Miter gauge taper screw

[JPG]

I have owned my Shopsmith for many years but only rarely used the screw to hold the miter gauge in place in place for horizontal boring. It has always seemed tight, tough to turn that screw. Well I guess it was too tight. I've striped the inside of the screw and it is locked down tight in the slot. Any suggestion on how I can fix this?


BTW I've owned my SS since the late 70s. I have lurked on this forum for a while but only registered today. Merry Christmas

Paul

Now understood to be an accurate statement, but, pronouns strike again!:eek:

Which 'it'.

Which 'slot'.

It is stuck in the slot.

My incorrect understanding initially was the screw was stuck in the slot in the middle of the miter gauge bar. I do not think I was alone.


As it turns out 'it' was the miter gauge bar and the 'slot' was the miter gauge slot in the table.

Some of the things suggested might have worked, but the lack of clearance would have made them more difficult.


I at times think I be too verbose, but avoiding this kind of mis-communication is the intent. Pix do indeed work better than words (especially pronouns!:D).

[Ed in Tampa]

I have read a couple of posts and threads about the miter gauge Bar being stuck in the miter slot in the table because the hex screw was screwed down and now stripped so it can't be loosened.

I'm certain SS manual says when you turn that hex screw to tighten the miter bar to hold the miter gauge in one position for such things as using it as a fence on the cast iron Bandsaw table you are to put a piece of paper around the miter bar at the screw before tightening it down. That way the bar is held tight but you haven't forced metal against metal because the paper acts like a buffer.

I have tried it both ways and sure enough when the miter gauge bar hex screw is tightened down enough to hold the bar from sliding in the slot the screw becomes almost impossible to loosen. However when you use a wrap of paper around the bar and tighten down the gauge is locked in place but the screw is easily loosened.

I know I read to use the paper somewhere in SS documentation.

[dusty]

Dusty was right - The set screw that held the miter bar in the track.

The hexagon inside of the set screw was stripped. I was able to get the screw out once the bar was released from the track.

I am just glad to hear that you have resolved your problem(s).

I do not routinely lock the miter bar in the miter track to avoid this very situation. I recovered once. Once is enough when something like the serviceability of the main table is at risk. I don't have good luck whenever I use a hammer for anything other than driving nails.

[JPG]

I have read a couple of posts and threads about the miter gauge Bar being stuck in the miter slot in the table because the hex screw was screwed down and now stripped so it can't be loosened.

I'm certain SS manual says when you turn that hex screw to tighten the miter bar to hold the miter gauge in one position for such things as using it as a fence on the cast iron Bandsaw table you are to put a piece of paper around the miter bar at the screw before tightening it down. That way the bar is held tight but you haven't forced metal against metal because the paper acts like a buffer.

I have tried it both ways and sure enough when the miter gauge bar hex screw is tightened down enough to hold the bar from sliding in the slot the screw becomes almost impossible to loosen. However when you use a wrap of paper around the bar and tighten down the gauge is locked in place but the screw is easily loosened.

I know I read to use the paper somewhere in SS documentation.

Interesting! I have used the paper 'shim' to add extra expansion range of the bar in the slot. Never had one 'stick', but my use has been with the plated Mark 5 miter gauge bar rather than the newer black oxided bar.

[mikerusso]

I also had problems with the taper screw in the miter gauge bar of the Mark VII. I had to use an allen wrench with a set of vise grips to back the screw out. I tried the paper shim and had to tighten the screw to a point where it was binding before it would lock the bar in place. I then doubled the paper and it worked fine. To prevent over tightening the screw, slide the gauge while tightening the screw, when the bar locks, stop tightening the screw to prevent it from locking up the screw. I hope this helps.

[EliWalton]

[...] Any ideas of alternatives to setting up a way to hold down items in the horizontal boring position?

Happy New Year

I use a Vice Grip clamp - the kind fabricators use for welding set up: https://www.zoro.com/irwin-vise-grip-lo ... lsrc=aw.ds

Choose the size(s) to clamp the bar or miter gauge head to the table, whichever is handier.

73 Ely