Bandsaw Table Lock Problem?

[hfmann]

I can't get the table to lock down sufficiently. When I try to tighten the locking lever on the back (the left one in this picture), the whole bolt turns. The back is assembled with a large washer against the trunnion, a smaller thrust washer, and then a small washer just in front of the lever.

Back trunnion
[ATTACH]61[/ATTACH]


The bolt has two small wings on it just below the head. These wings slip into two slots in the bushing that goes through to the back trunnion. As I try to tighten the back lever, I can see the head of the bolt turning.

Front Trunnion
[ATTACH]62[/ATTACH]

For the sake of finishing the pattern sawing task I was working on, I temporarily tightened the back right hand bolt (first picture above) to lock the table in position. Of course this eliminates the ability to loosen and adjust the table with the lever.

How do I fix this?

Hal

[chiroindixon]

Hal....your's seems to be a slightly different arrangement than mine. Mine has part #38, "Trunnion Support" which has a recessed hexagonal hole that holds the bolt head. Got 2006 Holiday catalog?....Clean your bifocals and check page 80.

Yours looks to be a round head. Pull it out and see if it as a square shoulder underneath the round cap. That could be rounded off or, the trunnion slot has worn so the shoulders no longer catch, or both.

Quick fix might be a "star washer". Better fix might be to replace that round bolt arrangement with the "trunnion support" and the screw/bolt combo #'s 46 & 47. I suspect the rest of the hardware will work.

Doc

[dusty]

This is off the subject but I can't help but to ask.

Are you guys using real expensive digital cameras to get these clean up close photos. My shots are all sort of fuzzy on close ups.

[hfmann]

Hal....your's seems to be a slightly different arrangement than mine. Mine has part #38, "Trunnion Support" which has a recessed hexagonal hole that holds the bolt head. Got 2006 Holiday catalog?....Clean your bifocals and check page 80.

Doc,

Bifocals didn't come close to letting me see that microscopic diagram. Had to use 40x Optivisor! You're right that is quite a bit different than mine.

Yours looks to be a round head. Pull it out and see if it as a square shoulder underneath the round cap. That could be rounded off or, the trunnion slot has worn so the shoulders no longer catch, or both.

Here's what I've got

On this bolt you can see there are NO shoulders. Just two little wedged wings.

Trunnion bolt
[ATTACH]63[/ATTACH]

Split bushing
[ATTACH]64[/ATTACH]

Quick fix might be a "star washer". Better fix might be to replace that round bolt arrangement with the "trunnion support" and the screw/bolt combo #'s 46 & 47. I suspect the rest of the hardware will work.

Guess I'll give SS a call tomorrow and see what I need.

Thanks for the great info Doc. I certainly would never have seen that in the parts diagram. Appreciate it.

Take care,
Hal

[hfmann]

This is off the subject but I can't help but to ask.

Are you guys using real expensive digital cameras to get these clean up close photos. My shots are all sort of fuzzy on close ups.

Dusty,

I'm using a Sony Mavica FD91. I got it used on Ebay for about 90 dollars a couple of years ago. It is quite outdated by today's standards. It records the images on 3 1/2" floppy diskettes!

After I load the picture on my computer I use a photo editing program to crop out extraneous stuff. If the picture is exceptionally poor and can't reshoot it real quick, I try and fix the brightness or contrast. Before uploading it, I try to remember to reduce the size it so it won't take up so much room on the forum.

(By the way - YOU taught me how to upload pictures. Prior to that, I was storing them on my website and linking me message to them. This is much better.)

Actually I'm embarrassed to say in a different lifetime on a planet far far away from here, I was a professional industrial photographer. These pix don't live up to the standards I lived by in that profession. These are just "hurry up, shoot it, get it uploaded so I can get some help". Quite a digression from the old days of carefully composing, adjusting lighting, exposure, etc.

Tip: Not holding the camera still is a big mistake that most people make. And it really is hard to do, but makes a huge difference in the sharpness of the image.

So..don't dispair Dusty. Keep working on it.

Take care,
Hal

[Bruce]

This is off the subject but I can't help but to ask.

Are you guys using real expensive digital cameras to get these clean up close photos. My shots are all sort of fuzzy on close ups.

Dusty,
If you have a macro mode on your camera, use it. It will let the camera focus on close objects like this. My Olympus camera also has a super macro mode that is accessible through the camera menu.

Bruce

[dusty]

Hal and Doc

Thanks guys. I'll bet you never expected that your trunnion post would lead to a resolution of my photographic problems.

I have an old Olympus, probably one of the very first digital cameras, but it does have a macro mode. I'll practise awhile but if my photos don't get clearer I'm getting a new one. It's a shame. My three grand kids old have fancy (and expensive) new digital cameras. Guess where they got them.

_;) __________________
Making Sawdust Safely

[hfmann]

Well, SS tells me I need the whole trunnion system. Little if any of the old hardware is usable. And darn, missed the year end sales pricing. Now...when it gets here I'll have to figure out how to put it together.

Thanks guys,
Hal