Nebitype Maintenance consists of:

• Lubrication (See Nebitype Lubrication)
• Cleaning
• Checking Settings and consumables.

Lubrication

Every Nebitype manual I've read notes the importance of lubricating every lubrication point shown in the diagram. None of the Nebitype manuals I have read contains the diagram.

Cleaning

The importance of cleaning cannot be understated. The Nebitype is a reasonably precise machine and so even small amounts of build-up can put extra load on the machine and/or cause jams or miscasts.

Areas of particular concern

• Under the cover, above the mouthpiece - especially after a squirt. There can often be buildup of small amounts of debris which will prevent accurate lockup and/or could prevent the elevator from aligning the mould with the mouthpiece. Any typemetal adhering to this area should be pried off.
• The bottom of the coolant tank. Over time debris will collect in the bottom of this tank. (and a much shorter time if you're in the habit of leaving the tank lid off). Generally this doesn't cause any problem unless the tank is disturbed, but over time it'll build up, and once it gets into the hoses it'll really affect your coolant flow. The simplest way to clean it would be to close the tap at the base of the tank remove the nebitype hose and put on a larger hose then open the tap to drain the tank. Once empty, spray the bottom of the tank with a hose, leaving the tap open. Do that a couple of times then take the hoses segments off one at a time and blow them out with compressed air before reinstalling them. (One at a time will prevent mixups). Reassemble, fill the tank with new water/coolant mix and then run the machine with the casting microswitch assembly disconnected to make sure the coolant is flowing. The pump should self prime.
• The trimmings trays The trays themselves are relatively easy to clean but the areas around them should be wiped clean. The location of the lubrication feed hole under the front trimmings tray is a particularly poor design as small trimmings could fall into the oil hole and prevent proper machine lubrication. Clean any trimmings off from that area.
• The ways The wiper arm has a sponge wiper that cleans the mouthpiece and a small leather strip which wipes down the trimming ways behind the mould. Inevitably this doesn't do a completely good job, so it's worth brushing that clean with a brush angled to get into the gap
• The Plunger and Well
  

  Picture: Spare Nebitype Plunger, with more rust than would be seen on an in-use one.

  This isn't a simple job, though it's not too onerous either. The machine must be hot to permit the plunger to be removed, and special care must be taken when putting the plunger back in. Use caution when wirebrushing the plunger as you'll likely end up inhaling a lot of lead if you're not careful, which is to be avoided. The well cleaning tool is a lot like cylinder hone (a large heat-proof cylinder hone that is) and is put into the well or pot until it warms up then turned gently in the well while slowly moving it up and down. All it will require is a few passes up and down before carefully removing the tool and putting it down somewhere that won't burn anything (or you) till it cools down. The plunger should be lubricated with Carnuba wax before being gently reinstalled. If the plunger has cooled down, the plunger head should be put into the pot until it's warmed up.

Checking Settings and Consumables

There are settings to check to make sure the machine is operating correctly, and consumables that need to be replaced if they're depleted or damaged.

• Coolant Level. Make sure that the coolant tank is sufficiently high. It doesn't have to be full, but it's pretty easy to look after unless you have a serious leak.
• Wipers Check the condition of the mouthpiece wiper and the leather strip that wipes the ways. Both of these can easily be replaced when the arm is at full extension after the trimming pass has gone as far to the right as possible. Stop the machine at that point to access them.

Nebitype with stick holder removed, manually cranked to the point at which slug is picked up.
Click on image for more info

Common Problems

Outside of microswitches slowly going out of setting, there are a couple of issues which occur routinely.

Bell Crank Roller

The Bell Crank which moves the stick holder assembly into position has a small roller (#2503, Plate 6) at the base which contacts part of the elevator. This roller appears to become damaged with use, as I have seen the same damage on the NTC bell crank and two Ultra-E bell crank levers.
The Roller is fairly simple to fabricate, being 14.5mm in diameter with a 6mm hole in the centre, approximately 4mm wide. The roller is mounted in the bell crank with a interferance fit pin, which can be driven out with a punch when needed to replace the roller.