KLOM EPG Issue

[mechanical_nightmare]

Hello,

I think I have a problem with my KLOM electric pick gun. The cylindrical actuating piece (don't know its real name) that is seen when you remove the chuck appears to be wearing rapidly.

Here you can see the 'ring' caused by the metal eroding, along with metal chips that have accumulated inside the chuck. The damage/wear is highlighted in yellow:



The tool itself:



I like the KLOM EPG, but is it possible I have received a defective product? Are there any other users experiencing similar issues? Is this wear normal and will it affect functionality/usable life?

I've seen some users here discourage the use of pick guns for hobby pickers, and while I somewhat agree, occasionally I come across a lock that the EPG rips open pretty quickly and yet it takes me ages to pick manually... To me the EPG gives a certain degree of satisfaction of being able to defeat the security mechanism by other means, when it works. I can at best say it is optional for hobby pickers, and only after you have attained some skill in SPP. That is my opinion...

[mcsteve]

I've never seen one before, and it's hard to tell from the picture, but is that worn part an elliptical cam? I assume it rides on the pick lever and causes the up/down oscillation in the pick? Or is there a gearbox in the grey nose of the tool?

Either way, the answer is probably some sort of lubrication. I'd suggest grease, but I don't know if it will affect the functioning of the pick. Second choice would be dry graphite, as long as it can't work its way back into the motor. Or maybe a light silicone or Teflon coating.

Any device with moving parts in contact with each other needs lube, but manufacturers don't always bother. These days everything is engineered and built just well enough to work, but not well enough to last.

[mechanical_nightmare]

Yes, it is a circular cam which causes the oscillation. I have plenty of silicone grease laying around for my diving equipment so I'll give that a try sometime.

[smokingman]

Keep an eye on the depth controller (the sliding piece with the locking screw on the pick),
because if you are deeper in the cylinder than the key would go,
then the banging on the rear of the cylinder will cause damage to the tool.

[mechanical_nightmare]

if you are deeper in the cylinder than the key would go,
then the banging on the rear of the cylinder will cause damage to the tool.

I figured this might be some sort of operator error. I will pay better attention to the orientation of the tip from now on, generally I just make sure it is lightly touching the key pins and then give it a short bursts while going back and forth inside the keyway. I suppose a little lubrication can't hurt either?

[smokingman]

if you are deeper in the cylinder than the key would go,
then the banging on the rear of the cylinder will cause damage to the tool.

I figured this might be some sort of operator error. I will pay better attention to the orientation of the tip from now on, generally I just make sure it is lightly touching the key pins and then give it a short bursts while going back and forth inside the keyway. I suppose a little lubrication can't hurt either?

Lube is good, just use something that is non petroleum based as petrol will degrade certain types of rubber and plastics.