CS88 jamming

[LeFrisp]

Does anyone else have a problem with wedges jamming in a CS88. Im just about pulling my hair out. Any wedge over 7mm has a tendency to jam in the head after about 5 or 6 wedges. I have replaced the hammer and the underpiner has been used to make less than 100 frames all in.
Any ideas?

[WelshFramer]

Are you using proper Cassese wedges? I have heard that some look-alikes can jam.

Could be there's something caught in the head. Try taking that off and take it apart. The instructions are in the manual. It's actually a lot easier to do than the you would think and the really good news is that's it's really easy to put back together again.

[stcstc]

the head hasnt got clogged with glue or something?

[LeFrisp]

Im using Cassesse weges and I have had the head apart, cleaned and lubed it. I had a look this morning and it looks like the spring isnt strong enough to keep pressure on the wedges in the slide. Aside from beefing the spring up somehow anyone else got any less drastic ideas?

[Nigel Nobody]

If you are using Cassese wedges in the Cassese cartridge, it's unlikely that the spring doesn't have the correct tension.

Have you contacted tech support at the supplier? I'm sure that would be the best place to get an answer!

[Not your average framer]

I've been there, done it and got the T-shirt, so I know how annoying this problem is. The clue here is that it is jamming on larger size wedges, but not on smaller size wedges.

This is a significant clue, because the friction between the edges of the wedges and the inside of the plastic wedge cartiridges increases with the size of the wedges inside the cartridge.

Here's a simple test! Manually increase the pressure of the wedge loading sprint by pushing with a screwdriver, or something similar, against the metal bit which pushes the wedges forwards. If this solves the problem, then suspect the spring tension.

Before replacing the spring, make sure that everything related to the spring is moving freely.

Check the grooves in which the metal bit which pushes the wedges runs in and remove any unwanted dirt or other matter from these grooves.

Remove the wedge cartridge and visually check that nothing has fallen down between the front or sides of the spring and the surrounding metalwork as this can cause added friction or drag.

Give the inside of the receiver block a carefull clean, just in case.

If none of the above solves the problem, then it may be time to get a new spring. Fortunately it appears that it is a reasonably simple matter to replace the spring.

Quite a few of us have these machines, or CS-79's which also have the same basic mechanism, so please keep the rest of us informed as we may need to address the same issue at some future date.