Can You Change the Position of the Headstock Lock Wing Nut?

[hcbph]

Maybe I'm missing the point here but is there any reason you couldn't put a proper thickness washer or shim under the handle to alter the final position of the handle when it's tightened. It's just pressing against the wedge as you tighten it, add the correct thickness under it and you'd alter the final orientation of the handle when it's tightened.

I've bought various thickness and diameter ones from places like Ace Hardware and McMaster-Carr in the past. Just seems like a simple solution to a nagging issue some people have.

[dusty]

Maybe I'm missing the point here but is there any reason you couldn't put a proper thickness washer or shim under the handle to alter the final position of the handle when it's tightened. It's just pressing against the wedge as you tighten it, add the correct thickness under it and you'd alter the final orientation of the handle when it's tightened.

I've bought various thickness and diameter ones from places like Ace Hardware and McMaster-Carr in the past. Just seems like a simple solution to a nagging issue some people have.

Yup, you are missing something. Thast is not the way the headstock lock works.

The best way to develop this understanding, after putting a washer on yours and finding that it did not do what you expected, would be to tear your headstock lock apart and study it.

I thorough analysis of the parts list might accomplish the same thing.

[mountainbreeze]

Yeah, as you can see in the first picture, when the headstock is locked, there is a gap (about 1/4") between the wing nut and the locking wedge so a washer would not accomplish much.

The second picture demonstrates the issue I'm trying to resolve. There is only 1/2" gap between the speed control knob and the wing.

[ATTACH]16135[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]16136[/ATTACH]

[billmayo]

Since I have an empty headstock on my test stand, I was able to check the following. The headstock has to removed from the tubes. I found that if I rotate one of the wedges a full turn, the handle will rotate 90 degrees from the previous position when locked down. I did this several times to make sure of what I was seeing. I do not have any formula or understand why this happens for me but I always like to try things physically without a lot of prior thinking. I leave 1/8" to 1/4" spacing between the handle and the wedge when the headstock is locked down. Good luck.

[JPG]

Yup, you are missing something. Thast is not the way the headstock lock works.

The best way to develop this understanding, after putting a washer on yours and finding that it did not do what you expected, would be to tear your headstock lock apart and study it.

I thorough analysis of the parts list might accomplish the same thing.

Or just look at the parts.]16137[/ATTACH]

Thus both wedges clamp onto the outside of he tubes when tightened and both move away from the tubes when unlocked.

The ONLY way to change the lock position relative to the angular position of the wing nut, is to change the position of the wedge surface(s).

The wing nut is pinned to the rod so it cannot be changed without re-drilling and pinning(not a good idea).

Any independent positioning of the wedges on the rod merely changes the lock position relative to the in/out position on the rod. Each wedge can only be repositioned a full revolution on the shaft which changes the lock position of the wing nut 1/2 turn.

So as I mentioned earlier filing the wedge surface slightly will alter the rotational position of the wingnut when locked. Shimming those surfaces would also work, but retention of the shims is a unsolved issue.

As far as the pull/push when unlocked is concerned, I can only conclude that the wedges had assumed a rotated position due to gunk or whatever and movement in/out returned them to a more aligned position relative to the tubes.

[nuhobby]

Hey, this fix costs a little more but the speed-changing is painless:
[ATTACH]16138[/ATTACH]

[mountainbreeze]

... I found that if I rotate one of the wedges a full turn, the handle will rotate 90 degrees from the previous position when locked down.

90° is exactly what I need. I'll give this a try and let you know how it worked for me.

Thanks Bill

[JPG]

Since I have an empty headstock on my test stand, I was able to check the following. The headstock has to removed from the tubes. I found that if I rotate one of the wedges a full turn, the handle will rotate 90 degrees from the previous position when locked down. I did this several times to make sure of what I was seeing. I do not have any formula or understand why this happens for me but I always like to try things physically without a lot of prior thinking. I leave 1/8" to 1/4" spacing between the handle and the wedge when the headstock is locked down. Good luck.

That causes me to rethink my earlier statement(half turn).

Since the thread pitch is 16 (both left and right hand end) rotating either wedge one turn changes that wedge position 1/16".

When the wing nut is rotated one turn, each wedge will move 1/16" each in opposite directions thus opening and closing 1/8".

I do not understand 1 quarter turn(90 degrees) doing the same.

I checked with a carriage and 1/2 turn difference occurs with one independent rotation of a wedge.

We be cornfusing 1/2 turn with 90 degrees Bill???:)

[shipwright]

Now I'm really confused. I've always had this problem with my 510 and after looking at the parts photo above it is absolutely clear to me that Dusty's "loosen and rattle" method simply can't work. That said, back in the real world (where bumble bees can fly by the way) it worked perfectly for me. Exactly 90 degrees and I can tighten all I want.

Cornfused in Green Valley (but happy)

Paul M

[JPG]

Now I'm really confused. I've always had this problem with my 510 and after looking at the parts photo above it is absolutely clear to me that Dusty's "loosen and rattle" method simply can't work. That said, back in the real world (where bumble bees can fly by the way) it worked perfectly for me. Exactly 90 degrees and I can tighten all I want.

Cornfused in Green Valley (but happy)

Paul M

Since the wedges are free to rotate in the bore, they can get cocked if the wedge is slightly worn(remember that 0.02") on one side.

Loosen and rattle may reorient the cocked wedge, but since it got cocked before, it could get cocked again.

Here's hoping yours does not!;)