Hi.
I recently was given a SS mark V model 510 by my fatherinlaw who is going back to school for his Phd, lucky me, i wanted one as a teen in the 80's watching the infomercials. Any how this machine is about 10 years old and probably has about 15 - 20 hours of use on it. The problem I am having is the headstock is very difficult to move. The waytubes have no rust, no dings or dents, no wax build up. I removed the headstock blew it out and wiped the interior where the waytubes go with no improvement. I have read most of the owners manual and tried the suggestions with no success. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Need some help
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This is a total guess here but did you get some of the right type of wax to put on the tubes? Auto wax and the like do not work right... you must use a paste floor/furniture wax.
Put on a coat of the paste wax then polish it off... at least twice and maybe three times in your case. Don't for get to move the headstock and wax the area where it was.... When you are doing the polishing the rag should really slip along at the end of the session and so should the headstock.
Is the movement easier near the ends? If so then you might want to rotate the tubes to see if they might be bent...
How about the carriage, is that easy to move??
Keep us posted on what you find out.
Ed
Put on a coat of the paste wax then polish it off... at least twice and maybe three times in your case. Don't for get to move the headstock and wax the area where it was.... When you are doing the polishing the rag should really slip along at the end of the session and so should the headstock.
Is the movement easier near the ends? If so then you might want to rotate the tubes to see if they might be bent...
How about the carriage, is that easy to move??
Keep us posted on what you find out.
Ed
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dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21371
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Need Some Help
hagarz71
You said the headstock is hard to move on the tubes and that you had the headstock off to clean and wax; I assume you mean off of the way tubes. The possibility of wax buildup and bent tubes having already been covered (my first suspicions as well), we need to find something else.
When you loosen the headstock lock all the way, can you move it in and out. You should be able to see that both wedges are moving, I would say from a 1/4" to a 1/2" movement. My thought being that the wedges are frozen in a position that causes drag on the tubes.
Incidently, the wedges are position sensitive; ie, they cannot be interchanged.
Move the headstock all the way to the left and then move the carriage back and worth. Is the carriage also hard to move?
Keep us posted!
You said the headstock is hard to move on the tubes and that you had the headstock off to clean and wax; I assume you mean off of the way tubes. The possibility of wax buildup and bent tubes having already been covered (my first suspicions as well), we need to find something else.
When you loosen the headstock lock all the way, can you move it in and out. You should be able to see that both wedges are moving, I would say from a 1/4" to a 1/2" movement. My thought being that the wedges are frozen in a position that causes drag on the tubes.
Incidently, the wedges are position sensitive; ie, they cannot be interchanged.
Move the headstock all the way to the left and then move the carriage back and worth. Is the carriage also hard to move?
Keep us posted!
Hi
I bought a paste wax as recommended and that helped quite a bit, but I also checked the headstock lock and one is siezed, I thought that one was suppose to stay stationary and the one with the quill lock was the only one that moved. That would explain why it takes so much force to move the headstock, any recommendations on how to free it. Thanks again.
I bought a paste wax as recommended and that helped quite a bit, but I also checked the headstock lock and one is siezed, I thought that one was suppose to stay stationary and the one with the quill lock was the only one that moved. That would explain why it takes so much force to move the headstock, any recommendations on how to free it. Thanks again.
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dusty
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 21371
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:52 am
- Location: Tucson (Wildcat Country), Arizona
Need Some Help
I'm going to pass on this one. You don't want to use my method until all else fails.
I would use shock therapy; the shock provided by a rubber mallet.
I suspect that your problem is saw dust that has compacted in the location where the seized wedge is seated (along with the wedge). Study the illustration that shows the locking mechanism; the two wedges are simply pulled together to provide a friction grip on the tubes. Unlocking simply releases those two wedges which ride like nuts on the threaded shaft that is controlled by the lock handle.
I would use shock therapy; the shock provided by a rubber mallet.
I suspect that your problem is saw dust that has compacted in the location where the seized wedge is seated (along with the wedge). Study the illustration that shows the locking mechanism; the two wedges are simply pulled together to provide a friction grip on the tubes. Unlocking simply releases those two wedges which ride like nuts on the threaded shaft that is controlled by the lock handle.
Thanks for your input,
Here's what I found, first I didn't use a paste wax, I am now, and it did help some, but as recommended I did find that the wedge on the logo side is siezed. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated once again. I am some what mechanically inclined but am still trying to familiarize myself with the SS. Thanks
Here's what I found, first I didn't use a paste wax, I am now, and it did help some, but as recommended I did find that the wedge on the logo side is siezed. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated once again. I am some what mechanically inclined but am still trying to familiarize myself with the SS. Thanks
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Unregistered
There's a two-step solution for your problem, Hagar. Here goes:
1. Loosen the headstock lock all the way, until the handle butts up against the left wedge (the wedge on the speed dial side). If both wedges are free, you should be able to wiggle the wedge assembly back and forth in the headstock about 1/8" by grasping the handle and pushing and pulling. If the left wedge is frozen in place, as you have said, take a rubber mallet and tap on the right wedge, knocking both wedges sideways. Place a 3/4" x 3/4" block againt the handle on the other side, between the two wings, and knock the mechanism back the other way. (The wooden block prevents you from accidentally breaking the wings off the handle with the mallet.) Tap the wedges back and forth until you can push and pull the mechanism by hand. If the problem is simply packed sawdust or mild corrosion, this should free the frozen wedge. As you work it back and forth, more and more of the substance that is preventing the wedge from moving will fall out and the mechanism will become easier and easier to move.
2. If A rubber mallet doesn't loosen the wedge, or the mechanism remains too tight to move by hand even after you've tapped it back and forth several times, it's time to get serious. Remove the headstock from the way tubes and rest it on you workbench quill down. Remove the rear motor cover and the motor pan. This should give you access to the wedge mechanism. TIGHTEN the headstock locking handle about 30 turns, or until there is about 2" of threaded rod showing between the handle and the frozen left wedge. The right wedge will have come completely out of its socket. Grasp the wedge mechanism inside the headstock and work it back and forth until you have freed the frozen wedge from its socket too. Clean the inside surfaces of the sockets and the cylindrical surfaces of the wedges with a soft wire brush and fine sandpaper until they are as smooth as you can make them.
Hold both wedges steady on the threaded rod and turn the handle as if you were loosening the mechanism. The wedges will begin to move away from each other. Guide them into their respective sockets and continue until the handle is snug against the left wedge. Test to make sure that you can move the wedge mechanism back and forth easily -- there should be about 1/8" of play. If there isn't, turn the right wedge (the one nearest the quill stop) on the threaded rod until there is. Replace the headstock on the way tubes.
In extreme cases, you may have to punch the roll pin out of the handle and disassemble the entire wedge mechanism to resurface the sockets and the wedges. Hopefully, this isn't an extreme case.
With all good wishes,
1. Loosen the headstock lock all the way, until the handle butts up against the left wedge (the wedge on the speed dial side). If both wedges are free, you should be able to wiggle the wedge assembly back and forth in the headstock about 1/8" by grasping the handle and pushing and pulling. If the left wedge is frozen in place, as you have said, take a rubber mallet and tap on the right wedge, knocking both wedges sideways. Place a 3/4" x 3/4" block againt the handle on the other side, between the two wings, and knock the mechanism back the other way. (The wooden block prevents you from accidentally breaking the wings off the handle with the mallet.) Tap the wedges back and forth until you can push and pull the mechanism by hand. If the problem is simply packed sawdust or mild corrosion, this should free the frozen wedge. As you work it back and forth, more and more of the substance that is preventing the wedge from moving will fall out and the mechanism will become easier and easier to move.
2. If A rubber mallet doesn't loosen the wedge, or the mechanism remains too tight to move by hand even after you've tapped it back and forth several times, it's time to get serious. Remove the headstock from the way tubes and rest it on you workbench quill down. Remove the rear motor cover and the motor pan. This should give you access to the wedge mechanism. TIGHTEN the headstock locking handle about 30 turns, or until there is about 2" of threaded rod showing between the handle and the frozen left wedge. The right wedge will have come completely out of its socket. Grasp the wedge mechanism inside the headstock and work it back and forth until you have freed the frozen wedge from its socket too. Clean the inside surfaces of the sockets and the cylindrical surfaces of the wedges with a soft wire brush and fine sandpaper until they are as smooth as you can make them.
Hold both wedges steady on the threaded rod and turn the handle as if you were loosening the mechanism. The wedges will begin to move away from each other. Guide them into their respective sockets and continue until the handle is snug against the left wedge. Test to make sure that you can move the wedge mechanism back and forth easily -- there should be about 1/8" of play. If there isn't, turn the right wedge (the one nearest the quill stop) on the threaded rod until there is. Replace the headstock on the way tubes.
In extreme cases, you may have to punch the roll pin out of the handle and disassemble the entire wedge mechanism to resurface the sockets and the wedges. Hopefully, this isn't an extreme case.
With all good wishes,
Hagar, that unregistered guy above was me just in case you have questions.
With all good wishes,
With all good wishes,
Nick Engler
http://www.workshopcompanion.com
http://www.workshopcompanion.com