KEENCUT SteelTrak User manual

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 1 of 6

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 2 of 6
Contents
1. Maintenance 3 ........................................................................................................................................................
1.1 Cleaning and lubricating 3 .......................................................................................................................................
1.2 Maintaining the clamp 4 .........................................................................................................................................
1.3 Guide wheel adjustment 6 .......................................................................................................................................

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 3 of 6
1. Maintenance
1.1 Cleaning and lubricating
Cleaning - Keencut design machines to be as maintenance free as possible, however we do recommend regular cleaning.
Do not wipe the squaring arm channels or remove any debris with fingers, as it may contain sharp particles such as glass.
Use a vacuum cleaner if possible or if a soft brush is used, work slowly and do not allow particles to flick off of the
bristles.
Lubrication - It is important that the correct lubrication is used as ordinary oils and solvents can adversely affect plastics,
the diagram above shows the best lubricants for the various parts of the machine. Do not use penetrating oils for
lubrication on this machine.
Wipe the guide rods and rollers using cleaning solvent on a cloth,
and lubricate the surfaces very lightly with petroleum jelly. The
axles of the rollers are lubricated and sealed for life and need no
further attention.
Use a light oil (3 in 1) on the ratchet system, one or two drops on
the pivot point and one drop on the
ratchet teeth
Silicon Lubricant can be sprayed in from the top of the balance
weight opening whilst the cutting head is parked at the top of the
machine
Smear edge with petroleum jelly on the ratchet release bar
Smear Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) around curved slot on the
Swinging Arm

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 4 of 6
1.2 Maintaining the clamp
The pressure of the clamp is in relation to the amount of pressure
applied to the operating handle. However in time the maximum
clamping pressure can reduce due to wear on the friction block
(hidden within the machine), compensation for this can be made
by adjusting the two small grub screws in the housing as shown.
Turning the screws clockwise until they stop moving them
undoing them one full turn should give an acceptable pressure,
but further small adjustment can be made to increase or decrease
the pressure as required. Care should be taken not to tighten
either grub screw fully or this will result in undue wear of the
friction plate.
When cutting tough materials it is essential that the clamping system operates at its' optimum, the moving clamp bar must
press evenly onto the board being cut and not clamp it only at the top or bottom.
Open the clamp by at least 1-2mm and remove the plastic cover
strip situated above the clamp handle it just
clips out of place, use the end of a small steel rule to lever it from
its’ groove.
The clamp adjuster is at the top end of the push rod and is locked in position by two locking nuts.
The silver nut has a normal right-handed thread, slacken it using a 10mm wrench by turning it counter-clockwise when
looking from below.
Now slacken the black nut, this has a left hand thread and should be turned clockwise when viewed from below.
The ‘adjuster’ is the hexagonal bar between the two nuts, by turning it with the spanner it alters the clamps
alignment with the back of the machine.
Rotate the adjuster whilst observing the clamp from the side and
bring the clamp into parallel
To check for parallel use 2 pieces of A4 paper, place one under
the bottom end of the clamp and hold the
other at the top end whilst depressing the clamp handle, check
that the clamp firmly grips pieces of paper

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 5 of 6
Tighten the two locking nuts whilst holding the adjuster in
position with the second spanner, then operate the clamp a few
times, check and adjust further if necessary.
Finally, replace the plastic cover strip.

SteelTrak User Guide –
Maintenance
The world’s finest cutting machines
www.keencut.com
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected] (UK HQ)
[email protected] (US sales)
Scan the QR code or
click here to view this document online >
Page 6 of 6
1.3 Guide wheel adjustment
The Cutting Head slides up and down on two stainless steel
Guide Rails (1) that are embedded into the Slideway
There are four grooved Guide Wheels that run on the rails, the
two furthest away are fixed (A) and the two closest are adjustable
(B). These Guide Wheels are adjusted in the factory and should
not under normal circumstances require re-adjustment.
The adjustment check and procedure is listed in the event that the Cutting Head needs to be removed for any reason
The steel bar with the oval holes, the Spring Block (4), holds the
two adjustable wheels and is designed to flex, a small amount,
like a spring and add tension so the Guide Wheels are pressed
onto the Rails. It is important that the tension is set correctly, use
a 0.15mm (0.006″) feeler gauge or a stout piece of paper to
measure the gap under the Spring Block as shown. If the gap is
too large or too small the adjacent wheel will need adjusting.
The Shafts that the adjustable wheels run on are eccentric and
move the wheel into or away from the rail as it is rotated.
Using a 13mm spanner on the Locking Nut and a 5mm spanner (or
grips) on the square end of the Shaft hold the Shaft still and
loosen the Locking Nut by about half a turn.
Rotate the Shaft clockwise whilst using a feeler gauge or paper
as above to measure the gap under the Spring Block. If the Shaft
will not rotate any further and the correct gap has not been
achieved, turn it anti-clockwise and the correct adjustment should
be obtained within one full rotation of the Shaft.
When the correct gap appears hold the Shaft still and tighten the
Locking Nut.