Spoon Less Supermatic

[mrscsi]

PLEASE READ ALL 4 POSTS AND REREAD THEM BEFORE ATTEMPTING

video is available here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP0LMypTHYA

In this article I'm going to describe what I did to my supermatic C. model to make it a spoon less machine. First off let me be clear I'm not sure whether this will work on a top-o-matic or whether it will not I do not own one. So I won't answer questions regarding any machine other than the supermatic C. model with a plastic cutter.

What led to my doing this was after I bought my Magnum I just one day decided to remove the spoon in my supermatic I loaded the chamber put on a tube closed machine without the spring, placed a Magnum Rod in the slot and pressed the plug by hand and it went right through. After that I started thinking that it really didn't require a spoon so I played with different lengths and then quickly discovered that just chopping the spoon off right at the plastic worked just perfectly. As the first photo shows you will see a stock spoon set side by side with the modified one. It is also very important and I mean very important, to file the area around the crimp after removing the spoon to remove every sharp edge, you want this to be smooth and slightly rounded.

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The second thing that needs to be done before this modification will work is you have to adjust the tube release detent cam so that the spoon arm will not come in contact with it during injection. See picture number 2.

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Picture number 3 shows the machine and how far your new spoon less Rod will protrude out of the nozzle.

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[mrscsi]

Picture 4 shows the machine ready for action, I'm using D&R Two Timer and I fill the chamber level full and do not pack it down.

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Picture 5 shows the tip of the cigarette with the tobacco inset slightly approximately 1/2 millimeter.

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[mrscsi]

Picture 6 is showing firm pressure being put on the filter end. Picture 7 is showing the same pressure put on the cigarette barrel. Picture 8 is just another angle on the tip to show the inset of the tobacco.

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[mrscsi]

I am not advocating this for anyone. Especially for those without a supermatic C. model. If you try this and it doesn't work I do not want to hear it. But if you do try and follow the instructions to the letter, you may find that it will produce a smoke that requires no tapping and is filled just about perfect.

A couple of caveats, make sure after doing the modification that you replace the return spring, it holds the spoon in place until the actual compression stroke has completed. This is essential because if the Rod moves even slightly during the compression stroke you will not get a full cigarette.

Secondly I generally make a cigarette in two motions, motion 1 the actual closing and compressing of the plug.

Motion 2 the actual injection, during this motion after the modification I have found that if you slow down and gently rest the tobacco plug against the filter the cigarette will not pop off the machine,

if you go too fast or if you have overstuffed the chamber the cigarette will have the tendency to pop off the nozzle and being that you have bypassed the release detent it might tear the tube slightly.

By slowing down the step I have found that I can avoid this and produce perfectly packed cigarettes with a crank machine that requires no tapping and in most cases, if not all, have no overhang.

ALSO very important, I use Zen King Size tubes that have a 17mm filter. This HAS NOT been tested on any other tubes or filter lengths.

Again I stress I am putting this up for informational purposes only, I make no implied warranty nor do I guarantee anything. It is just something I discovered that there are a few people in the MYO community have said could not be done.

[mrscsi]

After using it for the last few days I have put in my spare spoon and retimed the machine and will try that for a few days to see if the speed of making or draw of the smokes makes me lean one way or the other. There are pros and cons to either and i am just getting a feel for which i can live with and which i cant.

[dmax]

I came across the method of spoonless Supermatic quite by accident, when the spoon snapped from the metal drive rod of my older Supermatic. The setup I'm using has the rod coming a bit further out from the spout than in your picture, and when stuffing I typically rest my left thumb atop the tube end, and my left index finger upon the tube holder bar. Along with a medium density uniform pack of the filler slot, this gives me an excellent stuffing, firm right to the filter. My tube of choice is the Zen KS light

[packrat]

Where can acquire said Magnum part...I would very much like to try this on my TOM...going to be replacing worn parts next week would ba the perfect opportunity to look into this mod. Thanks! -Rodger

[packrat]

Well duh !! After getting no response to my question, I had a look at my TOM this morning...it APPEARS that if I cut off just the metal spoon, the rod would have about the same protrusion as shown in picture # 3..actually would be a little longer, but that could be trimmed down as needed. So ...my new question is this...has this already been tried ??? I've not seen a post about it, are there any, and I just missed them??