Monday 7 March 2011

How to take apart & fix an X-Cut Impress Machine

Well this blog was going to be about my trip to the Hobbycrafts & Creative Stitches show at the SECC in Glasgow at the weekend, but on return I broke my X-cut Impress Machine trying out my new dies!
oops! I thought, then I was off to find the screwdrivers.

1. Under the rubber foot there are 4 screws - I took this photo after putting it all back together.
First unscrew these screws, once undone the base can be pulled off a small amount to reveal the split-pin holding the suction foot lever in place. This pin has to be removed (pliers are necessary) and then the metal bar holding the foot can be pulled out (this bar has a bend in the middle). Once removed the base will come off.
2. Your machine will now look like this from the bottom. These screws can be removed next, or left in place,  as I didn't know that at the time, I removed them.
3. The next step is to find the hidden screws under the label on the sides of the machine. They unscrew from one side only. Picture shows the nuts on reverse side. Once these screws have been removed, the sides can be pulled apart. The winding handle will stay attached.
4. Once inside I found the reason for my troubles, so many teeth had fallen off that the cogs wouldn't turn. I had always wondered why it rattled, and occasionally made a snapping noise when in use.
5. These cogs were fine, no missing teeth.
6. After a little thought, I decided that it would still work without these cogs. Only the lower bar would rotate with the handle, and the upper would be free rotating as the plates passed through. With a little help from my husband, we removed the offending cogs, and checked I was right. I was, it worked.
7. I then put it back together in reverse order, choosing not to replace the suction foot as I have never had much success with it anyway.

That fixed, I could try out my new Marianne Design dies, there were so many lovely ones I had trouble choosing. The X-Cut is quite a narrow machine, so that did help to reduce my choices.

These hearts are really lovely,  and I'm looking forward to trying out some new card designs with them soon.



The bird on a branch is really sweet, I wasn't quite sure it would fit through my X-cut, I promised my sister she could have it if it didn't, but it does so I get to keep it. I bought a Martha Stewart border punch too!
I also bought a dozen fat quarters, half blues, half greens, and some strips of material with tractors and pirates on. No doubt they'll be showing up in the blog soon.

bye for now, Julia