Twister T4 User manual

Version 1.1

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PURCHASE OF THE
TWISTER T4 - the most advanced and
maintenance-free trimming system on the planet.

Table of Contents
Safety, Warnings and Disclaimers
Initial Setup
Controls
Adjustment
Operation
Maintenance and Cleaning
Tips & Tricks
Troubleshooting
Specifications
Warranty Statement
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5
11
12
14
15
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Important Safety Information
This document refers to the Twister T4 leaf trimming machine as the T4.
Because this machine is a high speed cutting unit, special safety precautions
must be observed to reduce the risk of personal injury. Careless or improper
use may cause serious or even fatal injury. Please read and understand these
precautions thoroughly before using the machine.
Do not lend or rent your machine without the instruction manual. A first
time operator should obtain practical instruction before using the machine.
SAFETY PRECAUTION
SAFETY PRECAUTION
Operating the machine without reading the instructions that accompany a “Danger”
symbol may result in fatal injury.
Operating the machine without reading the instructions that accompany a “Warning”
symbol may result in serious bodily injury or fatal injury.
General
Operation
Operation
Connection
Maintenance
Do not expose this machine’s electrical components to water
while being plugged in.
Do not wear loose clothing or jewellery when operating the machine. Sleeves should be rolled past the
elbows and long hair confined. Do not wear loose-fitting gloves.
Do not operate the machine with protective covers removed.
Keep body parts away from fast moving parts.
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Do not overload outlets or extension cords as this can result in fire or electric shock.
Do not change or modify any part of the machine or accessories.
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Safety glasses must be worn when operating the machine.
Do not operate the machine while tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol or other medication.
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Do not attempt to service electrical components on this machine yourself, as opening or removing covers
may expose you to dangerous voltage and possible fire or electric shock.
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SAFETY PRECAUTION
SAFETY PRECAUTION
General
Installation
Connection
Operation
Maintenance
General
Connection
Operation
Operating the machine without reading the instructions that accompany a “Caution”
symbol may result in bodily injury or property damage.
Do not move, install, connect or inspect the machine while power is supplied to the machine.
Replacement parts must be specific to this machine and supplied by the manufacturer only.
Unauthorized substitutions may result in bodily injury or equipment damage.
Do not allow lubricants or mineral oils to collect on the ground around the machine. This could cause
a slipping hazard for the operator and others.
Keep visitors a safe distance from work area. Keep children away.
Do not remove safety labels from the machine. Replace safety labels if they become obscured or removed.
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Refer to the machine labeling to determine correct electrical requirements.
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Machine must be used with a properly grounded receptacle.
Never plug in the machine with protective shrouds removed.
Do not put objects into the tumbler that cannot be processed by the machine as this may cause bodily
harm or property damage.
Never let the machine run unattended.
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The T4 must be unplugged before any protective covers can be removed.
Turn off and unplug machine before cleaning.
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All users should retain instructions for future reference to ensure safe use.
Damage requiring service must be referred to qualified service personnel.
If the machine does not operate normally by following operating instructions, adjust only those controls
that are covered in the instructions. Improper adjustment may result in damage and may require extensive
work by qualified service personnel to restore the unit back to its normal operation.
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Do not overload outlets or extension cords as this can result in fire or electric shock.
For safe use of your machine, DO NOT change or modify any part of the machine or accessories.
Do not use an extension cords over 15m (50ft) in length to power the machine – longer cords increase
electrical resistance, which will interfere with the T4’s efficiency.
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Keep unit well ventilated to prevent overheating.
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All users should retain instructions for future reference to ensure safe use.
Warnings and Disclaimers
The T4 is intended for use on legal aromatic herbs and hops. Please check all municipal, provincial/state, and
federal laws and regulations before using the T4. Keirton® does not promote or condone the use of the T4
in any way that may be deemed illegal.
Allow only persons who understand this manual to operate the T4.
Keirton® claims no liability for any damage or injury that result from the use of the T4 by persons who have
not read and understood the cautions contained in this manual, or through any misuse of the T4. You are
responsible for your safety while operating this machine - please keep yourself safe!
To receive maximum performance and satisfaction from the T4, it is important that you read and under-
stand the safety and maintenance precautions before using the machine.
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Initial Setup
Congratulations on your purchase of a Twister T4!
You’ll need to perform the following steps before you can start up your new T4 for the first time.
If you have not already read the Safety section yet, please do so now before proceeding!
You’ll first need to unpack the T4 and its components (Figure 1). Remove the T4 from its box. Inside the
machine is a smaller box that contains the T4’s hopper, drive belt, and belt cover.
Figure 1 : Unpacking the T4
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The T4 is shipped with the control box pushed in to its
minimum position to save space; you’ll now need to
install the drive belt, and tilt the control box out to
allow it to fully engage the drive belt.
1. Install the drive belt (Figure 2), aligning the
belt between the two sprockets as shown.
It’s normal for the belt to be loose on the
sprockets at this point.
2. Loosen the lock knob to unclamp the control
box (Figure 3).
3. Pull the lock pin and twist it to lock it in the
open position.
4. Pressure from the piston will push the motor
assembly, causing it to rotate clockwise; this
will tilt the control box out from the machine.
5. Pull lightly on the control box to make sure it
swings all the way out, until it’s stopped by the
drive belt, and make sure the drive belt is
properly seated on the control box’s sprocket.
Failure to do so may damage or destroy the
drive belt.
6. When the control box is correctly positioned,
re-tighten the lock knob to lock it in place.
7. Install the belt cover (Figure 4), screwing in the
knob until tight.
Figure 2: Installing the drive belt
Figure 3: Tilting the control box into position
Figure 4: Installing the belt cover
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Figure 5: Proper drive wheel position
Figure 6: Improper drive wheel position
Make sure to align the control box’s rubber drive wheel in the center of the groove of the tumbler (Figure 5);
misalignment (Figure 6) will result in poor performance, or the tumbler may slip out of place within the T4.
The tumbler may be slid back and forth to put it in the right position to engage control box’s drive wheel.
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The T4 can operate with or without lubricant on the brush. Using the T4 with no lubricant will require more
frequent cleaning. If you choose to not use lubrication, you may skip the lubrication portions of the
following steps. See the lubrication section for more detailed information.
Carefully tilt the T4 on its back (Figure 7) after making sure that the two lock levers are NOT pointed
outwards – if they are pointed outwards when you tilt the machine, the machine will rest on the levers and
may break them. To change their angle, just pull them outwards and twist to set them in a new position.
Next, twist the shroud locking pins on the sides of the machine to retract the detent pins, so you can remove
the shroud - twist the levers 180° in either direction to lock them in the open position, and then pull the
shroud straight out.
Figure 7: Removing the shroud
Replace the shroud, and lock it back in place
by twisting the shroud locking pins again,
making sure that the pins have fully
engaged in holding the shroud in place
(Figure 8); if not, you will need to push on
the shroud to press it in slightly before you
push the locking pins in to hold it in place.
Now stand the T4 back on its base.
Figure 8: Replacing the shroud
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Next, install the hopper (Figure 9), aligning
the bottom two divots in the hopper’s mount
plate with the rounded posts on the side of
the T4, and tilting the hopper up until it clicks
firmly in place against the magnets.
Figure 9: Installing the hopper
You’ll next need to unpack the T4’s leaf collector
system; remove the leaf collector, feet, connection
cuff, and collection bag from the leaf collector’s box,
and attach the feet (Figure 10).
Figure 10: Installing feet on the leaf collector
You can now connect the T4 to the leaf collector;
place the leaf collector on level floor and place the T4
on top (Figure 11); make sure to orient it so that the
control box (front) face of the T4 is towards the outlet
of the leaf collector; putting it on the opposite way
will result in the T4’s shroud outlet and the leaf
collector’s inlet not meeting up properly in the middle.
Wrap the connection cuff around the connection
between the top of the leaf collector’s inlet port and
the bottom of the T4’s shroud port.
Install the collection bag on the bag arms, making
sure to place all four of the black loops onto the bag
arms. Tighten the cord around the opening of the leaf
collector’s outlet.
Figure 11: Connecting the T4 to the leaf collector
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Now plug the T4’s power cord into the power supply
socket on the side of the leaf collector’s power switch
(Figure 12).
Do not plug the leaf collector into a power
supply until all setup has been completed.
Figure 12: Plugging in the power cord
The T4 operates best with a slight tilt, which causes plant matter to roll downhill, helping the flow of product
through the machine.
It is recommended to tilt your leaf collector slightly by having the feet on the feed side (the side with the leaf
collector switch and the T4’s hopper) extended about 2 inches (5 cm) longer than the feet on the output side
(Figure 13).
As you use the T4, you may wish to experiment with the amount of tilt, increasing it or decreasing it to help
control the feed rate.
Figure 13: Tilting the leaf collector frame
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Controls
The controls for the T4 system are very straightforward and easy to use:
Figure 14: Controls for the T4 Figure 15: Leaf collector power switch
1. Emergency stop button – use this to stop all moving parts on the T4.
**Note: this does not shut down the leaf collector.
2. Tumbler start/stop button.
3. Tumbler power indicator light – indicates that the tumbler motor is powered.
4. Fault light – if lit, indicates that your T4 has shut down due to a serious issue and needs to be
reset – check the troubleshooting section to solve this. If lit, unplug machine to reset it.
5. Warning light – indicates that the motor is experiencing a heavy workload, usually due to either
the machine requiring cleaning, or the bedknife being adjusted with too much tension – see
troubleshooting section for further details.
6. Blade power indicator light – indicates that the reel
blade motor is powered.
7. Blade start/stop button.
8. Leaf collector on/off switch – pull to start, push to stop.
The yellow lockout tab may be removed if you wish to
prevent the leaf collector from being turned on
unintentionally.
9. Control box hour meter – indicates how many hours the
blade motor has run over the lifetime of the T4.
Figure 16: Hour meter location
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Adjustment
Your new T4 has been properly adjusted during assembly; however, due to jostling during shipping, the machine
may have become misaligned and need minor adjustment before use.
To run at peak efficiency, the T4’s cutting surfaces need to be aligned correctly (Figure 17); if the bedknife is too
far from the reel blade (too loose), the machine will cut poorly; if it is too close (too tight) to the reel blade,
there will be too much friction, causing excessive noise, increased wear on the cutting surfaces, and increased
load on the motor.
Ideally, the bedknife should be just lightly touching the reel blade; when adjusted as such, there is very little
friction, the bedknife and reel blade keep each other automatically sharpened and the reel blade cuts at peak
effectiveness.
Figure 17: Cutaway view showing bedknife/reel blade alignment
→Make sure that the machine is always clean before attempting to adjust it.
→Never use a cord of over 15m (50ft) in length – longer cords increase electrical resistance, which will
interfere with the T4’s efficiency.
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Take care not to slide your fingers along the reel
blade or bedknife – both parts are sharp and can
easily cut you.
Remove the tumbler, control box, and shroud. Twist the
adjustment clickers counterclockwise to increase the space
between the reel blade and the bedknife to allow the thick-
ness of two stacked pieces of paper.
Figure 18: First adjustment step
Figure 19: Second adjustment step
Insert the doubled-up paper between the bedknife
and the reel blade at the 2nd reel blade disc by
slowly rotating the blade forward. Ensure the paper
is parallel to the bedknife (Figure 18).
Turn the closest clicker clockwise (tighten) one click
at a time. Continue until the paper is pinched
slightly while rolling the reel blade. When properly
adjusted, a slight drag will be felt as the doubled
paper is pulled. No drag should be felt with a
single piece of paper.
Repeat the same procedure at the 4th reel blade
disc, using the opposite clicker (Figure 19).
Once adjustment has been completed, ensure the reel blade spins freely with no contact to the bedknife. If the
blade does not spin freely, repeat the adjustment procedure and ensure the blades are clean.
Audible confirmation: To verify that the adjustment is correct, connect the T4 to the leaf collector. Turn on the
blades and the leaf collector. The suction from the leaf collector will draw the blades together causing them to
make contact. This will produce a slight ticking sound, which indicates proper blade adjustment. To increase or
decrease this sound, turn both clickers one click at a time in the appropriate direction. Excessive blade noise will
cause premature blade wear and overstrain the motor.
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Operation
As mentioned in the Initial Setup section, The T4 can operate
without lubricant. The best product is cold water.
Figure 20: Lubricating roller brush
Make certain to not spray the drive wheel with any lubricant as this will cause the wheel to not grip the
tumbler, causing the tumbler to not spin. The drive wheel will need to be cleaned and dried before use if it
gets sprayed.
To start processing plant matter, place a receiver bin on the output side of the machine (the side opposite of
the hopper) to catch trimmed product, and start feeding plant matter into the hopper. Note that the T4 does
not require plant matter to be dried before trimming – in fact, it works best with wet flowers.
Start feeding plant matter into the hopper. Try to maintain a steady flow of plant matter through the machine;
you’ll need to adjust your feed rate as necessary to maintain the best flow rate. The first section of the tum-
bler (Figure 21) should always be occupied by plant matter – if it keeps clearing out, increase your feed rate to
always keep it occupied. If the machine starts clogging, decrease your feed rate.
It is easy to underestimate how fast the T4 can trim plant matter, so it is advisable to experiment with your
feed rates, increasing or decreasing how fast you feed it in until you find the ideal pace. This will give you the
maximum performance for production.
Figure 21: First section of tumbler
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Maintenance and Cleaning
Empty the collection bag periodically; waiting until it is full will result in decreased airflow, which causes
less suction at the cutting point, causing decreased cutting performance. If you notice the machine has
started cutting poorly, first check to see if the bag needs emptying.
The guard on top of the leaf collector may occasionally get plugged with built-up plant matter, and will
need to be cleaned immediately whenever this begins to impact performance, and also after every use.
Make sure to clean and lubricate the T4 and leaf collector, and empty and clean the collection bag after
every use – this will extend the life of the machine, keep its performance at high efficiency, and will in
general make cleanup much easier, as resins and other plant by-products will build up and become
extremely hard if left to dry. See the next section for details.
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The T4 is a precision machine. It is essential that it is operated and cared for with this in mind. It has been
adjusted and tested by the manufacturer. However, at initial startup and at the beginning of each day, check to
ensure the blades spin freely before plugging in the unit. See below for instructions on how to access the
blades.
Keep in mind that the machine will have specific operating characteristics and noise qualities. The operator
should become familiar with the machine and listen for abnormal changes. Concerns should be investigated
before considerable problems occur.
Be absolutely sure to unplug the T4 and leaf collector before proceeding.
Never plug in machine while protective covers are not in place.
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Due to the different compositions of the materials being processed, lubricating and cleaning frequency will
vary. Most operators will realize these needs and adjust accordingly. Ask your dealer for practical lubricating and
cleaning frequency for your specific industry. The manufacturer recommends cleaning at the end of each day.
Buildup is the most obvious sign that there is need for more attention in this area.
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Teardown
To clean or inspect the machine, it will need a quick
teardown. Begin by removing the T4 from the leaf
collector, and remove the hopper (Figure 22); make
sure to pull from the bottom instead of the top, due
to grip strength of the magnets at the top.
Figure 22: Removing the hopper
Next, you’ll need to remove the control box. First
retract the motor assembly (Figure 23); make
sure the lock pin is pulled out, then press down
on the bolt to rotate the motor assembly. When
the gas shock is fully compressed, twist and
release the lock pin so it can be pushed in to lock
the motor assembly in the retracted position.
Figure 23: Retracting the motor assembly
Now you’ll need to remove the drive belt (Figure 24); unscrew and remove the belt cover (1), then loosen the lock
knob (2), push the control box (3) in towards the tumbler to reduce tension on the drive belt, and pull the drive
belt off (4).
Figure 24: Removing the drive belt
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Now pull the top of the control box away from the tumbler to tilt it out (Figure 25), and slide it out of the side
of the machine as shown to remove it (Figure 26).
Figure 25: Tilting the control box Figure 26: Removing the control box
Next, you’ll need to remove the tumbler (Figure
27). Make sure to only pull it out from the feed
end as shown, not the opposite (output) end.
Be VERY CAREFUL when removing the
tumbler. This is a delicate and very precise
component of the machine, and if dropped
or damaged the machine’s performance will
be greatly reduced, or possibly
completely disabled.
Figure 27: Removing the tumbler
Flip the T4 on its back. Make sure that the lock
levers are not pointed outwards before tilting the
machine on its back – doing so will result in the T4
leaning on the lock levers, which may break them.
To change their angle, just pull them outwards and
twist to set them in a new position. Now twist the
shroud locking pins (Figure 28); twisting them 180°
will lock them in the out position. You can now pull
the shroud straight out.
Figure 28: Removing the shroud
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Next, unscrew and remove the two levers on the sides of the
machine (Figure 29). This will unlock the adjuster crossbar,
which will let you flip it down out of the way.
Figure 29: Unlocking the adjuster crossbar
Now you can flip up the bedknife (Figure 30), to allow access for inspection and cleaning.
Figure 30: Rotating the bedknife
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