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So you’ve bought yourself a TRUMPF TPC165, an excellent choice! This superb panel cutter is widely regarded as one of the best on the market today! As with all great pieces of equipment, though, checks and regular maintenance are required to make sure your tool stays in top condition.
Why should you do these checks?
In short, daily checks help you to save time and money when it comes to your Panel Cutter. With the TRUMPF TPC165 being such a high-quality tool, it is important to keep it in top condition and not neglect one of the best tools in your inventory.
Following a daily checklist will help you get the most out of the TRUMPF TPC 165 panel cutter, helping you save time and money in the long term.
Daily checks hold the major advantage of reducing your tool downtime and minimising any maintenance issues that may come up. A healthy, well-maintained tool equals a happy tool operator. Regular maintenance allows your tools to last longer without expensive part replacements and allows you to keep your tool operational and reliable.
In this article, we will explore the daily checks you should be carrying out with your TRUMPF TPC165 to get the most from your tool while saving yourself time, money, and a lot of unwanted hassle in the process.
So, what are the daily checks?
Check the oil level in the reservoir.
- Why? – if there’s no oil in the reservoir, then the TPC165 blade & chain isn’t lubricated, it is more likely to wear out quicker. By not keeping the oil level regularly maintained at a healthy level, you significantly reduce the life expectancy of some components within your panel cutter.
- Quick Note - Be careful that you don’t over-tighten the oil cap, otherwise, you will end up with oil leaks all over the panel cutter & composite panel. It just needs to be pinched finger-tight to ensure it remains secure and eliminates the risk of oil spilling out.
Prime the tool
- Why? – Maintaining oil levels in your panel cutter is great, but if the tool isn’t primed, then the oil in the reservoir isn’t actually doing anything. You need to make sure the tool is fully lubed up and ready for use to avoid any unnecessary wear.
- How? – Whilst holding the panel cutter securely, plunge the blade off the side of a panel and then start running the tool, so the chain is moving. Put something white such as some paper, underneath until you start seeing spots of oil on the paper. At this point, the oil is running through the tool as it should be, and it is ready for use.
Check the chain condition
- Why? – Over time, wear and tear comes into play with the tool and can cause the chain to get blunt and teeth to be lost from the chain. Let’s face it, it’s harder for you personally to chew your food if you have half of your teeth taken out, the same applies here. Without these teeth on the chain, you lose accuracy and effectiveness in your cutting.
- How? – Whilst wearing safety gloves, run a finger across the length of the chain and have a quick look at the number of teeth on the chain. If you've got lots of teeth missing, then it's an indication that you might need a new chain. We’re not saying one or two teeth missing will drastically alter your tool performance, but it may be time to change if there are several missing.
Test the chain’s tension
- Why? – If your chain is too tight, then it can distort the TPC165 blade and significantly affect your accuracy when using the cutter, making your cuts not as square. If your chain is not tight enough, then the chain will do more of the work, wear out at a much quicker rate and not be as effective when making the cuts you need.
- How? - At the middle point of the blade, put your fingers on either side and pull the chain apart. There should be enough tension to get a little bit of play, around 1.5 millimetres of play on either side of the blade that the chain sits on. Tighten or loosen the tension as required.
Cleaning
- Quick Note - If you only do one thing from this checklist, then make sure it is cleaning the tool, especially if you have been cutting mineral wool panels. Cleaning is the most important aspect of this list that you can do regularly.
- Why? - If you don't clean the tool down at the end of every prolonged period of use (especially after cutting mineral wool panels), the chemicals in the panels being cut can seize up the chain & other parts of the TPC165. This can result in the tool becoming unusable unless you replace parts to it. If you want your tool to stay in great condition, cleaning it should be at the absolute top of your priority list.
- Top tip – using on-tool extraction can help massively with cleaning. The TPC165 has an on-tool extraction port inbuilt, so you would be stupid not to use it. This helps you cut faster, cleaner and with greater accuracy. Also, by doing this, you make your tool last longer and also helps you stay safe & healthy.
Any Questions?
Keeping on top of your panel cutter can be a challenge if you’re unsure what to do and how to maintain your tool. Hopefully, this article has given you some valuable tips and tricks for keeping your TRUMPF TPC165 in top condition.
If you have any questions about this or want to purchase spare pieces for your panel cutter to keep it on peak performance, get in touch with us today! We’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have or help you find what you’re looking for.
