To adjust for shelling smaller or bigger nuts raise or lower the rotor. Raising the rotor decreases the gap between the rotor and the stator. This allows smaller nuts to be shelled.
Similarly, lowering the rotor increases the gap between the rotor and stator. This allows for shelling larger nuts.
If the gap is too small for the nuts being shelled, too many will be broken.
If the gap is too large, too many will pass through unshelled.
If the rotor is not centered in the stator, or if the rotor has a wobble on the shaft, nuts will pass unshelled on one side of the rotor and be broken on the other.
This design of sheller can be adjusted to shell nuts within a narrow size range. If the supply of nuts you are shelling varies widely in size, you may experience some of the nuts passing through unshelled (the small ones), some being shelled correctly, and some being crushed. In this situation, adjust for the larger nuts, then sort out unshelled small ones and pass them through at a different adjustment. An alternative is to sort the nuts first.
Metering plate adjustments: The function of the metering plate is to regulate the flow of nuts into the working part of the sheller. If too many nuts fall though at one time, the sheller risks clogging and the handle becomes difficult to turn.
If too few nuts fall through at once, the handle is easy to turn but few nuts are shelled for the effort.
Step 1. Adjusting Rotor Height[edit | edit source]
To lower the rotor, release the lock nut by turning the lock nut handle counterclockwise. Placing one hand on the rotor, turn the handle in a counterclockwise manner. You will feel the rotor go down. This action increases the gap between the rotor and the stator and allows for the shelling of large nuts.
Similarly, once the lock nut is released, turning the handle in a clockwise direction will raise the rotor. This allows for the shelling of smaller nuts.
With the lock nut loosened, you must keep one hand on the rotor in order to keep the rotor from spinning during adjustment.
Each time the rotor height is adjusted, you must tighten the locknut against the handle.
Adding Nuts - Getting started: Shell several nuts by hand. Drop one of the larger ones through gap in metering plates. If the nut falls through the bottom of the machine, raise the rotor by turning the handle clockwise. If the nut fails to drop through, lower the rotor until it does. At that point, tighten the lock nut.
Fine Tuning: Place a basket or cloth on the ground under the machine to catch the empty shells and shelled nuts that pass through the machine. Fill machine with a quantity of nuts and shell them by turning the handle of the machine in either direction. If breakage rate is high, lower rotor. If too many nuts are unshelled, raise rotor. If you have nuts with a wide variety of sizes you may have to adjust machine to shell the larger nuts first. Then separate out the smaller, unshelled nuts, re-adjust the machine, then shell these smaller nuts as a second step.
Step 2. Adjusting the Metering plates[edit | edit source]
If the nuts shell too slowly, loosen the wing-nut on the metering plate and rotate the small plate to make the space between the bottom plates larger. Retighten.
If the machine clogs, make the space between the bottom plates smaller.
When shelling nuts for seed purposes, best results come with a slow shelling speed.
Step 3. Making a replacement Plastic Liner[edit | edit source]
Try to use the old liner as a pattern. Once you've cut out the part for the plastic liner go ahead and seal the seam with electrical tape. If any liner is left above the mold trim it with scissors. Once you're done simply slide the liner on top of the mold. You will then be able to reuse the liner in quite a few more machines.
