Minimax CU300 scoring blade belt broken

I turned on my CU300 with the main blade tilted to 45 degrees and the scoring blade fully extended above he table. It appears the belt driving the scoring blade broke. At least the scoring blade doesn't spin any more, but I haven't taken the cover off yet to see what the exact problem is. The 12" blade still spins correctly.

• Is this to be expected, that you can't tilt and operate the main blade when the scoring blade is extended?

If so, that pretty much stinks. I always use the scoring blade, it works very well even on hardwoods to eliminate tearout on the bottom of the cut. No need for a zero clearance insert, just use the scoring blade...

Very strange, Mark. AFAIK, the scoring blade on my S315WS tilts with the main blade. Give Sam a call...he's even in your tiny state. :)

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Originally Posted by Jim Becker

Very strange, Mark. AFAIK, the scoring blade on my S315WS tilts with the main blade. Give Sam a call...he's even in your tiny state. :)

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Same on the CU300, the scorer tilts with the main blade. I'll open up the cabinet tomorrow and have a peak before reaching out to Sam.

Jim, have you run your scorer at an angle, extended above the table?

I have a CU300 as well. I remember my scroring blade damaging the aluminum insert around the scoring blade when tilted. I can check tomorrow evening, but I remember having a problem with this in the past.

Hi, I believe you have to reduce the scoring blade elevation when tilting or the arbour will collide with the table.............Rod.

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Originally Posted by mark mcfarlane

Jim, have you run your scorer at an angle, extended above the table?

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Yes...and I can't see how the scoring blade would come in contact with the aluminum insert given it's only about a millimeter above the table surface when I'm using it. The opening for the scoring blade is the same width as the opening for the main blade.

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Originally Posted by Jim Becker

Yes...and I can't see how the scoring blade would come in contact with the aluminum insert given it's only about a millimeter above the table surface when I'm using it. The opening for the scoring blade is the same width as the opening for the main blade.

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Historically I have been running my scoring blade full height, minus 3/4 turn. That height is to compensate for sheet goods that aren't perfectly flat. A 1mm extrusion wouldn't score all the wood I push through.

Sure enough the belt is broken. The belt is a really thin design, similar in thickness to a couple sheets of 80lb paper.

It looks like the replacement process might be a PITA. Maybe I'll see an easy way after removing my main blade, but I'm in the middle of a project.

Time to contact Sam and Parts Pronto.

I only "score" with the scoring blade, Mark. Even then, it can quickly pull smaller pieces of material forward which if one isn't careful... ;) Mine only goes up about 5 turns from where it lives just below the table surface when not in use. If you're raising it up high, that may very well be putting a lot of strain on the belt. It's not a big motor, either since it's supposed to just be getting a clean edge on the bottom veneer (or whatever is the bottom surface) before the main blade does the cut-off. Clamp the material down on the wagon and you shouldn't need to raise the scoring blade too far for it to do it's job, even on "non-flat" pieces of sheet goods.

Fully extended, the blade is protruding maybe 3mm. I think I keep it around 2mm, so not much higher than 1mm. Lazy on my part to just let it dig a little deeper 'in case' the wood is cupped.

from Sam:

...on newer machines the throat plate sometimes needs a little tweaking in the opening. You should lower it all the way first then tilt, then raise it up with the motor off to see if it binds on the throat plate. If it does (usually just a little bit) you can turn on the machine and slowly raise the scorer so that it trims the aluminum to create the space it needs. Or you can take a file to it.

Not sure I want to use my Forest blade to trim the aluminum.

It looks like the belt replacement is a multi-hour PITA, removing several panels, the blade and blade shroud,... so ask me in a year if I have actually replaced it yet :rolleyes:.

Easy enough to order the part though.