Headstock lock stuck locked

[jsburger]

Hopefully I figured out how to post pictures correctly, and also didnt mess up the pictures trying to get them to be the right size.

scratches around the dent are from me trying to file and sand down the bulges the dent produced.
Also, wired the motor back into the switch to try and test it out, and hoping it worked. The thing fired right up and sounds almost brand new, wish they made things to last like this thing these days.

Not saying it didn't happen but it makes no sense to me how it could have happened without damaging something else.

[dusty]

I am afraid that "how this happened" will remain an unanswered question for a long, long time. Rotate the tube to put the dent on the bottom side and I believe the dent will cause you no problems.

[HermitJensen]

I am afraid that "how this happened" will remain an unanswered question for a long, long time. Rotate the tube to put the dent on the bottom side and I believe the dent will cause you no problems.

That was my thought as well but did a quick test with that before taking a break with it today and it still got a bit stuck, so I'm still going to keep it on the bottom but going to smooth out the little bumps that i can barely see at this point.

[JPG]

I am gonna guess a bigga hamma.

I am amazed the rear wedge did not get stripped.

IIWM, I would replace both wedges and the rod.

I think we all could learn from this - remove headstock from way tubes prior to working on the lock. Unfortunately that was not an option this time. At least back the rear wedge away from the waytube before 'pressing' the front wedge 'in'.

[charlese]

This was indeed an unfortunate happening. After rotating the tube, the new wedge(s) should work just fine.

AT THIS TIME I AM COMPELLED TO REPEAT SOME OF NICK ENGLER'S WORDS. (from memory)

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE HEADSTOCK LOCK. ---- TURN THE LOCK UNTIL YOU FEEL A SMALL RESISTANCE THEN TURN ONLY 1/2 TURN MORE.

This instruction has always worked for me. I've also found that the longer the lock remains locked, the "stickier" it is to loosen.

[videobear]

Holy cow, that's a wicked dent in the way tube!!!

[Hobbyman2]

Wouldnt the tube be bent ?

I would check the tube for straightness and replace it so every thing aligns up straight and true ,, I havent seen too many tubes with dents that were straight.

Rolling the dent over may work but how precise will it be.

Seems like it will all ways hang up on that spot.

You can find tubes new or on ebay

JMO

[alohacnc]

My biggest complaint with Shopsmith is their use of terrible structural materials. But don't worry about the dent. You can swap it out with some polished tube from a steel yard

[Cookie]

I can't thank you enough for sharing your repair experience. I "inherited" a 510 that hadn't been used since 2005 and today I started cleaning it up and figuring it out. The headstock wouldn't slide on the rails. I determined that the right lock was frozen but didn't know where to go from there. I came in from the shop for lunch and read your post. Went back out and managed to get the headstock off the stuck rail with penetrating oil and a ratchet strap. Opened up the unit, drove out the roll pin from the handle and backed the left lock away from the housing. It took a couple of hours of spraying penetrate, waiting 15 min, tapping around the threaded shaft with a hammer and punch, spraying, waiting...but I got the frozen/cracked lock out and avoided any tube damage. Part has been ordered Thank you for helping!

[JPG]

Which wedge is the 'right' one?