Elna Supermatic

For those of you familiar with the Elna Supermatic, you are aware that when it sits without use for a long period of time, the rubber friction wheel gets a "flat."  That is because, the handwheel sits against the rubber, putting pressure on it and it gets flat.  We changed that friction wheel in class.  Holly, who is a pharmacist, wanted to take a photo of the flat and stuck a sticky note on the machine to identify it.

The idea is to push out the roller pin that holds the friction wheel to the motor shaft and pop out that little wheel over the top of the motor shaft. This is the tricky part.  Elna sells a 300 dollar tool to help, but it can be done without it.  Ray will send directions along with the part.  The friction wheel   usually pops right up and out.  This one did not clear the shaft for some reason and Ray broke the old wheel.  BUT  the new wheel did not have enough clearance to get in.   "We" ( well, I was there, after all) had to drop the motor down a bit just long enough to pop the new friction  wheel on and then move the motor up into its proper position.  I heard " I have NEVER had to do this before, look at that"  over and over again.  He was pretty amazed.

Elna friction wheel (upside down)  The one on the left HAS been altered.

I guess I never imagined hearing someone with 50 years of experience say that.  Yet Ray will readily admit that he learns something with every class.  He is very knowledgeable and at the same time humble.  He knows he can figure something out.  Just give him time.