Clenport M81 design fault

[Quinch]

I bought some M81 machines from Clenport around summer last year but have only recently started siting them as I still had some other machines to site first.

Basically the problem is that the plastic segments are fractionally bigger than they used to be but the lids are the same size. I have had several machines straight out of the box where once they are unlocked the lid is still absolutely un-moveable, no amount of twisting or pulling will shift them. I have tried absolutely everything to get them to budge but with very little success, to give an example - I can lift the whole machine off the ground by the (unlocked) lid and shake the hell out of it without it moving the slightest.

I have not come across any mention of this on the forum, has anyone bought Clenport machines with the same problem?
Any advice on how this problem can be fixed is appreciated.

[Style]

Not that problem but had an issue with brand new Clemports that we bought about 18 months ago where the lid locks are rubbish and the lids can just be twisted off really easily without a key. Maybe Clemports aren't as good as there reputation.

[pjo]

@Quinch: Put the machine on a stand, secure it with bolts, then stand with your feet on the base, and try to take the lid off.

[Quinch]

Not that problem but had an issue with brand new Clemports that we bought about 18 months ago where the lid locks are rubbish and the lids can just be twisted off really easily without a key. Maybe Clemports aren't as good as there reputation.

That's really interesting because I bought a batch in summer 2012 that had the same problem, I thought it was just a bad batch but they must have known about it for some time if they were still selling them with dodgy lids a year later. What was Clenport's response when you told them about the lids?

[Quinch]

@Quinch: Put the machine on a stand, secure it with bolts, then stand with your feet on the base, and try to take the lid off.

Thanks for the suggestion but I already tried this, it is hard to get a proper grip of the lid to exert enough force. I have tried using rubber gloves and that non-slip rubber mesh stuff for car dashboards, my missus got her finger nails underneath the lid but had to stop because she was in danger of ripping them off. I even got my mate to hold the bottom half of the machine and wrapped my arm around the lid, kind of got it in a headlock, and tried to yank it off but with no success.

They are just unbelievably hard to shift. I did eventually manage to get one off another machine that wasn't as tightly wedged but once I put it back on it was just as difficult to remove the second time so it's not as if they even loosen up after being removed once.

I can't believe I am the only person to experience this, would like to hear from Hurley's, Rockvend or anyone else that has imported any from Clenport in the last year or so.

[Style]

HI Quinch,

I got them from Hurleys, hasnt caused me a major problem. I just have to watch what sites they go in.

Have you tried WD40 on the lids?

[Quinch]

Hi Style

I tried WD40 on the lids but the lids are so absolutely air tight that there is no gap for the WD40 to get between the lid and the top segment so it can't lubricate the two surfaces properly. I noticed small marks around the top edge of the lids as if they have been hammered down with a rubber mallet or similar, the lid I did manage to remove will only go back into place if I line it up then give it a couple of fairly hefty thumps with my fist to force it back down onto the top segment so I would not be surprised if the guys that assemble them had whacked them with something to get them on in the first place.

What really narks me is that they must have realised this was a problem before they sent the machines out but rather than fix it they just sent them anyway. I'm going to email them and see what their response is.

[Snackmore]

New machines do have warranty for 2 years

[Quinch]

I tried bolting one of the machines to a stand on Friday and then pushing the lid off but it didn't work, after trying everything else I can think of since then I thought I may aswell give it another go as it does seem the best way to properly anchor the machine AND enable me to use both hands to try and push the lid off.

I tried it again on the machine I tried on Friday but it still won't budge, then I tried it on another machine and it worked so I continued using this method and got another 4 lids off. I still had to exert an excessive amount of force to get most of the lids off but at least it seems to be a fairly reliable way of removing them (so far).

Thanks for the suggestions, I would still like to know if anyone else has had this problem.

[pjo]

I don't remember now, but are the chinese plastic segments a little bit smaller than clenports? If yes, repleace top clenport segment with chinese segment, and try to put lid on it.
PJ