Rip Fence 510

[dgreen810]

With the SS in drill press mode and drilling some holes with a 2" Forstner bit, noticed the rip fence was moving slightly on the right side when pressure was exerted.

I got the trusty SS manual out and proceeded to adjust the rip fence. Lo and behold I have tried everything the manual outlines and find there is apparently no way to tighten the lock down such that fence can't be moved even with modest hand pressure. If you adjust the nut on the far end to tighten the rod to the point where it is almost impossible to lock it down, you can still move the far end of the fence with modest hand pressure. Can someone give me a clue what is going on?

Don G

[JPG]

As the handle is 'clamped', does the rear clamp contact the table, or is the rear clamp pressing against something else in the end of the fence?

Is the foot resting squarely and aligned with the rear rail.

Is the boot on the clamp?

[dusty]

No! But I can tell you that what you describe should not be.

The 510 fence has two locking mechanisms. One for the (front)/(left)/(infeed) end of the fence and another for the (rear)/(right)/(outfeed) end of the fence. Let me refer to those two as the wing nut and the lever. The wing nut is intended to lock the front of the fence and the lever locks the rear of the fence. To deal with your issue, the adjustment in the rear end of the fence should do the trick.

To make that adjustment, I lock both mechanisms and test the rear end of the fence for movement. If it moves, I tighten the adjustment, unlock it, tighten it another 1/8 of turn and check for acceptable lever pressure and that the rear end does not move (locks). If it moves, I repeat that procedure.

I can move my Shorty, sitting on its four legs, without sensing the fence moving when I do this.

Check the locking lever on your fence. It is a pawl or finger that applies, pressure to the rear rail when locked. Does that pawl have a rubber booty on it? It should.

CAUTION: Do not apply too much pressure to any of these locking levers. They break.

[dgreen810]

JPG & Rusty

Yes the rest on the far end is squarely sitting on the tube. Yes the lever on the far end has it's rubber boot. It's like the rod that goes through the fence is too long. You simply can't tighten the nut enough so all the slack can be taken up. The lock down lever is so tight it can hardly be locked down, yet the far end of the fence is still loose.

Don G

[dusty]

The rod that runs the length of the fence for the rear lock is a steel rod that is threaded on only one end and the threads are only about an 1" long. When mine is locked and adjusted, two thread lengths are exposed.

I would try adding a washer behind the lock nut. There is a compression spring there also.

I think it might be time to clean off the work bench and dismantle a rip fence. Take pictures as you go. Not for us. For your use when you go to reassemble.

[JPG]

JPG & Rusty

Yes the rest on the far end is squarely sitting on the tube. Yes the lever on the far end has it's rubber boot. It's like the rod that goes through the fence is too long. You simply can't tighten the nut enough so all the slack can be taken up. The lock down lever is so tight it can hardly be locked down, yet the far end of the fence is still loose.

Don G

The lever is essentially a cam with a handle. It is connected to the rod by a tension pin that serves as a movable axle(slides with the rod) for the cam.

The rear end consists of the pivoting clamp. the nut and a return spring(one of those on the front end also).

IIUC when you tighten the nut fully onto the rod, the lever bottoms out without providing clamping pressure to the rear rail?

Gee only thing left is the clamp pivot. Is the rear clamp pivoting on that tension pin(or is the pin amongst the missing?)?

Again there are different versions. Dusty apparently has the nyloc nut version. There is another that has a coupling nut and a lock plate. Neither should affect this unless the coupler nut has been replaced with something else and the that nut is jamming against the lock plate.

[dgreen810]

I knew that there had to be an answer. Somewhere along the way my son in law got carried away.

Well problem solved. Guess I will call SS in morning and see if I can buy a pawl. If not it's off to eBay unless someone out there has a spare I can buy, borrow or steal.

Thank so much for the input from all you guys.

Don G

[rpd]

That part went from rip to R.I.P.
Glad you found the problem.

[dusty]

Save the rubber booty. Send me a PM with your mailing address. Check these images to ascertain that this is like the broken part. Inspect the rest of the parts and let me know if there is anything else you are likely to need.

[JPG]

Dusty's looks better(ignoring the break).

Two of mine are like Dusty's.

One is like the broken one(ignoring the break).

First class padded envelope.