[GME]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xWknwjqbCP7bBbZk8

That is a link to more pics. The more I dig in the more depressing this gets. When I bought the machine we had just moved into a new house and our son was born soon after. Of course I was moved to a more demanding site at work as well which meant more money but also a much longer commute and much longer hours. This kind of was supposed to be my last hurrah for my shop since the kid have to obviously take priority. My wife already has given me the go ahead on a new machine since she understands how big a pile of trash this one is. It will just have to be something I put cash aside for and try to save enough over the next year or so. I can't even really sell it to anyone in good faith. I was hoping I could get it running good enough and sell...but I would feel like **** if I dumped this on someone.
I like the plate idea but I honestly don't think I'm going to try and go much further if at all.

Wow! Pretty ugly. So, you have confirmed that at least part of the problem is with the misalignment of holes for the bracing. Tighten things down creates binding. Ya gotta wonder how this thing ever went out of the Fineline doors. Nate assembles these things, so he had to know darned well that he was sending out a mess. I used to think Nate was a good guy, but just had some challenges running a small business. Seeing this machine, photos of other machines, and the one I sent back, my opinion has changed dramatically. What can you say about someone who has to know he is selling such a mess, purports to want to help figure out what's wrong, goes dark, and then washes his hands of it? Obviously a rhetorical question. I leave it to the reader to supply the answer.

Sorry to hear you are considering the machine a total loss and moving on. Completely understandable, though. I got to where you are, except I didn't have to take the loss.

Gary