

 

[LoneGoose]

Cutting the power at bottom-dead-centre is a huge pain. At lease on our Polar, if the power cuts off during a cut, you need to wind the blade back up manually - quite a physical task.

But if it means getting your guides etc. straight... oh, well.

 

[rbailleu]

yes, but I think this is a little electric sandwhich cutter.

 

[Beaker]

Cutting the power at bottom-dead-centre is a huge pain. At lease on our Polar, if the power cuts off during a cut, you need to wind the blade back up manually - quite a physical task.

But if it means getting your guides etc. straight... oh, well.

Does it not stop at the bottom of the stroke as part of the blade change process?

 

[RNRPRINTINGNMAILING]

Hello
What kind of stock are you cutting, also trying putting in a smaller amount in your lift.
I had the same problem, These cutters are known for that.
Also try putting the lift in the center not off to the right or the left after you jog it.
Good Luck
Rob in VA

 

[LoneGoose]

Oh yeah, of course it does, that's a good point!

It was just at the suggestion of switching the power off (always a good idea when fiddling around inside the guillotine) when the blade was down that that response came to mind.

Nicolas

 

[Alex@Challenge]

the smaller electric cutters do not have adjustable knife bar gibs.

If the above-mentioned points do not resolve (sharp blade, proper clamping pressure, too thick material) your issues, then it may be that your cutter is plain worn out. It could be due to lack of greasing or just plain old wear.

Another thing to keep in mind - the smaller electric cutters are more of a 'trimmer' than a 'cutter' - don't expect the performance of a $30,000 cutter from a $4,000 cutter.

 

[GWSALES]

Hello
What kind of stock are you cutting, also trying putting in a smaller amount in your lift.
I had the same problem, These cutters are known for that.
Also try putting the lift in the center not off to the right or the left after you jog it.
Good Luck
Rob in VA

Great response!

Assuming your knife guides are not worn what you are experiencing is called "blade draw". Your cutter has limited clamp pressure. Even if you feel your over tightening the spin wheel it still may not be enough pressure. The smaller the sheet size the more pressure is needed on the clamp. Cut in the center with thinner stacks and make sure your blade is sharp. The MBM cutters are great and very realiable for the price, just not intended to cut thick stacks.

James

 

[Alex@Challenge]

Actually James, the smaller the stack (cutting width) the greater the clamping force due to surface area.

To the OP...take a look at the points mentioned previously. If you find yourself with a tired cutter, now is the time to buy. When you get ready to make that decision, take into consideration not only price but maintenance requirements, safety features, future resale value, and local technical support.

If you have any other questions, I'm sure there are plenty of people here that would be willing to help! Just remember to keep an open mind...but not so open that your brains fall out!

-Alex

 

[BillJ]

Another very common issue on those cutters is for the arms and screw that drive the clamps wear out causing inconsistent clamp pressure. I used to work on them and replaced many of them. Also make sure the blade isn't too short from over sharpening.

As Alex said, that cutter isn't the same as a "real" cutter. Once they wear out you can't replace wear parts or adjust like you can on a higher end model.

 

[robbg439]

Thanks for the help

Thanks for the help

Thanks guys, for all the help.

Yes, there was quite a bit of play in the knife holder when it was at the bottom of the cut, and none at the top. There's 2 bolts whose job it seems is squeezing the sides of the knife guides together, and I tightened these a little bit, just enough to make the holder not jiggle but not tight enough to cause TOO MUCH friction and wear on the guides. It may yet live to cut another sandwich.

Haven't y'all ever heard, its not the size of your cutter.....

 

[vaithi47]

if the angle of the bevel of the knife is wrong you get this kind of variations.for cutting paper/board it has to be 22/23 degrees.pl check