The Framers Forum

hi, can anyone help please. i have bought a second hand orteguil foot operated mitre - much like the morso. i have had the blades sharped by lion as they where very rusty. now when i cut some prefinished moulding i get a piece knocked out on the last cut right at the bottom of the outer edge, i have tried to adjust the blades & i have lowered the blades so they pass lower through the moulding on the last cut. it is driving me mad as i can't relay on it to do a good cut. thanks

Does it do it on all mouldings? Some mouldings are just not chopper-friendly and the same thing will happen on any machine.

Especially ones that are composition and have a slight bevel on the underside back edge!

Hi Worried Framer,

I also purchased a second hand Orteguil, and initially had similar problems. Thanks to the support on The Forum I am now finding results are generally excellent, so don't despair! I had more of a problem adjusting the rebate supports which seem to have a tendancy to tighten up as you advance the blades, and do need constant adjustment in and out. I think they are probably bigger than on a Morso and can pinch the moulding up against the back fence if they are holding the moulding too tightly. It is important to go gently and particularly on the last few cuts to advance by small rotations of the wheel. By this process you should find it less likely to cause damage to the mouldings.

thank you for your replies, firstly it doesn't do it with all mouldings, i have cut some lion plastic mouldings with good results. the moulding i was trying to cut did have a slight rounded lip on the outer edge - so i will look out for that in the future. i have tried this morning to cut a gold finished moulding & it has done the same on that. lastly i'll try & take it slowly on the last few cuts as suggested. thanks for your responses.

I have heard it said that if you bang the last cut though really fast it will minimise this problem. May be true for some mouldings.
You can also try rolling a thin piece of plasticine and jamming it in the angle between the fences and the bed to support the tiny gap. Bit of a PITA unless you are doing a run of the same moulding. Plasticine is quite hard when cold.