Miter gauge sticks in track

[dusty]

He mentioned a "stop screw" in his original post and I assume that is what he meant.
Bill V

True, but it was unclear to me what a 'stop screw' was. To me it is a wedge screw.

The angle stops have a screws, but they are irrelevant to the problem. Hence my confusion.

Either the bar or the track should give visual indication where any rubbing is occurring.

I would also be feeling with a finger especially at the ends of the bar and around the notch for the t slot washer.

The bar may have been spread too far by the wedge screw at assembly?

I am not impressed at all with the functionality of the "tapered screw". The only thing impressive is the price for a replacement. However, it has been my experience that the tapered screw provides basically two conditions. Those being 1) not tight enough or 2) two tight. I have also come to the conclusion that the slop in the miter bar is insignificant for most operations.

[JPG]

He mentioned a "stop screw" in his original post and I assume that is what he meant.
Bill V

True, but it was unclear to me what a 'stop screw' was. To me it is a wedge screw.

The angle stops have a screws, but they are irrelevant to the problem. Hence my confusion.

Either the bar or the track should give visual indication where any rubbing is occurring.

I would also be feeling with a finger especially at the ends of the bar and around the notch for the t slot washer.

The bar may have been spread too far by the wedge screw at assembly?

I am not impressed at all with the functionality of the "tapered screw". The only thing impressive is the price for a replacement. However, it has been my experience that the tapered screw provides basically two conditions. Those being 1) not tight enough or 2) two tight. I have also come to the conclusion that the slop in the miter bar is insignificant for most operations.

The tapered screw has only one purpose - lock the bar in position.(tight)

When loosened it does nothing but bind the bar if not loosened sufficiently.

Anything in between is a mis-application of it's intended function.

[masonsailor2]

I have had one instance years ago where I over tightened the lock screw and it bent the miter bar open too wide. Was easily fixed with a soft tap from a mallet but I agree that you need to have a very clear idea what the problem really is before taking corrective action. One question Did it ever function normally or has the sticking been a problem from the very beginning ?
Paul

[dusty]

I have had one instance years ago where I over tightened the lock screw and it bent the miter bar open too wide. Was easily fixed with a soft tap from a mallet but I agree that you need to have a very clear idea what the problem really is before taking corrective action. One question Did it ever function normally or has the sticking been a problem from the very beginning ?
Paul

This might not be pertinent but the OP stated that he was having trouble with a brand new Mark 7 and a stock miter gauge.

If a was a betting man and I am not (except for on sure things), I would put my money on a poorly milled miter track or a miter track that has somehow been dinged up. The test that I suggested earlier with a short piece of wood cut to 47/64" wide and passed through the miter track would either ascertain or disprove that theory.

Unfortunately, we have had no feed back at all from the OP since this was initially posted.

[wa2crk]

Any rough spots can be easily found by dragging a micro fiber towel across the surface. Those things will catch and snag on just about anything.
Bill V

[kkoyle]

Thanks, JPG and all. Yes, when I said "stop screw" I was talking about the tapered screw in the miter bar. I did back it out, and it still sticks. It happens in both tracks equally, and has done so since I first set up the machine. I followed the directions regarding the paste wax, buffing it off as soon as it dried, before ever putting the gauge into the tracks. So I suspect that the problem is the miter gauge itself. I'll contact Shopsmith and talk with them about it. I appreciate all the advice!

I'll also update my profile to include my location (northern Virginia), in case there are any Shopsmith veterans out there willing to share some knowledge!

Ken

[kkoyle]

Sorry about the delay in replying, and I sincerely do appreciate all the advice. I posted my question right before mom-in-law arrived for the holidays, and things got pretty busy at that point. Thank goodness it's calming down now!

[stephen_a._draper]

I recommend you ignore all of the suggestions given and call customer service. Shopsmith can give you the correct solution and will take care of it since it is still under warranty.

[dusty]

I recommend you ignore all of the suggestions given and call customer service. Shopsmith can give you the correct solution and will take care of it since it is still under warranty.

I agree BUT when that call is made to Shopsmith it might be helpful to be able to describe exactly what the problem is.

[kkoyle]

Thanks for all the helpful replies to my question. I have good news and bad news: The good news is, the miter gauge is fine. The bad news is, I'm an idiot. The problem was simply the washer in miter bar, which is not perfectly round. I took the washer off to clean it and make sure it did not have any burrs before calling Shopsmith, and I noticed it was a bit oblong - enough so that it was visible with the naked eye. I cleaned it up, re-installed it, and turned it so that the fat part of the washer aligns with the bar. Now the miter gauge fits perfectly, and slides smoothly. Just a silly way for a new Shopsmith guy to learn a quick lesson. Thanks again!

Ken