Shopsmith Forums

This is really getting frustrating

When I am in over head routing mode (drill press), my Mark 7 PowerPro keeps slipping down when I run it at 10000 RPM's. The slight vibrations you get when running that fast and working wood, is different than when running at drill press speeds.

I have ruined, consistently, pieces I am working on because I will be routing and the next thing I know the damn headstock has slipped. I can do three pieces just fine and then the next one the headstock has slipped very slowly and I am cutting to deep. I am already tightening it more than what the manual says, and I am afraid of crimping the tubes.

Anyone else having this problem?

Thanks in advance for any advise, really frustrating ....

First, you ain't gonna crimp the tubes. The wedges are too soft for that to happen.

Now you did say the headstock. How old are the wedges?

They start out as an angled plane against the cylindrical tube. As they wear that plane becomes a concave surface. They reach a point where that concave surface prevents the wedges from squeezing the tube effectively.

Now if it were the table slipping, the lock would need 'adjusting' to account for that dishing wear. No such adjustment for the headstock.

As for the gorilla approach, the steel threads will wear/shear the threads in the soft wedges. Usually the front/left handed threads. Another source of inadequate locking.

The wedges can be filed 'flat'.


I say 'squeeze' the tube, but they also push the tube against the headstock bore. That is what diminishes when the wedges get concave.

Sooo are the tubes/bores 'over' waxed???

Wow, now I am really confused LOL

The machine was new in 2014. So .... new.

Two I wax when the HS gets hard to move. By all the "advise" from Nick Engler to the manual, say to wax wax wax. Is that wrong?

Thirdly, the manual says NOT to over tighten because you can damage the tubes ... so which is it. I know the 10ER tubes can't be hurt with a tank, but these new tubes do seem to be ... well ... less substantial

JPG wrote:First, you ain't gonna crimp the tubes. The wedges are too soft for that to happen.

Now you did say the headstock. How old are the wedges?

They start out as an angled plane against the cylindrical tube. As they wear that plane becomes a concave surface. They reach a point where that concave surface prevents the wedges from squeezing the tube effectively.

Now if it were the table slipping, the lock would need 'adjusting' to account for that dishing wear. No such adjustment for the headstock.

As for the gorilla approach, the steel threads will wear/shear the threads in the soft wedges. Usually the front/left handed threads. Another source of inadequate locking.

The wedges can be filed 'flat'.


I say 'squeeze' the tube, but they also push the tube against the headstock bore. That is what diminishes when the wedges get concave.

Sooo are the tubes/bores 'over' waxed???

Locks seem too new to be the problem, but I can't figure out what else it could be. You are sure it is the headstock slipping, as opposed to the router chuck grabbing the wood and pulling the quill down? (You do lock the quill while routing, right?).

Until the cause is definitively identified, you can cut some 2x4s to length and block the headstock up in the position you want.

algale wrote:Locks seem too new to be the problem, but I can't figure out what else it could be. You are sure it is the headstock slipping, as opposed to the router chuck grabbing the wood and pulling the quill down? (You do lock the quill while routing, right?).

Until the cause is definitively identified, you can cut some 2x4s to length and block the headstock up in the position you want.

Yes sir, I lock everything every time (learned the hard way 2 years ago ). I hadn't thought about the quill being pulled down, but in this last case, I doubt it seriously. I am out of town tomorrow, but I am thinking about calling SS and see what they say. Pretty confused by this to say the least.

Wax, wax, wax is good but only if you also buff, buff, buff. When you wax upon wax without buffing it out real good you get a wax buildup. This could be the problem. If I had the problem, I would start by cleaning the tubes with something like mineral spirits and then wax - making certain that the tubes are adequately buffed.

I would then inspect the wedges for excessive wear. This is more of a task than it might sound. To do this adequately, I believe the headstock has to be removed from the tubes and the motor pan dropped to expose the wedges for inspection.

JPG wrote:First, you ain't gonna crimp the tubes. The wedges are too soft for that to happen.

Actually on my 2007 machine, I *did* crimp the tubes by overtightening; I was really worried on an early routing job I did. Some years later I changed to a thicker-walled set of Way tubes on my Shopsmith "horse".


Chris

Try to set it up in the routing mode and mark the position of the headstock, the work table and the quill with a magic marker and the try to duplicate your operation until you get a similar change. Then check the reference marks to determine what actually slipped and or changed.
Then come back here for an evaluation.
Bill V

Is it possible the PowerPro is just too heavy to leave in drill press mode for an extended period?

wa2crk wrote:Try to set it up in the routing mode and mark the position of the headstock, the work table and the quill with a magic marker and the try to duplicate your operation until you get a similar change. Then check the reference marks to determine what actually slipped and or changed.
Then come back here for an evaluation.
Bill V

That is an outstanding idea Bill! I will do that. I am out of town today, but will be back at it tomorrow. I will do just that, and let everyone know what is up.

I still find it hard to believe that a new machine has "worn wedges" and actually has this problem in the first place. We shall see ..... :/ And Dusty, I do buff the wax off after waxing pretty religiously. Anything is possible, but I just can't get a handle on why ...

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!