Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
Posted by Jeffo on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
I just purchased a used Supermatic Model B. I love this machine it has the new plastic cutter and it stuffs so easy it's like butter. However 1 annoyance with it the H-Link bolts and nuts kept coming loose and if you tightened them they squeezed down on the H-Link making the action stiffer than it should be. I removed the 2- bolts and placed a #4 stainless lock washer under the shoulder bolt. This gives a slight clearance to the head of the bolt. No more loosening bolts and the machine functions even better than it did. This works for the Model A, B, and maybe the C.
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- Re: Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
oops again, that's not exactly what I did....I have had the good luck of having plenty of tiny metal washers that came with clone machines that fit inside the "mounting bridge" (go ahead and laugh) or whatever you call the metal plate underneath where the screws go in to hold the H-Link, right up into the sockets and out-of-sight.....if you ever do this and then take it apart be VERY CAREFUL, they can be lost in half a blink of the eye
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I also saw where Dave makes his own nylon ones, so that can be done too....
- Re: Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
that's what I did with mine, but of course Dave Lers came along and suggested the problem lies with the new H-Link having metal flange left after the punching and said you can just file it down....if you search you'll find his suggestions....so far I've been too lazy to go out for a metal file and sandpaper didn't quite do it on the one I tried....
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Arbro, Inc. needs to look at and address this issue.......George??
as well as RBA needs to adjust the new machines coming out
- Re: Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by Jeffo on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
Hi Mike,
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It sounds like you're referring to the new machine the Model C that comes from the factory with the new h-link and new cutter. If this is so it sounds like the washers will work on those also. Mine is the older Model B with the new cutter put in it and the old h-link. Thanks for the feedback. I have read Dave Lers posting on the new h-link fix.
- Re: Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by mc on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
mine's a B
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Dave's recently got a C and others here as well....maybe the new one doesn't need washers.....don't know........??
(but suspect it does)
- Re: Supermatic: Tight H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by Dave L on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007
IIUC, both you and mike c have added washers to the threaded portion of the H-link mounting bolt (or into the hole of the H-link mounting plate, same thing) because the H-link wouldn't pivot freely (which would cause the bolts to loosen) without them. I haven't had that problem, but the solution would work on all the 'matics. With the new linkage, the tightness could be caused by the flange around the bolt hole and removing the flange would be the first thing to try.
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With all of my machines, there is lots of clearance between the H-link and mounting bolt head (i.e. loose VS the above tight). I add a thin plastic washer under the head of the bolt (top of the linkage VS underneath) and still have a linkage that pivots freely... While I use the washers to reduce play in the linkage, they probably make a loosening H-link bolt less likely due to the reduced friction between the bolt head and H-link (slick plastic in between).
- Re: Supermatic: Tight H-Link bolt fix
- Posted by Jeffo on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007
After reading Dave's posting above. I decided that the #4 lock washer was a little too thick although it did the job fine. I made a washer (shim) out of the cardboard from a premier tube box. A delicate job indeed. I used a drill bit to make a hole just big enough for the threaded portion of the link bolt to fit through then I traced the outside of the shoulder and cut out the shim with a pair of scissors. This gives just a very small clearance on the bolt head over the h-link
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and more room for threads inside the top nut and no gouges from the lock washer on the metal at the bottom of the hole in the reinforcement plate. This works great, something everyone has (tube box cardboard), the h-link bolts stay tight and no binding on the bolt head to loosen them.