Paper Shredder Parts & Service Manual?

[tunahead72 2,432]

I wonder if any of you guys know where I can find parts and a service manual for an older Staples paper shredder that needs some help.

 

This machine is about 10 years old, and has worked well for us, but yesterday it was forced to eat a load that was too much for it to handle, creating a large paper jam.  It didn't shut off, but instead the motor kept on running freely like there was no load on it, and there was no shredding activity happening.  I suspected a broken or stripped gear or something similar, but decided to try to clear the jam and see what happened after that.  I ended up having to open up the top part of the shredder to finish clearing the jam, and sure enough there's at least one broken tooth on a plastic gear that's supposed to engage directly with a metal gear that's part of the motor's output shaft.  The motor turns fine, but now there's nothing for it to engage to drive the blades.

 

I started looking around on that internet thing I keep hearing about, and so far haven't found any source for parts or a service manual.  I've never torn one of these things apart, but I'll consider doing that if I can get some idea of what I'm looking at and can get parts.

 

Any ideas?

 

[Ed Kennell 38,634]

Does it look like this?

 

 

 

[tunahead72 2,432]

Possibly yes, but I'm not sure right now.  I'm working on something else at the moment, but I plan to open it up again later this morning and take a closer look, I'll send a photo or two.

 

Where did you get that drawing?

 

I did find an eBay seller (samamm2) who has a used gear that looks a lot like that for a similar Staples shredder, he describes it as a "CrossCut 7 49 Tooth First Stage Primary Gear Assy" (mine is a crosscut shredder, model SPL-TXC122A).

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by tunahead72

[Ed Kennell 38,634]

Staples Spl-dxc8g Shredder Gear - Etsy

[tunahead72 2,432]

That's a fascinating idea Ed, thank you!  I never would have thought of that on my own.  We're looking at $60 for a good used gear (if I can find one), versus $25 or so for a freshly made new 3D printed piece, definitely worth looking into more deeply.

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,926]

Maybe give this vendor a call? He did great 3d printing work for me...

 

https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/forum/185-wheel-horse-3d-by-greystone/

 

[tunahead72 2,432]

I forgot about them, thanks for the reminder!

 

3D printing might be an excellent way to go here, IF I can get the old gear out so it can be duplicated, or if I can find a part number.  This is actually a 2-piece gear, with the larger section being plastic, and a smaller metal gear sitting in a socket formed into the plastic.

 

The eBay seller I mentioned also has his own website, Get That Part | Used Electronics | Tech Surplus if anybody's looking at this in the future.  The gear he has is similar to mine, but the teeth on the plastic section slope in the wrong direction.  I've contacted him to see if he has one that would work.

 

Here's a photo of what I'm looking at.  You can't really tell, but there's a tooth missing at the very bottom of the plastic gear where it meets the gear on the motor output shaft.

 

 

I haven't been able to get the gear out yet, but I'll work on it again tomorrow.  There's a metal plate, just to the right of the metal gears in this pic.  I've removed all three screws that I thought were holding that assembly together, plus a C-clip around a bolt that secures the first blade roller, but the assembly isn't moving.  I must be missing something, or there's another way.  I'll take a fresh look in the morning.

 

Thanks for your suggestions so far, guys!

 

[lynnmor 7,353]

Be careful with the 3D printed stuff, there are sellers out there that make some very mediocre parts.  I bought a gear for a pencil sharpener that was really bragged up, it was a pathetic part.

[tunahead72 2,432]

Well, never mind...

 

I was able to remove that metal plate with some gentle prying, and it turns out I have at least two broken gears, so this machine will be leaving our household soon.  I have no complaints, it worked well for us for probably 10 years, but I'm not going to put any more money into it.

 

I'll offer it up here on the forum before I put it up on CraigsList, for parts or repair, free.

 

Here's a photo of the damages I can see.  There's a broken metal tooth on the larger metal gear, and a worn out area on the plastic gear down at the bottom where it meets the motor shaft.  I suspect what happened was the metal tooth broke and jammed the two metal gears tight together, and then the motor shaft just started wearing away the plastic gear at the bottom.

 

 

For what it's worth, I contacted the Get That Part guy.  He was very helpful, and pointed out that the direction of the slope on the plastic gear wouldn't have been an issue, I would just have to flip the gear around when I installed it.

 

Anyway, thanks for your help gentlemen, I appreciate it!