Shopsmith Forums

I'm hoping someone on this forum can help. The carriage lock on my PowerPro was locked tight. I couldn't move the headstock. Got a big wrench to try to pry it open. Unfortunately the headstock lock came off in my hand with the rod still in the headstock and part of it in the lock itself. My first question is how do I get the rod out? Second, any advice on what parts to buy to replace lock and rod?

Thanks in advance for your help!

First and foremost - get rid of the "big" wrenches and hide any hammers that might be nearby.

Second ly, are we talking about the carriage lock or the headstock lock. You have mentioned both.

With regard to the rod (assuming it is the headstock lock), I suspect that you are going to need to cut it. Drop the motor pan and put the mark into drill press position. This will give you a better look at the "headstock" lock.

Giving advise on what to purchase would be imprudent. Your description of the reasl problem is still lacking.

Get inside and tell us what you see.

Better yet, show us with a pix.

BTW the 'headstock lock' consists of two wedges(soft alloy), a steel threaded rod(rh/lh threads on opposite ends) a wingnut(soft aluminum) and a roll pin(very hard).

Things which are meant to be operated by hand pressure seldom work better when forced with more leverage. Typically they break.

If it is the headstock lock and right now we don't know which...... it will be a bit of a pain to work on depending on where the headstock is located on the tubes. The more to the right the better as it will need to be tipped up in drill press position to be worked on.

In order to get at the parts you will need to remove the motor, belt, and cables. If this was a DIY install you will know the steps that need to be taken, if it is from the factory you might not........

If it is a factory unit then you might want to give shopsmith a call for disassembly instructions.

We can talk you through this but if you happened to be located near one of us it might be easier to have some hands on help. If you post your general location it might help in knowing if there is someone who is willing to help.

Ed

Thank you to you folks who replied. It is the headstock lock that is broken. The Shopsmith Power Pro is direct from the company. Here are pictures that I hope will help.

If I understand correctly, this is a PowerPro headstock purchased as such from Shopsmith. If that is the case and you have not already discussed this issue with Shopsmith, I recommend that you do so immediately. I would do no more work on the unit without speaking with them.

Being a new unit it is most likely not a rust problem which headstock locks often are.

You may find some help with the DIY upgrade video (3 minutes) that illustrates what is involved in a DIY upgrade.

http://www.shopsmith.com/shopsmithpowerpro/pp_diy.htm

With the lock broken, you have to leave it on the way tubes, but you can go vertical if possible and reinstall the table from the opposite side to use it as a work surface to work from as you seem to have done in the photo.

Use blocks to support it from falling if you cant move carriage itself.

Once you have the DVR motor and Power Supply out, you can cut the rod in half to remove it, replacing only it, if the wedges are not damaged in some way.

Everett

I am not sure if this is your problem or is common but I figured I would mention it in case anyone else has a headstock lock that is getting difficult to turn. I did the Power Pro DIY upgrade over last Christmas holidays. A couple of months later, I had problems with my headstock lock being difficult to turn. I was afraid that a wire had gotten pinched in the lock even though a plastic sheathing is wound around the lock rod to help keep them away. When I took the headstock apart, the plastic that is wound around the rod got caught in between the threads on the rod and the wedges. It took me quite a while to work it loose with my husband's help. I have a bad wrist so the difference in the amount of force to lock and unlock the headstock was noticeable to me fairly soon. I do not know if anyone else would notice unless paying attention to it.

Good assumption, Brenda! Thanks for posting!

Those guys not owning a PowerPro or not having a DIY model do not know about the twisted, spiral plastic that is around the threaded shaft in the PowerPro.

You have reminded me of that plastic spiral. Thanks again!

Do you have the washer, part #55a on both sides? I think that was an after thought but should keep the spiral part #52 from doing that.

On my second build one of the washers somehow managed to get stuck in the wrong place when I was trying to slide the headstock back on the machine.... couldn't figure out why it wasn't just slipping back on and I couldn't rotate the wedge to fix it.

Ed

thunderbirdbat wrote:I am not sure if this is your problem or is common but I figured I would mention it in case anyone else has a headstock lock that is getting difficult to turn. I did the Power Pro DIY upgrade over last Christmas holidays. A couple of months later, I had problems with my headstock lock being difficult to turn. I was afraid that a wire had gotten pinched in the lock even though a plastic sheathing is wound around the lock rod to help keep them away. When I took the headstock apart, the plastic that is wound around the rod got caught in between the threads on the rod and the wedges. It took me quite a while to work it loose with my husband's help. I have a bad wrist so the difference in the amount of force to lock and unlock the headstock was noticeable to me fairly soon. I do not know if anyone else would notice unless paying attention to it.