My Table Tilt Lock Needs Some Help

[dusty]

They look just like mine, Forrest. But do remember, I have a table tilt issue also.

[keakap]

Reading the tilt symptoms my mind was thinking (in background mode) "hm, I used to have this problem, and height changes, and table-twist, and random sloppiness in general, why did it stop?"
and I realized that all those things stopped when I read some people were also having trouble with connector tubes bending from unsupported auxiliary tables and such, and realized that these were all safety and sloppy issues. T'was about the time some of us were getting an accuracy jones going, and you just can't have an accurate table saw if the table isn't dang tightly "associated" with the saw.
So I did what Nick SSSS recommended and always tie the tables to an Extension, somehow. Makes the main table rock-solid, and it takes how many seconds to disconnect for other functions. Throw in a carriage stop-lock on the main and one on the Extension, and this is a different mochine.

Seems to me if the main table is used by its lonesome and it doesn't 'stray', everything is jake. Everything else should be supported, always. (A regular table saw is, right?)

And then there's always the subject of Drill Press support, et yada yada cetera...

[forrestb]

No offense, but I guess the question Dusty and I have posed is why after so long does the table tilt lock no longer function AS IT ALWAYS DID?

Of course, tying to the extension table, putting on legs, are, in my opinion, BANDAIDS for a new problem. I do those when I need maximum rigidity for the operation at hand, but have never needed them for a simple rip or crosscut.

I will do that of course until such time as we solve this PROBLEM.

Hello SS.

Forrest

[dusty]

No offense, but I guess the question Dusty and I have posed is why after so long does the table tilt lock no longer function AS IT ALWAYS DID?

Of course, tying to the extension table, putting on legs, are, in my opinion, BANDAIDS for a new problem. I do those when I need maximum rigidity for the operation at hand, but have never needed them for a simple rip or crosscut.

I will do that of course until such time as we solve this PROBLEM.

Hello SS.

Forrest

My next order to Shopsmith will include a set of wedges for the tilt lock mechanism for both units. Both have the problem.

[forrestb]

I took the wedge locks off and posted the pix of wear above.

I put a slight chamfer on the 4 thru holes on the trunnions for the table bolts and dressed the trunnion surfaces with 0000 steel wool. Nothing was catching so I guess there were no dings on the trunnions.

I used P600 w/d paper to clean up the wedge lock surfaces and wiped everything down with alcohol.

I have put the table back in place and installed a blade. My Wixey digital angle meter was zeroed on the blade with the body face perpendicular to the table using my square. The table then measured 90.5 degrees which is close enough for this experiment. I tap it to no more than .1 degree off when setting the table at zero.

I have put the 520 fence at the extreme right side of the table without moving anything else - not even locking it down. Hopefully we will not have an earthquake here in SoCal to make it drop to the floor.

I will check table angle everyday for the next few to see if any tilt occurs.

Good time to do this since the family takes priority over woodworking this week. Funny how grandkids will do that.

Forrest

[keakap]

No offense, but I guess the question Dusty and I have posed is why after so long does the table tilt lock no longer function AS IT ALWAYS DID?

Of course, tying to the extension table, putting on legs, are, in my opinion, BANDAIDS for a new problem. I do those when I need maximum rigidity for the operation at hand, but have never needed them for a simple rip or crosscut.

I will do that of course until such time as we solve this PROBLEM.

Hello SS.

Forrest

Ah, a new wrinkle-- "as it always did" (I didn't see that, earlier notes; still don't, earlier notes)

"I do those when I need maximum rigidity for the operation at hand, but have never needed them for a simple rip or crosscut."

this seems to imply what I had just said-- simple rip or crosscut implies Main table only, no extraordinary stress from floating tables et al; and I'll go a logical step further: if the "norm" is to use the Main w/o floaters and extra support, I'd bet a prime rib to a burger that occasionally a workpiece is run across the table that overhangs in one or more directions, putting more stress on the table lock which I have no doubt would be accommodated by a "little" more "oompf in setting the lock; which then over time would tend to wear or in some way lessen the lock's ability.

If that were the case in a number of cases (I'd bet the whole cow on that one) the "problem" would be that the proper recommended procedures for bracing and stabilizing the table saw were not followed in all cases, no?

Aside: is it really fair to label as "band-aids" procedures recommended as normal careful usage by the manufacturer? (didn't I see that in here somewhere?) And if those "normal" measures were followed resulting in no more troubles, is there a "problem" at all? In other words, could it simply be that for a while the locks were doing MORE than they were designed to do, and we were all "getting away with" something. for a while?

"tying to the extension table, putting on legs, ..." yes, we are talking about a Shopsmith, which is unique. In the process of deliberating whether we have a Problem or not, to what standard do we compare? For instance, are the extendable lockable movable rail legs a "work around", or do they come as part of a Mark V?

Just curious.

[keakap]

Forrest

"I will check table angle everyday for the next few to see if any tilt occurs."


Cool test!
Might try that myself.

[keakap]

No offense, but I guess the question Dusty and I have posed is why after so long does the table tilt lock no longer function AS IT ALWAYS DID?

Of course, tying to the extension table, putting on legs, are, in my opinion, BANDAIDS for a new problem. I do those when I need maximum rigidity for the operation at hand, but have never needed them for a simple rip or crosscut.

I will do that of course until such time as we solve this PROBLEM.

Hello SS.

Forrest

Something still wasn't right. So I read thru the earlier posts again, trying to find out where I had gone wrong.
And Bam, it hit me like a 2x4 upside the haid-- "...a new problem."
For me, this was not a "new problem". I always had this kinda thing happen when I put a load more on one side or the other rather than on the center of the Main table. An exception: I don't remember having it happen At All when in 500 mode.

I remember having to crank down pretty good on that tilt lock when cross-ing a long board, that is before I had my "Duh" moment and put on the tubes and locking legs.
Good. I know where I'm at now.

Merry Christmas everbody!

[forrestb]

keekap you are correct about long pieces to crosscut. I do raise the extension table up to the main table height to ease the torque on the table lock.

My calling this a new problem is because in about 15 years I have never had - or at least never noticed, hmmmm - this tilt happening before in benign rips and crosscuts.

And a Mele Kalikimaka to you!

Forrest

[forrestb]

After 4 days measuring my table tilt with the 520 fence at the extreme right hand edge I find very little,if any, tendency to tilt.
12/24: 90.5 deg
12/25: 90.4 deg
12/26: 90.3 deg
12/27: 90.4 deg

This variation could be the Wixey since our weather has been cold - well, cold at least for Southern California - and my 'shop' is not heated.

I will check it more frequently now than in the past, but the wedge locks seem to be holding.

We will see what happens in normal use.

Dusty, let us know how your new locks work.

Forrest