Windmill Starting Lever - Hard to Twist

The starting lever on my 10x15” windmill is really hard to twist. It feels sticky. I tried PB Blaster and WD-40 but that didn’t help. It might be bent.

Has anyone else run into this? What was your solution?

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How long did you had the Press, or just got it?

it is your method of engaging the drive that is stiff , . Try just pushing the lever out into drive without attempting to twist it and the latch should self engage,there should be no requirement re twisting that handle we all get into it as a habit . you would twist it to disengage the drive unless you raise the auto stop !Some machines do get a bit stiff , i will have a look into it ,unlikely you bent the drive lever unless you picked the old girl up badly strapped.!
You probably may just need to oil and wiggle .

I’ve had it about four years. I actually have two, both the same year.

The other one has nice spring action, easy to twist. This one is extremely tight. It has been tight like that since I got it. Didn’t bother me, but I’m showing someone how to use it and I don’t want the difficulty to be an unnecessary distraction.

I guess I’ll keep oiling and wiggling.

Every Press has a BFF called maintenance

Good news. I oiled and wiggled, 745 times, and it is now very loose.

I oiled and wiggled a lot in the past, but never in immediate succession. I guess there was spunk coagulated in there, so all of the wiggling loosened it.

Heidelbergs excite you that way do they ?

Heidelberg windmills are rather phallic, just watch the part the platen is attached to, while it is running.

Not to mention all the gripping, sucking, biting, and kissing they do……..

Now that you mention it, skip feeding does require a lot of knob tugging.

Pull the pin out (the one that is about 2/3 of the way down the clutch handle.)
Pull the handle out, clean it with solvent, and clean the part it fits over.
After cleaning them put some light oil on the inside, put the handle back on and put the pin back in.
Done.