Shredder: essential office equipment, essential personal equipment, and “very” annoying when stuck. Fortunately, most of the crashes can be cleared up with some common sense and a little hard work. Severe traffic jams may require more effort.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Correcting a Jammed Shredder
Step 1. Remove the plug
- When you notice that your shredder is starting to jam, turn it off to prevent it from becoming more damaged. This will give you the opportunity to slow down, check the situation, and be ready to clear the jam.
- Signs of a jam to watch for are paper moving slowly in the shredder, paper stopping immediately, and a clear sound of something spinning and "convulsing".
Step 2. If necessary, empty the dumpster from the shredder
- One of the reasons why a shredder jams is because the dump is so full that paper can no longer fit in it. If your dump is full, empty it first and try your shredder again. That might be enough to solve your shredder jam problem.
- If it's still stuck, follow these steps.
Step 3. Switch the shredder mode to “reverse” and then put the plug back in
- Since jams are a common problem with shredders, many modern shredders have the option of turning the shredder into reverse. Switch the shredder mode to the “reverse” option (usually there is a clearly marked button above the shredder) before you plug it back in.
- Make sure your fingers or other equipment are not near the tearing part of the shredder when you plug it back in.
Step 4. If your shredder is stuck in reverse mode, switch it to auto/forward mode again
- Reversing the shredder usually clears minor jams within a few seconds. However, under adverse conditions, the shredder may crash “again” in reverse mode. In this case, remove the plug again, switch it to “auto” or “forward” mode (the exact choice may vary on your shredder) and reattach the plug.
- Be prepared to switch modes between auto and reverse if needed. A moderately severe crash when in reverse mode might be bad enough if you try turning it back on in forward mode a second time. However, switching between the forward and reverse modes will make it almost possible to gradually remove your paper from the jammed shredder.
Step 5. Reduce your paper count before you turn the shredder back on
- One of the most common reasons for a jammed shredder is that too much paper is loaded into the shredder at once. After you clear the jam, try loading less paper in the shredder if too much paper is the reason your shredder jams. A small amount of paper will pass through your shredder effortlessly.
- If your shredder still crashes despite trying to switch between reverse and auto/forward, there may be a more severe jam that needs to be corrected manually. Fear not, take a look at the hints below that might help you.
Part 2 of 3: Removing Severe Blockages Manually
Step 1. Unplug for your safety
In this method, you will need to clear jams in your shredder using your hands and some tools. So, take precautions to protect yourself when correcting traffic jams. “Don't let the shredder accidentally fire when your fingers or tools are in it
Step 2. Remove the top of the ripper if possible
- Most modern shredders have two parts: a disposal section and a mechanical section on top for shredding. If you can remove the part for ripping, you can more easily access both sides of the shredder than the part through which the paper passes to clear jams. Usually the tearing part can be removed from the exhaust part; high quality shredders may have a simple locking mechanism.
- If you can, lay the torn part down on newsprint (or somewhere else that's fine if it's messy) before you start.
Step 3. Use tweezers to pull the paper scraps off the blade
- The dropper can help you remove paper that is stuck in the paper feed. However, you can also use your own hands as long as you are “sure” that the plug from your shredder is unplugged.
- Try pulling not only from the top of the shredder, but from the bottom as well. It's hard to tell “why” the shredder is jammed just from looking at it, you may be able to make progress if you also pull the remaining paper from the underside of the shredder.
Step 4. Cut the crumpled paper with a knife, then pull it out
In paper jams, the paper may become wrinkled in the cylindrical rollers in the shredder which makes it difficult to correct the jam from the existing jam. Try using a sharp knife (or one side of a pair of scissors) to cut through tough paper to make the shredder easier to work with
Step 5. Use a screwdriver or pliers to remove any stuck paper or plastic
- If you can see heavy paper or plastic stuck to the blades of the shredder (usually this is most obvious if you look at the bottom of the shredder), consider using a metal tool to get rid of these things. Pull the stuck paper or plastic out of the shredder with a firm (but not harsh) tug or pry.
- Remember that when you use these tools, it's important not to "'don't" damage the blades of the shredder as you work, because if you do damage it will cost you a lot of money to fix it.
- This tool can be very useful for removing heavy plastic stuck in the shredder. Such as CDs, credit cards, etc.
Step 6. Load the heavy paperboard into the shredder behind the jam
- Believe it or not, sometimes adding “more” paper can clear up existing jams. For this trick, you'll need stiff, hard cardboard (like folders or cereal paper) that's okay to tear.
- Push the cardboard into the center of the paper tray when you use the shredder. Push hard to push the paper stuck inside If there is no progress, stop and try another method before you aggravate the jam.
Step 7. Use shredder oil for these severe jams
- Sometimes, severe jams are due to the blades of the shredder not being sufficiently lubricated. To solve this problem, try using shredder oil. Shredder oil is usually available at office supply stores and online for a low price (usually around Rp. 130,000, 00/bottle.) Cooking oil can also work well, but you should “'don't'” use an aerosol lubricant (eg WD- 40, etc.) because this type of lubricant can damage the machine interior of the shredder.
- To use shredder oil, apply a large amount of oil to the area where the jam is worst. Leave the oil after dripping for about half an hour, then turn on the shredder with forward mode again. The paper will pass easily after the blade part is dripped with oil.
Step 8. Turn on the shredder in reverse mode when the jam starts to clear
If you have made progress in clearing the jam but there is still paper remaining in the shredder, try turning it on in reverse mode. Usually, you'll be able to get the paper to "come back out" of the shredder so it can be removed easily
Step 9. Test if the jam has cleared by loading a piece of paper
The paper should flow through the shredder without difficulty. If the jam looks like it's gone, continue ripping your papers
Part 3 of 3: Avoiding Traffic Jams in the Future
Step 1. Avoid loading too much paper in your shredder
As noted above, one of the most obvious reasons for causing a shredder to jam is to load more paper in the shredder than it should. Fortunately, the solution is quite simple: after a jam, try not to load the paper into the shredder as much as before
Step 2. Avoid loading paper quickly in the shredder
- Another way that jams can cause jams is to load multiple papers into the shredder without allowing the shredder to complete the tearing process from the previously loaded paper (this is known as a “quick bribe.”) Bear in mind that because one paper is completely lost inside shredder, does not mean the paper has been completely torn.
- To avoid quickly bribing the shredder, wait a few seconds after the paper is loaded before adding another paper.
Step 3. Avoid folding or creasing the paper before it is loaded into the shredder
- Folds and creases can easily jam the shredder because each folded or wrinkled paper will double the work amount of the shredder. Smooth the rough part of the paper before putting it in the shredder.
- It's easy to accidentally fold the edges of a piece of paper if you handle it roughly, so be careful with the paper you want to load in the shredder to avoid unnecessary hassle.
Step 4. Be careful with thicker or harder materials (such as cardboard, plastic, etc
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Materials that are thicker than plain paper can be difficult for the shredder to tear. Try tearing these thick tools yourself to avoid jams:
- Credit card
- CD or DVD
- Laminated paper
- Cardboard
- Thick packaging
- Adhesive-containing materials
Step 5. Empty the drain regularly
- As noted above, a full exhaust section under your shredder can cause jams by blocking paper from entering while it is being processed by the shredder. To avoid this, clear your disposal section before it becomes a problem.
- If jams occur frequently because of this, try sticking a schedule for emptying the disposal section of the shredder (e.g., “Please empty every Monday and Thursday afternoon.”)
Step 6. Always apply sufficient oil to the tearing cylinder of the shredder
- Shredder oil is not only used when correcting jams. Shredder oil is an essential tool to keep your shredder in top condition. Try adding a few drops of shredder oil to the blades each time you empty the drain or several times a month to keep the blades sharp and adequately lubricated.
- Also keep in mind (as noted above), cooking oils like canola oil usually work as well as brand-name shredder oils. '"In fact, shredder oil is usually repackaged (and marked with) canola oil."'
- Do not use excess oil. With the addition of paper dust, the oil will be able to produce a thick mixture that makes the paper more difficult to tear. Canola oil can also become smelly if left for a long time (at room temperature, about 1 year.)
Tips
- When removing stuck paper, try to rock your shredder in a side-to-side motion, not just a straight pull. This sometimes makes the paper stuck to be removed more easily.
- Try shaking your shredder frequently to get small pieces of paper out of the blades.
- To avoid blunting the shredder blades, remove the paper clips and stapler before tearing the paper. Ripping CDs and DVDs can also cause wear and tear quickly. Consider using a product designed for CDs such as the Disc Eraser if you have CDs that you are sensitive to and need to destroy.
