Today's Challenges!!!

[Charlie Woody]

Well today I thought that I would do what should have been some simple jobs in the workshop; oooh how wrong I was

CHALLENGE 1
On Saturday a replacement sanding pad arrived for my Metabo 450 Duo, so I set about changing it this morning. I cannot get the hex bolt undone. I am trying to turn it anti clockwise but it won't budge, so now I'm concerned that it might be reverse thread. Has anybody changed one on this make / model and if so which way should it turn please?

I have emailed Metabo hoping they can help......as usual with the instruction manual it does not cover this - just says remove the bolt :x :x

CHALLENGE 2
So then I turned to the next job, thicknessing 6 boards of beech ranging in size from 180mm x 1500mm to 300mm x 2600mm. All went well for a while, then the chip clearance stopped leaving a nice pile on top of the board, see photo below. Photo taken after the umpteen time this happened, hence the pile on the floor!

So I turned everything off and detached the hose from the dust chute to find it blocked and also over the cutter block.

I am using a Camvac twin motor and a Cyclone Central cyclone (more about that later ) and a Hammer A3 31. So I cleared all the blockages gave the thicknessing table a run over with the shop vac and tried again, got one board through ok, but the second one had the same problem and so it went on ...... clear the blockage, vac the table etc start again.

Has anybody had this problem and if so how did they fix it please?

CHALLENGE 3

At one point whilst clearing one of the blockages after turning off the planer / thicknesser I left the Camvac running as I tried to clear the blockage. Then I dropped the hose and before I could grab it it fixed itself to the timber followed by a loud bang You can see the result below.

Now I know you are all thinking stupid w****r he should have had a pressure relief valve and another blast gate slightly open

Well I had a slightly open blast gate and a pressure relief valve, but the Camvac sucked the plastic bag lining the drop box up to pressure relief valve and sealed it.

As the Cyclone is broken along the joining strip I wonder if it would be possible to remove it, hopefully get a replacement strip from Chems and reseal it?

But you know what I'm sure tomorrow will be a better day

 

[marcros]

i have challenge 1 to do myself. I did try to remove it myself quickly last week, but it was tight as anything- i thought that i would check for the instructions before damaging anything. Might be worth you getting a pad saver whilst you are doing it- I must do so myself.

 

[Giff]

Removing the allen nut…if you are sure it's a left / right hand thread and it's still stuck you could try an impact driver / gun. Geoff

 

[mailee]

That bolt is very tight on the Metabo! It is a standard right hand thread but you have to be ruthless with it I had to resort to a pair of mole grips on the pad to loosen mine when I came to replace it, it did destroy the old pad but came off. HTH. :wink:

 

[Self Taught]

Hi Charlie,

Challenge 1. Though not the same sander, I did have the same problem. Challenge 2. I seem to get that if I plane a bit heavy, I have a De Walt 735, still working on dust collection. Challenge 3. Would not have happened, as the day would have ended, while the shop and tools were still in working order!!. I hate 5 min projects!!. Jamey

 

[Charlie Woody]

That bolt is very tight on the Metabo! It is a standard right hand thread but you have to be ruthless with it I had to resort to a pair of mole grips on the pad to loosen mine when I came to replace it, it did destroy the old pad but came off. HTH. :wink:

Hi Alan
Just so I don't turn a challenge into a disaster........ do that mean turn anti clockwise to loosen?

Thanks.

 

[Charlie Woody]

Hi Charlie,

....... Challenge 2. I seem to get that if I plane a bit heavy, I have a De Walt 735, still working on dust collection. ..... .....Jamey

I was taking off 0.5 mm, is that too heavy?

 

[Giff]

Charlie, I don't think it''s your fault ! I have the same A3 Hammer P/T as you and have had exactly the same problem ( jamming / blockage ) but only with beech. It seems to produce stringy chips similar to your picture. I have not had a problem with any other timber, including redwood, oak, iroko,ash, maple etc. I have a "see through" pu extraction hose which goes to a Cyclone and I alway keep my eye on it with beech and stop the machine as soon as I see a blockage…ps. it isn't the planer either as I had the same problem with a Record….but only with beech.. Geoff

 

[Charlie Woody]

Charlie, I don't think it''s your fault ! I have the same A3 Hammer P/T as you and have had exactly the same problem ( jamming / blockage ) but only with beech. It seems to produce stringy chips similar to your picture. I have not had a problem with any other timber, including redwood, oak, iroko,ash, maple etc. I have a "see through" pu extraction hose which goes to a Cyclone and I alway keep my eye on it with beech and stop the machine as soon as I see a blockage…ps. it isn't the planer either as I had the same problem with a Record….but only with beech.. Geoff

Hi Geoff
That is really strange! I must admit I wondered if the knives had dulled when I saw the stringy chips, but thought that could not be the cause as they are recently installed and still feel sharp to touch. OK I will persevere with it, but curious why this happens. I did not have the problem when planing. Thanks for your help.

 

[Self Taught]

Hi Charlie,

5mm isn't that heavy, I am sorry if the comment sounded snotty. I didn't mean to offend you. I also get the same style shavings from maple, I have tied removing the reducer with no luck, so like you, I am forced to remove the chute and vac it out, I agree it is a PITA!!. Jamey

 

[Charlie Woody]

That bolt is very tight on the Metabo! It is a standard right hand thread but you have to be ruthless with it I had to resort to a pair of mole grips on the pad to loosen mine when I came to replace it, it did destroy the old pad but came off. HTH. :wink:

Hi Alan
Just so I don't turn a challenge into a disaster........ do that mean turn anti clockwise to loosen?

Thanks.

Thanks for your help. I got it sorted today & did about 3 hours sanding with it.

 

[Bradshaw Joinery]

My felder will block up like that, its when using timbers with a smooth grain, the only way to solve is to have serious extraction, if i leave other vents open itll clog up and my extractor is pretty hefty, so your not doing anything wrong. Either that or a spiral type cutter so the chips arent as long.

 

[Charlie Woody]

My felder will block up like that, its when using timbers with a smooth grain, the only way to solve is to have serious extraction, if i leave other vents open itll clog up and my extractor is pretty hefty, so your not doing anything wrong. Either that or a spiral type cutter so the chips arent as long.

Good to know that it is not me (for a change)! My Hammer is about 8 years old I think so don't think it would be worth changing the cutters to spirals, even if I could afford it.

Regarding challenge 3 Cyclone Central will be able to supply parts to make a repair so that's good.

 

[mailee]

Sorry I didn't reply Charlie, been busy. Glad to hear you got it sorted. :wink: