M1044 52" Foot Shear
MAINTENANCE
Blade Care
The blades can be removed by removing the eight hex bolts that attach the blades to the castings (see Figure 15).
The moving blade has two cutting edges on it that are ground with a 2° edge relief. Reverse the blade to expose the new cutting edge as soon as one edge is dull. The blade can be sharpened on a surface grinder by grinding both wide sides of the blade.
The fixed blade has one cutting edge with a 2° edge relief and a 1° face relief. It can be resharpened on a surface grinder by grinding the wide side of the blade.
Return Spring Tension
The return spring can be adjusted on the foot lever. To increase the return rate, tighten the hex nuts against the spring as shown in Figure 15.
Blade Hex Bolts
Hex Nuts
Figure 15. Blade bolts and return spring.
MAINTENANCE
Gib Adjustment
When adjusting gibs, keep in mind that the goal of gib adjustment is to remove unnecessary slide movement without causing them to bind. Loose gibs may allow play in the moving blade resulting in poor cuts on the workpiece and undue wear on the slide.
Adjust the three gib screws on each side in small, equal increments. Test for binding or play after each adjustment by pushing and pulling the top of the cutter bar.
Gib Screws
Figure 16. Gib screw location.
Lubrication
Lubricate all pivot and sliding points on this machine daily. Lightly oil the surface of the blades and other bare cast iron surfaces to ensure they don't develop rust.