WM14 Mill Safety issue IMPORTANT !

[picclock]

During WM14 mill head clockwise rotation the mains cable is trapped and damaged between the head and support block. The cable is forced into a gap about 2mm wide and crushed as the head rotates.



Other pictures in the same album.

I intend to remake the cable and support to avoid this. Perhaps taking it out of the bottom of the metal box.

Very nasty fault for something sold in the UK - If you have one label it or fix it before it gets you  

Best Regards

picclock

Edit - If the cable hasn't been damaged yet then you can simply remove the backplate, disconnect the cable and turn round the cable support so that the protrusion faces inward. Fast fix with only cosmetic consequences.

[Bluechip]

Same on the WM16  ...

Not that I ever use the tilt head thing.

Does seem to be a rather gross error. 

Dave BC

[picclock]

Stripped down and fixed now but neutral was down to the copper inside the outer.

First time I've tilted the head.

http://s917.photobucket.com/albums/ad19/picclock/WM14%20Safety%20Issue/WM14%20Fix/

shows details.

picclock

[lordedmond]

Have you reported this to the supplier in this case Warco I think as a matter of safety

If it was a domestic piece of kit that would entail a recall as its a shock hazard


sorry for coming on a bit strong but they take our money and should ensure that at least its electrically sound though its operating range , freedom from trapped conductors etc.

Stuart

[picclock]

@lordedmond

I haven't yet but will do so on Monday. If they fail to give satisfactory assurances I may forward the info to trading standards.

This is exactly how people get killed and injured by machinery. If the earth gets broken or connected to the live the machine goes live. If that happens when your machining the shock may well cause you to involuntarily move in a way which could put your hands or arms in contact with the rotating machinery parts, not to mention the damage from the shock itself.

I remember a safety film a long while ago about a chap changing a lightbulb in a high ceilinged factory. The fitting was live and the ladder metal so he would have received a shock. The shock makes him lose balance on the ladder and the fall does the damage.

My workshop is protected with an earth leakage trip, a practice I would recommend to anyone using metal equipment. 

Best Regards

picclock

[Deko]

Hi Picclock
  As soon as i read your post i went into my workshop to check my Chester UK Champion ( very similar to the Warco ). I do'nt ever intend to tilt the head, as i have a tilting vice that is OK for the jobs i do, however the Champion looks like it will not have the same problem.

I know that most of the blokes who post on the ME/MEW site are sooooo clever it is hard to sujest anything that they do'nt allready know, BUT i think you should put your post on there just in case some folk have not yet found the problem

             Cheers  Deko

[picclock]

@ Deko
If you (or anyone else) feels this information may be of benefit to any other groups please feel free to copy it (and the links) and post it. I am not a member of the other forums.

I sent an email to Warco detailing the problem but as yet they haven't replied. I'll give them a week or so then send a copy to trading standards.

I think the reason its not been picked up on before is that most users are just happy if the head is trammed correctly and can't be bothered to go through resetting it if its altered.

From my point of view, what's quite nasty is that the head is heavy and stiff to rotate anyway, so the additional force damaging the cable is not distinguishable from the normal rotating force. So unless you visually clock it, you would be quite unaware of the damage caused.

Best Regards

picclock