Morso F measurement system

Not your average framer · Mon 19 Nov, 2007 9:44 pm

I have the usual measurement system on my Morso F, but unfortunately the nice easy sliding action between the two aluminium rules is now no longer a smooth and easy movement due to wear occuring between the two surfaces and the small particules of aluminium caused by this wear getting fused into the worn sufaces. Movement is now very stiff and something of an effort to do.

I've tried waxing or lubricating these surfaces without any improvement and now have run out of ideas. I would be grateful if anyone knows a solution to this problem.
Thanks in advance,
Mark

Post by **John** » Mon 19 Nov, 2007 10:22 pm

I find that a few rubs with a fine emery paper on the wearing surfaces followed by a squirt or two of that dry lubricant spray will usually do the trick.

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Mon 19 Nov, 2007 10:32 pm

I use my brain - nothing sticks!

Or a rub down with 0000 grade steel wool and some teflon bike chain lube is good too.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 4:44 pm

NYAF my Morso about a year ago, got to the stage of your system. Having been in constant use for 8 years.

I tried the wire wool / lube / WD40 / graphite grease. They work for a while then the dreaded aluminium bits started appearing again.

I have gotten round this by smoothing the track down then placing a piece of thin but hard plastic inside the sliding head, so that it sits between the end of the screw locking head and the fixed surface.

12 months on and no problem has re-appeared. No more bits of aluminium shredding off.

Not your average framer · Tue 20 Nov, 2007 6:50 pm

Merlin wrote:I have gotten round this by smoothing the track down then placing a piece of thin but hard plastic inside the sliding head, so that it sits between the end of the screw locking head and the fixed surface.

Hi John,

That sounds like a good move! I just need to find a suitable thin, hard and shinny bit of plastic, some time ago I had a look around my local hardware shop without success. Any good clues?
Thanks,
Mark

Spit · Post by **Spit** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 7:50 pm

A bit of formica may do the job.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 8:33 pm

You lot have got those new fangled aluminium ones!

you flash g*ts!
I think Brunel, or his Danish counterpart must have made mine.....

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 8:39 pm

Oh yeah - missed the aluminium bit!

Mine's ancient too - ages ago I bought a second stop from Lion - it doesn't fit mine - if anyone wants it I'll bring it along to Birmingham

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 8:51 pm

I had a set of plastic draw dividers/seperators. Clear plastic and about 1 - 1.5 mm thick. Once inserted into the gap between the travelling head and the static bed, I had to bend the ends out to keep it in place.

I will take camera in tomorrow and place the image on here tomorrow evening..

Formica would work if you could bend the ends into a |____________| shape - if you see what I mean.

No !! a picture will speak a thousand words...

Martin Harrold · Post by **Martin Harrold** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 9:17 pm

Very interesting.

I recall that there used to be a curved bow spring thingy which clipped inside the sliding head and the screw bore onto that, rather than onto the aluminium bar. It's a while since I took a close look - I'll do it soonest and report.

What I can say is that you should never use anything sticky on the Morso. It will attract grit and rubbish and acccelerate wear.

Morso take great pride in the longevity of their machines, and would be interested to know of this thread.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 9:18 pm

Roboframer wrote:Oh yeah - missed the aluminium bit!

Mine's ancient too - ages ago I bought a second stop from Lion - it doesn't fit mine - if anyone wants it I'll bring it along to Birmingham

I dont use Lion half as much as I should, they are very good.... I got one of those stops a few years back, lion swapped it for a refund, no hassle.

On the bright side, those of us with the more mature Morsos dont have this aluminium dust problem. You cant beat good old honest rust

.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 9:20 pm

edited to add...

and you've got a curving spring in yours

I think my curving spring broke in 1996....

Spit · Post by **Spit** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 9:21 pm

Roboframer wrote:Oh yeah - missed the aluminium bit!

Mine's ancient too - ages ago I bought a second stop from Lion - it doesn't fit mine - if anyone wants it I'll bring it along to Birmingham

I'll bagsie that one if you don't mind....

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Tue 20 Nov, 2007 9:36 pm

Martin
Yes there is a curved bow spring between the screw and the aluminium bar.

It (the spring) is obviously made of some high tense steel, whereas the aluminium of by nature very soft and so any grit/dirt/dust that gets in there will score and has scored the aluminium.

Despite a weekly clean and good use of PTFE spray, I have scored the fixed arm quite badly. The Plastic insert has effectively stopped this scoring and gives a smooth sliding action.

Not your average framer · Tue 20 Nov, 2007 11:01 pm

I figure the Morso designers ain't done that bad, the machine in question was made in 1995 and I bought it in 2001 from an incredibly busy framers which was closing down and as the only Morso there, it had been shared by their framing staff of four all that time. It's been well hammered since too! If that's the only problem after all that, I've nothing to complain about!

Post by **prospero** » Wed 21 Nov, 2007 12:47 am

Not your average framer wrote:It's been well hammered since too!

In my case quite literally. The front bit makes a handy anvil.

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Wed 21 Nov, 2007 2:51 am

prospero wrote:The front bit makes a handy anvil.

Ah! An undocumented feature!

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed 21 Nov, 2007 3:18 pm

Two images of the Morso sliding bar with 'cusom' plastic

Not your average framer · Wed 21 Nov, 2007 10:18 pm

prospero wrote: In my case quite literally. The front bit makes a handy anvil.

I thought that was standard practice!

Not your average framer · Wed 21 Nov, 2007 10:23 pm

Merlin wrote:Two images of the Morso sliding bar with 'cusom' plastic

Hi John,

Thanks interesting, the problem on mine seems to be wear occuring between the two rulers. I think I'll have a closer look in the morning.

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