too much reading I'm getting confused

[farley]

the more I read ..................

If I am going to "slide the headstock off" the way tubes there is no reason to remove the motor, correct?

I was just going to take the headstock off, (i got good help on how to do that) put on a bench, take off way and bench tubes, cut them for mini size and then put them back on and then slide the headstock and motor back on.

Yes

[beeg]

Just slide the whole unit off and after ya cut the tubes. Slide it back on.

[dusty]

And if nothing happens to relocate the wedges while the headstock is off, it will slip right back on.

[charlese]

If you have 2 cardboard tubes, just wide enough to slip over the way tubes, and long enough to reach through the headstock, you can use those to hold the wedges in the right position.

[SDSSmith]

If you have 2 cardboard tubes, just wide enough to slip over the way tubes, and long enough to reach through the headstock, you can use those to hold the wedges in the right position.

I'd like to see this. My machines don't have much clearance between the way tubes and the bores in the castings.

What has worked for me many, many times is to back the headstock lock knob all the way out until it will not turn any more. This presses the wedges out against the headstock casting. Then remove the headstock. When your ready to put it back on you can alway use a flashlight to verify that the wedges have not rotated. They should not move unless you turn the headlock knob.

[mgdesigns]

I guess ignorance is golden. I removed the headstock from the ways on my system to transport it to its new home, and did not konw about the wedges. It just slid right back on. I hope I get that lucky today when I try to take off the headstock to tear it down and refurb it.

[farley]

I understand all about not moving the wedges, don't think I'll use the cardboard trick, but as an added security measure--I am going to duct tape the wedges and I will be aware of leaving residue. doing this next week so will report back

[jayhawk]

I'm with mgdesigns. I've removed headstocks many times and I just slide them off and then back on. I've never had a problem. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[judaspre1982]

==========================

[billmayo]

I'd like to see this. My machines don't have much clearance between the way tubes and the bores in the castings.

What has worked for me many, many times is to back the headstock lock knob all the way out until it will not turn any more. This presses the wedges out against the headstock casting. Then remove the headstock. When your ready to put it back on you can alway use a flashlight to verify that the wedges have not rotated. They should not move unless you turn the headlock knob.

This works most of the time for me if I do not have to refile the angle on the wedges (indented/disformed from being too tight), replacing either of the wedges (stripped threads) or the need to clean rust and crud from the lock rod and/or lubricate with a spray-on dry lube. I have been able to use 2 of my fingers to align the wedge flats so they will clear the way tubes when installing the headstock. No, my fingers are not that long but they still work well for this task.

The headstock lock handle and lock rod are uniquely drilled as a unit for the roll pin and they are not interchangable with other handles and rods from other headstocks. I do not recommend redrilling of these items to make the roll pin fit.