Morso Adjustment

[mitretight]

Hi All,
I wondered if anyone out there can help, it may well have been covered before!
Cutting with my Morso, I can' get a clean cut on the back edge of the moulding without placing a strip of mountboard between the fences and the moulding. without this board the back edge cut is awful!
I have made the adjustment on the Cam (photo) but, even then, when the blades are closest to the fences, it is still bad.
Are there any other adjustments I can make? I don't think new blades would help? It is happening on both sets.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Best
Mitretight

[pramsay13]

Is it a new thing?
Sharpened blades may well make a difference.
When were they last sharpened?
Some mouldings are just like that and there is nothing you can do.
Have you tried other mouldings?

[Fruitini]

Some mouldings will cut badly on a morso regardless of what you do. Some compo type finishes are very brittle and crumble whatever you do. Very soft obeche will often tear as well. Very fresh blades will be about the best you will achieve but they will soon dull and you’ll be filling and refinishing.

There are a few tricks I have used to try and improve the cuts. When I put a fresh set of blades on I put a smear of two-part car body filler (Isopon P38) into the gap in the fence that the blades draw back into. Leave to set and carve excess off flat and clean with a blade once dry. First time you drop the blades will form it’s own nice tight little groove which mimics the effect that putting a strip of mount card or thin mdf between moulding and fence.

Notoriously difficult brittle compo moulding you might get some joy by warming up the cutting area with a heat gun prior to cutting. Often when the moulding is cold it is more prone to crumbling and you will probably see some improvement by warming. Alternatively ditch the mouldings you struggle with! Life is too short!

Having been unsatisfied with my morso cuts for years I have recently given in and gone with a double mitre saw setup. I haven’t got a huge amount of room and was recommended a Brevetti Prisma which takes up a similar amount of floor space to a morso. A retiring forum member offered me their very old model and I’ve been blown away with the quality of cut in comparison to the morso. Wish I’d ditched the morso years ago.

[mitretight]

Hi pramsay13
Thanks for the response, I first noticed that I got a better cut years back and have just got into the habit of using the mountboard. It pushes the moulding back towards the blades by 1.5mm and the back edge gets a proper blade through it, rather than just grazing it without it. If I could adjust the blades 1.5mm towards the operator it should cure the problem but don't seem to have any more adjustment on the cam (photo). There is room for the blades to come forward.
The blades are sharp, 3-4 weeks. I bought my morso inside, after being in the garage for 16 years and gave it a good clean and oiling. It still works beautifully apart from the above

Frutini
Many thanks for the tips and advice, I'll certainly give those a try. I've had a look at the Brevelli Prisma and looks amazing! Unfortunately I can only dream, price and noise would be a problem. I have thought for many years that spinning blabes are best! If, on rare occasions I have ordered "chop" service, the cut is always first class.

[Fruitini]

Thinking about it, years ago we filed a slight 45º angle into the fence gap edges both sides which now allow the blades to retract just a little bit further into the fence, allowing access to the part of the blade you are favouring. That combined with the body filler hack improved our cut somewhat, but not enough to stop me seeking alternatives!

My antique Prisma is surprisingly quiet, even combined with the extractor. I'd wager my neighbours are more likely to hear the clang of the morso pedal hitting the floor than they are the hum of the saw.

[Justintime]

Have you tried adjusting the two nuts to the right, which hold the handle tight? I found that I could loosen these two, move the handle a few mms to the left and retighten the nuts. It made the difference.

[mitretight]

Hi Justintime,
That sounds like a good possibility. I'll give it a try!!
Thanks

[mitretight]

Problem Solved!
Thanks for the suggestion Justintime, there wasn't enough movement if I loosened the two bolts that hold the handle. I loosened the two nuts/bolts next to the cam nut and pulled the blades towards me, and retightened and all now fine! It my be useful for future reference.
Many thanks everyone for their suggestions