Tuesday 25 March 2003

WALKABOUTSVERSE 147 OF 230

Poem 147 of 230:  DIEDACTIC

Disconnect the die’s water,
    Any electrics and air;
Undo coupled-ejector,
    And spray tool against rust-wear.

Close up the tool on die-set,
    Undo bolts on moving-side
(But not on the fixed half, yet),
    And open the clamp out wide.

With a hoist-chain safely strapped,
    Now undo the fixed-half side
(Base-bolts first, so hands aren’t trapped),
    Then give tool an upward ride.

With the used-die back on rack,
    Fitting is a reversal
Of the tool-removal knack -
    Minor changes, that is all:

Locate tool onto fixed-side -
    The die-ring in platen-hole,
And the clamping-bolts all tied
    (A ratchet’s good for this role).

Fit knockout to tool’s back-plate
    (Suitable for ejection),
Then move platen in close-rate,
    And free hoist that held tool on.

Adjust platen fully-on,
    Bolt the moving-half to it,
Then set the tool’s ejection -
    With mould opened, bit by bit.

Pipe it up, tune close/open
    Plus the cycle's other strokes;
And, with mould settings chosen
    For the plastic, that’s it folks.

(C) David Franks 2003