Shopsmith Forums

How do you lock and unlock the carriage for the table saw? When I try to turn the carriage lock handle it will go 1 small click in each direction. I know it's not tight because it will shift when I'm sawing. Is it threaded conventionally (righty tighty)? I'm hesitant to get out the visegrips and really crank on it if I'm going the wrong direction.

The adjustment is on the opposite side (back side) of the carriage from the lock handle. Tighten the nut slightly.

Check the backside of the carriage and you will find a recessed nut. If the carriage slips with the handle in the horizontal position turn that nut about 1/8 of a turn clockwise and try again. The handle should lock down with a firm push but not a hard push. DO NOT CRANK ON IT AT ALL!!
Bill V

Previous replies only apply to a Mark V 505-520 or a Mark VII.

If you have a Mark 5 or Mark V 500 we need to start over.

I have a carriage lock question too! The manual says the lock lever should go past horizontal to the "4 o'clock" position, to keep the lock from vibrating loose.

Mine goes just barely past horizontal, although it does have a nice solid "locked" feeling to it. I was unable to adjust it to any other position.

Is this a problem?

videobear wrote:I have a carriage lock question too! The manual says the lock lever should go past horizontal to the "4 o'clock" position, to keep the lock from vibrating loose.

Mine goes just barely past horizontal, although it does have a nice solid "locked" feeling to it. I was unable to adjust it to any other position.

Is this a problem?

'
I think not but is the carriage secured firmly when locked and does it vibrate loose.

My carriage lock definitely does not go to the 4 o'clock position. I would say about 3:10.

dusty wrote:

videobear wrote:I have a carriage lock question too! The manual says the lock lever should go past horizontal to the "4 o'clock" position, to keep the lock from vibrating loose.

Mine goes just barely past horizontal, although it does have a nice solid "locked" feeling to it. I was unable to adjust it to any other position.

Is this a problem?

'
I think not but is the carriage secured firmly when locked and does it vibrate loose.

My carriage lock definitely does not go to the 4 o'clock position. I would say about 3:10.

I agree with Dusty. I have 3 MK V's here of various vintages and they all go to the same place. 3 o'clock or just slightly more.

davies,

I reread your original post and now realize that your complaint is actually that "the carriage does not lock" AND that you can not turn the "Carriage Lock" enough to make it do so.

If this was my problem, I would dismantle the locking mechanism (remove the whole thing from the carriage) so that it could be closely inspected. What model Shopsmith are we talking about. There are some subtle differences.

Two links that might help you understand the differences:

First, a diagram of the 500 Carriage
http://shopsmith.com/service/mark/500_c ... iagram.htm

Then a diagram of the 505/510/520 Carriage
http://shopsmith.com/service/mark/510_5 ... iagram.htm

Notice two major differences:
The 500 utilizes a threaded rod to move the locking wedges. These threads can, for a number of different reasons, be the cause of your problem.

The 505/510/520 does not utilize the threaded rod and has the adjustment on the back side of the carriage.

The fact that you cannot move the carriage lock but just a very small amount leads me to suspect that you have a 500 and that either the threaded rod (which utilizes bidirectional threads) or the wedges are defective.

Good luck.

Until you get the carriage so that it can be securely locked, I strongly recommend that you discontinue use. There are safety issues that arise from have the carriage creep during operation.

Now that Dusty has 'restarted' the discussion assuming a Mark 5/V500, it is both a righty tighty / lefty loosey and lefty tighty / righty loosey.

The threaded rod that moves the wedges has a right hand thread on one end(the backside wedge) and a left hand thread(on the 'knob' end).

The wedges are softer than the threaded rod and are subject to getting damaged and a small piece of thread breaking off and getting jammed in the threads. That typically occurs in the left handed threaded on on the operator side.

Fixing it is a crap shoot. It requires forcing!!!!!! The result can be positive or grossly negative.

IIWM, I would gently force(yes one can force gently) with alternating direction and gradually increase the amount of force.

Observe while doing this whether the wedges start to actually tightly clamp the way tubes. If so, stop forcing in the tightening direction(wing nut clockwise).

If the wedges release when 'knob' is rotated in the opposite direction it might be best to stop.

All that said describes a good result.

The bad result is it all gets worse and possibly strips out completely. Then disassembly and possibly cutting the rod for removal may be required.

It is however worth a try.