Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:11 am by m0ose
Careful when you disassemble. I'm only guessing you're the type to tear her down completely, but here's some tips for ya.
When taking off the depth gauge, do it nice and slow. Make sure you do each part of it one at a time. Slowly slide the holding pin out of the back of the spring and then take the actual tip off. From experience, I ran into a problem where the spring wasn't secured well by the pin and I started to remove the tip, so when the tip came off, the pin slipped and all hell broke loose.
When replacing the cutting wheel/motor assembly, once you have the thing where the belt rides in place, give firm pressure on it from the left side, pushing it into the side of the metal divider. While pushing firm, tighten up the little hex screw firm but not too tight. This will save you from your machine slipping and from your machine not turning.
When putting on the cutting wheel, make sure it is going in the right direct. Self explanatory, but also a stupid mistake.
That's about all the problems I have had. Sorry I'm not that great at explaining things, but if you take your time you should be fine.
Also, on a side note, when you oil the bar that the key holder rides on, it will collect lots and lots of metal shavings. Also, metal shavings go everywhere. To save you a little time, effort, and your legs, wear pants and while cutting, try and have the hose attachment of a shop vac or other such vacuum held under the left corner of your key machine. For me, I have my key machine on a small table for portability and When I cut my keys I place the nozzle of the vac right up under where the bar is that the key guide rides on. I then use a wide angle attachment to catch as much as possible. It really does make a difference.
Oh, and on a last note always clean your machine of metal shavings! It might sound stupid and obvious, but to ensure a good long lasting life, always clean all of your mechanical devices.
Good luck and have fun!
