Oktober MK16s User manual
OKTOBER CAN SEAMERS
MKseries
Operation Manual
Version 2. May 17, 2019
SET-UP
Check out the how-to videos on our website!
To remove your seamer from its box, lift as shown below. It is heavy (~45lbs) so
use caution while lifting.
Locate your seamer on a flat, level tabletop or bar-height surface. Make sure
there is enough room around the seamer to move around it easily.
Attach the lever arms (located in the accessories box that comes with the seamer)
by threading them into the holes located on the roller housings. !ATTENTION!
Use a 7/16in wrench on the nut located between the shaft and knob to tighten
the handle into the roller housing. If the handle’s threads back out they will
bend or break over time.
!ATTENTION! Canning is done in a wet environment, so always plug the
seamer into a GFCI outlet to avoid shocking hazards.
The power cable is located “under” the seamer and held on with paper tape. You
can either tilt it forward and reach under to remove the cable or pull off the back
cover. The cover is attached using magnets. Just pull back to remove the cover.
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!!!SAFETY PRECAUTIONS!!!
-Since canning is likely to create a wet environment, make sure the flooring
around the seamer is non-slip.
-Always plug the seamer into a GFCI outlet to avoid shocking hazards.
-Pay attention to things like loose clothing, long hair, etc. The can and upper and
lower chucks will be spinning and can cause injury if anything gets wrapped
around them.
-Never reach into area around the upper chuck and rollers while operating. The
rollers can pinch or draw-in fingers and objects and cause injury.
-Never remove the top cover while operating. The spinning belt and motor will be
exposed and can cause injury.
-Never remove the switch enclosure box, or the motor connection panel while the
seamer is plugged in. There are open live connections inside each that risk a
shocking hazard.
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POWER REQUIREMENTS
Short Circuit Current Rating:
120V: 220V:
Rated Frequency
120V: 60Hz 220V: 50Hz
Full Load Current
120V: 220V:
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MKseries SEAMER DIAGRAM
GETTING STARTED
Your seamer comes calibrated and ready to go so you shouldn’t need to adjust
anything. If you do have an issue, check the troubleshooting list at the end of the
manual. There are a few things that may need to be adjusted due to shipping,
issues, etc.
There are two issues that come up with MKseries seamers… broken handles
(operation levers) and broken base adjusters. As long as the handles are
tightened into the roller housings, they will last the life of the seamer. As long as
the base shaft is kept clean and greased (see daily maintenance) the threaded
base adjuster will also last the life of the seamer. Both are easy to replace, but its
always easier to maintain them than to replace them.
Terminology
Can Body- the main (bottom) part of a can
Can End- the “top” of the can
Seaming
Seaming is super simple. The basic idea is to rotate the right handle all the way to
its stop, back it off to its starting position, then do the same for the left handle.
The can spins fast enough that the speed you go isn’t super critical, but you don’t
want to slam the handles in either. Keep in mind that it doesn’t take much force
to seam the can. As soon as the lever has hit its hard-stop the operation is
completed. Make sure to read through the detailed instructions below. It is a
good idea to run through the steps a few times without a can to get a feel for it.
Helpful tip: The can-guide (see above diagram) is capable of holding the can
upright and in the correct position to close the splash guard door. Set the can
onto the lower adapter and lean it back against the guide. Pull your hand out of
the machine and then close the splash guard door.
Make sure the correct adapter is in place for the can size you plan to use.
Adapters generally snap onto the top of the standard adapter like a “Lego” piece.
1. -Rotate both operation levers outward to their starting positions.
2. -Open the splash guard door by pulling the splash guard handle out and
downward.
3. -Set a filled can (and end) onto the lower adapter and rotate the can back into
the seamer. The can should rest against the “Can Guide.”The can should stay
upright on its own once placed against the can guide.
4. -Close the splash guard door. It should feel a bit heavy as it clamps the can
and will lock in-place with a solid feeling. *note closing the splash guard will
not feel the same without a can loaded into the seamer.
5. -Turn the power switch to the “on” position. The can will start to spin.
6. -Rotate the first operation lever (right side of the seamer when facing it) until
the roller makes contact with the edge of the can end.
7. Once the roller makes contact, continue to rotate the lever until it stops. It
should take 1-2seconds for the roller to rotate between initial contact and the
hard-stop.
8. Once the lever has reached the hard-stop, hold for 1second, then return the
lever to its starting position.
9. -Repeat the same process for the second operation lever.
10.-Turn the power switch to the “off” position
11.-Once the can has stopped rotating, open the splash guard door and remove
the can.
Sometimes it’s helpful to explain the things to NOT do. These include:
Do Not: use the left handle first
Do Not: hold both handles IN at the same time
Do Not: run either operation more than once.
Do Not: go back and do the first operation after the second operation is
completed.
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Daily Maintenance
-Wipe down the seamer with warm water and a rag to keep it clean of sticky
residue. You can add a small amount of sanitizer or dish soap, but it is NOT
suggested to use other cleaners. Warm water is all that is needed to break up
sticky residues. Make sure to dry everything off thoroughly. If the seamer is
going to be stored for a period of time, we suggest rubbing a thin layer of food-
safe grease onto the seaming roller surfaces to avoid surface rust.
-The Splash Guard is attached onto the back of the seamer using magnets. Pull
the magnetic base back and off the inner panel to make it easier to clean the
inner surfaces of the plexiglass guard and the base shaft. When replacing the
magnetic base, attach the magnets to the vertical surface and slide it down until it
contacts the sloped surface of the inner panel.
-Pull the white plastic lower adapter off and use a rag and warm water to wipe
down the bearing, washer(s) and wave spring (see diagram above). Dry them off
and add a dab of grease into the bearing and rub some onto the spring and
washer(s). Replace them in the same order they were removed.
-Remove the base shaft by pulling out the quick-release pin. The shaft can then
be pulled upward and out of the machine. Wipe down the shaft and the bore that
the shaft rides in with water and a rag. Dry them off and rub a dab of grease onto
the shaft. If this isn’t done regularly, the shaft will eventually become sticky and
the splash guard handle will become difficult to close. DO NOT force the handle if
it becomes sticky or you will !BEND OR BREAK! The base adjuster.
Helpful Hint: remove and clean the base shaft at the end of the day and leave the
assembly on the counter next to the seamer so that the morning shift opener sets
it back into the seamer. This way there is a reminder that it is getting cleaned
often.
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Seam Inspection
Check out our how-to videos on the website!
Our method of seam inspection requires a “tear-down tool,”some nippers or wire
cutters, and a set of calipers. The tear-down tool and calipers are available on the
Oktober website.
When measuring the seam thicknesses, the calipers should be parallel to the
inside taper of the can (as shown below), rather than parallel to the straight sides
of the can.
Make sure to not squeeze the calipers too tightly when measuring. Use the
lightest pressure possible to allow the calipers to close against the seam. If too
much pressure is used, the seam will appear smaller than reality.
1) Complete the first operation ONLY,
remove the can from the seamer, and
measure the first operation seam thickness
as shown.
First Operation Seam Thickness:
MK16s (and MK19s)
.074in - .078in
MK32
.104in - .112in
2) Place the can back into the seamer
and run the second operation. Remove the
can and measure the final seam thickness
as shown.
Second Operation Seam Thickness:
MK16s (and MK19s)
.043in - .046in
MK32
.064in - .068in
3) Using a tear-down tool, cut the top of
the can off.
This manual suits for next models
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