Rotabroach Trouble Shooting
Magnetic base won’t hold effectively
1. Material being cut may be too thin for efficient holding of Magnet.
Attach an additional piece of metal under workpiece where magnet will be located, or mechanically clamp
magnetic base to workpiece.
2. Swarf or dirt under magnet.
Clean magnet.
3. Irregularity on magnet contact or workpiece.
Use extreme care; file any imperfections flush to surface.
4. Insufficient current going to magnet during drilling cycle.
Confirm power supply and output from control unit.
Cutter skips out of centre-punch mark at initiation of cut
1. Magnetic base is not holding effectively.
See causes and remedies above.
2. Worn arbor bushing and/or ejector collar.
Replace! Only a few thousandths wear permissible.
3. Too much feed pressure at start of cut.
Use light pressure until a groove is cut. The groove then serves as a stabilizer.
4. Cutter is worn, chipped or incorrectly sharpened.
Replace or resharpen. Sharpening service is available.
5. Poor centre-punch mark; weak pilot spring; pilot not centred in centre-punch mark.
Improve centre-punch and/or replace worn parts.
6. Worn or bent pilot, worn pilot hole.
Replace part or parts.
7. Loose bolts on motor bushing support bracket, main casting or loose gib adjusting set screws.
Adjust where necessary.
Excessive drilling pressure required
1. Incorrectly resharpened, worn or chipped cutter.
Resharpen or replace.
2. Coming down on swarf lying on surface of workpiece.
Clean workpiece. Take care not to start a cut on swarf.
3. Gibs out of adjustment or lack of lubrication.
Lubricate gib and/or adjust grub screws.
4. Swarf accumulated (packed) inside cutter.
Clear cutter.
Excessive cutter breakage
1. Steel swarf or dirt under cutter.
Remove cutter, clean part thoroughly and replace.
2. Incorrectly resharpened or worn cutter.
Always have a new cutter on hand to refer to for correct tooth geometry, together with instruction sheet.
3. Cutter skipping.
See causes and remedy (2).
4. Slideways need adjustment.
Tighten slideway.
5. Cutter not attached tightly to arbor.
Retighten.
6. Insufficient use of cutting oil or unsuitable type of oil.
Fill arbor with an oil of light viscosity and check to be sure oil is being metered into cutter when pilot is
depressed. If not, check pilot groove and arbor internally for dirt or apply oil externally. Even a small
amount of oil is very effective.
Excessive cutter wear
1. See cause and remedy above
2. Incorrectly resharpened cutter.
Refer to instructions and a new cutter for proper tooth geometry.
3. Insufficient or spasmodic cutting pressure.
Use sufficient steady pressure to slow the drill down. This will result in optimum cutting speed and chip load.