morso not cutting true

[simoonez]

Hello folks, I'm new to this here forum, and to framing generally. I'm just in the process of starting up in business as a framer in Dorset, but I've been having a little trouble with the morso. It's second hand, and a little dishevelled, but I made the assumption that not much really goes wrong with them.
Basically, when I assemble the frame the gap is on the inside of each join.
One thing I've noticed in my attempt to find a cure is that the measuring rule on the right hand arm sits just forward of the fences. When cutting a length of moulding it seems to pivot from the edge of the ruler when the moulding is pulled back to meet the fence.
The gap is less than a millimetre, but it doesn't seem right. Could this be my problem?

[easypopsgcf]

It could be, you should check the scale as it might be sitting forward slightly?..........more often than not its blunt or wrongly sharpened blades that are the culprit here. Are the blades sharp? Are they hollow ground? If the answer is yes to both then yes you will need to look at the fences............there is a good well detailed thread on it somewhere, i would explain it but have to rush away at the moment..........and i wouldnt explain it as well as the person(not sure who) that already posted it................i'm sure someone else will know and point you in the right direction, either that or try using the search Morso+fence+off etc

Good luck

[prospero]

Hi and Welcome simoonez

First thing to do is check whether the measuring scale is parallel to the right hand support (the heavy bit that bolts on). This is the crucial thing to get spot on. It may have had a knock in transit. You should be able to true it up by slackening the bolts and giving it a gentle tap. The right-hand fence may be out of wack, but this wouldn't actually affect the cut angle as long as part of the moulding is snug to the ruler.

If this is OK, you maybe need to tweak the left-hand fence. Usually it needs fine-tuning by swinging it slightly towards you. I'm talking a gnat's eyebrow here. It's handy to have a strip of scrap timber to set the machine properly. About 3" wide is ideal. Or if you have a few offcuts of wide moulding, even better. Mitre 4 short pieces the same length and dry fit them together. If there is a gap on the inside, swing the left fence toward you a tad. Cut 4 more. If there still is a gap, tweak it a bit more. If you start getting a gap on the outside, you have tweaked too far. Not very scientific, but it works. Eventually you develop a feel for setting this up. Forget about using angle gauges and such. You can set the angles to dead 45 deg, but it doesn't mean they are going to cut 45 deg. Wood is springy stuff and a tiny deviation in angle will be magnified x4. You might also have to tweak the left fence more as the blades get dull.

Hope that helps.

[Not your average framer]

Hi Simonez and welcome to the forum,

Whereabouts in North Dorset are you? There may be a helpful forum member somewhere near you, who can show you how to set up and adjust your Morso. Most of us are a helpful bunch. Might be worth a try!

[Roboframer]

Slacken the allen bolts on the measuring scale, loosen both fences and put a straight edge (not a metal ruler - a straight edge such as a maped, and as long as possible) along both fences and the measuring scale.

Pulling the straight edge back, move the fences so that they butt up to it with no play - tighten. Now butt the measuring scale up to it and tighten the allen bolts.

Now slide the straight edge left and right and look for any gaps along the fences/measuring scale - when you slide the straight edge away from the measuring scale and then back, it shouldn't bang in to it - not even slightly .... or move away from it - ditto. Adjust as neccesary.

Once that's all set so that the straight edge runs along everything with no play and no bumps, you shouldn't have to move the right fence or the measuring scale again - and if you're lucky you'll get perfect mitres without any more adjustment, if not then only use the left fence to make corrections as detailed by Prospero.

[Roboframer]

Edit (curse this short edit time - here's a vengeful quote)!

It's handy to have a strip of scrap timber to set the machine properly. About 3" wide is ideal. Or if you have a few offcuts of wide moulding, even better. Mitre 4 short pieces the same length and dry fit them together. If there is a gap on the inside, swing the left fence toward you a tad. Cut 4 more. If there still is a gap, tweak it a bit more

Make the scrap timber/wide moulding as wide as possible and at least half an inch thick; if it's a frame moulding, cut it face down, that way rebate supports are ruled out of the equation and can be dealt with separately if a problem returns with them in use - process of elimination.

Ref the bit in red - break your frame - remove the wedges and after adjusting the fence, trim all the ends and make a slightly smaller frame. If you can make something from a wide moulding that is 'good' and only has an aperture of a business card or even a postage stamp, then any normal frame should be perfick!

Small frames with big wide mouldings magnify errors and whenever I get one, which isn't often - usually when making weird ready-mades - I calibrate the LH fence before I start.

[prospero]

Hmmmmm.... That's why I'm never short of firewood.

[simoonez]

Thanks folks, you're all amazing.
Not that I've quite solved the full problem, but I appreciate all those answers.
I am now getting square frames thanks to a little jiggery pokery with the left fence, along with repositioning the top blades (which are indeed sharp and hollow ground). I'm still at a little loss as to the position of the measuring guide, it's as far back as it will go in the position its in, so at the moment I've taken it off as it does throw the angles out of whack again. I went into Wessex pictures and showed them, but they've never seen a measure out of line on a morso before.

check whether the measuring scale is parallel to the right hand support

I started to try this, but there is no straight edge on the right support arm. It not only tapers away from the main body, but both the near and far edge are slightly curved. Now it certainly looks like a morso arm, but it seems to be quite a shoddy one.

Either way, I'm getting square frames, so I am happy. I'll figure out this dodgy arm sooner or later.