Head pressure too high

[Oldtrainerguy]

Need some advice:

I have been cleaning out my machine and everything was fine until tonight when I began spitting boards. checked head pressure and found it was way high. 110 lbs to 120. Loosened the screws as instructed (twice) and rechecked. Still high. Cleaned the four posts and screws inside the machine , re-lubed with lithium grease still no luck. The clutch will not engage until the pressure is high. How do I clean the screw that the handle and clutch are attached to? Is that the problem?

[hray]

the same thing hapened to me on my a model machine i just removed the handel and sprayed wd40 in the handel hole it ether cleaned out carveing dust and posiblt lubed it has been working fine now
for several carves

[Oldtrainerguy]

Cant get the screw out wants to strip. I am frustrated. It wont turn and have had no problems till now. It went in fine and just hand tightend it. I have christmas projects to finish and am at an end. I cleaned everything I could but cannot get that darned screw to turn without stripping. THe head pressure is up and down. Sometine 80-85 then jumps up to 110-120.

[Oldtrainerguy]

Since I live in Houston and its under warranty I may just take it in and get it fixed if they cannot resolve the issue over the phone tomorrow. Arrgh!

[DickB]

If you have to get a project finished, you may be able to lower the head properly without the benefit of the clutch. If you've used the machine a while, you can probably feel when the pressure is too high by the amount of resistance on the handle as you crank. Instead of waiting for the clutch to slip, stop cranking when you feel the pressure is right. Also, watch the rollers compress so that you get a feel for how much travel is "normal". Practice with a bathroom scale if you don't have a feel for this, then do it with a board loaded. I have done this once or twice when I was in a hurry, and it worked fine.

Go to your local hardware store and look for a hand impact tool to try removing that screw without stripping the head. It's one of those tools that you won't use often, but when you need it, you really need it.

Once your machine is out of warranty, you'll want to become adept at this kind of maintenance yourself, because stuff happens with this machine.

[hray]

you can go to the key pad press 0 then 7 scoll to the rollers lower the head untill the rollers just compress the head pressure should be just about right