Adjust Gibs before adjusting front support bracket.
1. Loosen Arbor Support Bracket Bolts.
3. Be sure top of arbor is flush with the shoulder on motor output shaft. Also make certain arbor is securely
fastened.
4. Turn feed handle until motor and spindle are at the bottom of their travel.
5. Tighten Arbor Support Bolts.
6. Feed slide up and down a few times, checking for free and uniform movement.
NOTE: Check Arbor support bolts regularly to make certain they are tight. Tighten as required.
ADJUSTMENT OF GIBS
1. Loosen all Gib Screws.
2. Feed the drill in and out a few times and then, with top of motor slide flush with top of housing, tighten the Gib
Screws until you feel them touch the Steel Gib.
3. Feed the drill in and out again.
4. Adjust Gib Screws so that there is uniform pressure from top to bottom. (Top of motor slide flush with top of
housing.)
5. Turn each Gib Screw in about 1/8 to 1/4 turn, depending upon your preference.
6. Gibs should be tight enough so that slide moves up and down smoothly with no wobble or shaking.
(Looseness will cause cutter breakage.)
NOTE: Gibs should be lubricated regularly.
ARBOR ADJUSTMENT
1. Keep inside of Hougen Cutter clear of chips. Chips will interfere with cutting to maximum depth and may impede
the free oil flow and can cause cutter breakage.
2. Keep work, machine, arbor and Hougen Cutter free of chips and dirt.
3. Tighten all bolts and fasteners regularly.
4. We highly recommend using a light viscosity cutting fluid (preferably
Hougen Cutting Fluid - Part No. 11742-4)
5. Occasionally check metering of cutting fluid flow. Lack of cutting fluid may
cause Hougen Cutter to freeze in cut, slug to stick and may result in poor
cutter life.
6. Always start cut with light feed pressure and then increase sufficiently to
achieve maximum cutting rate.
7. Ease off on pressure as cutter begins to break through at the end of the cut.
8. Keep slide dovetails, brass gibs and feed rack lubricated and free of chips and dirt.
9. When slug hangs up in cutter, turn off motor and bring cutter down on a flat surface. This will normally straighten a
cocked slug, allowing it to be ejected.
10. When cutting large diameter or deep holes it may be necessary to stop in the middle of the cut to add cutting
fluid and remove the chips from around the arbor. (When doing this DO NOT raise the cutter out of the hole.
Doing so can allow chips to get under the teeth of the cutter and make it difficult to restart the cut.)
* ”Babying” the cutter through the cut will only decrease tool life.
HINTS FOR SMOOTHER OPERATION
#1 cause of cutter
breakage and
prematurely dull
teeth is too little
feed pressure*
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