I am posting this as it's not as obvious as it seems (to me anyway!), and feel a run through of what I did might help others, esp. newbies like me. I feel also that many machines could be a little out of square, causing problems that can only be fixed properly by squaring the machine. After much thought and fiddling I realised that the Keencut instructions are correct (no surprise there!), but maybe not obvious without a lot of concentration - um, what was I talking about!
Anyway, this is how I did it:
SQUARING THE END-PLATE TO THE CUTTER-BAR
The end-plate WILL be square, so that's where the mount-board is placed tightly against
Remove the Measuring Arm as it's not used in squaring
Slide the mount-board from the RIGHT and under the Cutter-Bar, then cut off half inch or so
(Ensure the board is very tight against End-Plate along its entire length)
I suggest you then mark this side of the board as it's the first cut (I'll explain further on)
Turn the board anti-clockwise and cut again (2nd cut side)
Turn the board anti-clockwise a second time and cut again
Turn the board anti-clockwise a third time and cut again (4th and final cut)
All four sides have now been cut, but you need to turn the board anti-clockwise once more (so the side you first cut, which you marked, is now facing the Cutter-Bar again.)
The side that was cut first must face the Cutter-Bar as any out of squareness will be evident on that side and that side only (even if the Cutter Bar is not square the other three sides WILL fit perfectly against both the End-Plate and Cutter-Bar)
But if Cutter-Bar isn't square the first-cut side will fit against End-Plate, but either top or bottom of it will not meet the Cutter-Bar
The amount the board is away from Cutter-Bar signifies the total out of squareness x 4.
The Cutter-Bar is made square by turning the screw on bottom, far left of machine with a 5mm hex key (comes with machine)
If mount-board is away from Cutter-bar at it's bottom, the hex key is turned clockwise, and anti-clockwise if away at the top
But you DON'T turn hex-key until the gap closed completely, as any gap x4 out of squareness, so closing the gap by just a quarter will make board square AFTER you square the board again by cutting the four sides (see above)
In my case the board was away from the Cutter-Bar at the top, and by 2mm. I therefore turned the hex key anti-clockwise until the 2mm gap had reduced by 25% (0.5mm) to 1.5mm
It aint easy to measure the gap, but I used a torch, magnifying glass a steel rule (the sort where measurements go right to the end).
I ensured the bottom of the board was very tight against End-Plate at all points, and slip it until the bottom touched the Cutter-Bar, then with a mini torch in my gob, magifying glass in one hand and the other pushing the ruler up against the Cutter-Bar I could read the measurements - bit of a fiddle though!
I then squared the board again (see above) and every side then butted perfectly against all parts of End-Plate and Cutter-Bar
ALIGNING THE MATGUIDE T-BAR
I got this, or some of this idea from the Forum
(Keencut suggest using two identical coins for this, but I used a long, steel rule for this that I knew was pretty square.)
I undid the matguide wingnut as well as the two hex screws that go into the T-Bar.
I then positioned the steel rule against the Cutter-Bar, ensuring it was touching at all points
I then tightened the two hex screws and wingnut and removed the rule
To check squareness I tightened the wingnut again to set the T-Bar and slid a piece of matboard under the Cutter-Bar, at the point nearest me
Using a fine pencil I drew a short line, using the Cutter-Bar as a guide, at both ends of the board
I then slid the board to far end of T-Bar and drew lines against the first lines
The lines met perfectly, so the Matguide T-Bar was now square
And my Keencut is now behaving much nicer
Phew! I just hope I got this all correct. It seems a lot to do, but actually if this is followed it takes no time to do - and hopefully it'll be a once off
