Shopsmith Forums

Mine doesn't lock in place. The router stays in place but, the lever can't be locked. It drops down onto the work. Years ago, I resorted to using a wire loop to hold it up. Shoulda asked here long ago if there is a fix.
Thanks for any advice.

So are you saying when you turn the knob on the lever it locks the router in place but the lever then drops down?

Ed

There are two adjustments that will prevent the router from slipping.

One is the nut that tightens the lever/arm. It's on the other side from the arm itself.

The other adjustment is the Allen screws that apply pressure to brass "gibs" that determine how freely things move up and down. Therse are very small Allen screws (3 by memory) on the same side as the arm. Adjust incrementally a very little at a time, putting the same amount of turns on each screw.

The manual for the overarm router describes these adjustments in the troubleshooting section.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/pro ... Router.pdf

Gene Howe wrote:Mine doesn't lock in place. The router stays in place but, the lever can't be locked. It drops down onto the work. Years ago, I resorted to using a wire loop to hold it up. Shoulda asked here long ago if there is a fix.
Thanks for any advice.

I have an almost brand new one I bought locally about a year ago. I have not used it yet. I went out to the shop today to look. There is no lock for the "lever". The router clamps in independent of anything else. As Al says there is a nut on the left side to tighten the up and down movement of the assembly. There is also the set screws to tighten the brass V wedge against the router slide assembly.

There is a depth stop rod that can be adjusted to set the downward depth. If you are missing the depth stop rod (mine was, it is 1/4-20) and the other two items are loose I can see how the router would drop down.

BTW, the lever does not lock anything. It just screws into the hole and is there.

jsburger wrote:

Gene Howe wrote:Mine doesn't lock in place. The router stays in place but, the lever can't be locked. It drops down onto the work. Years ago, I resorted to using a wire loop to hold it up. Shoulda asked here long ago if there is a fix.
Thanks for any advice.

I have an almost brand new one I bought locally about a year ago. I have not used it yet. I went out to the shop today to look. There is no lock for the "lever". The router clamps in independent of anything else. As Al says there is a nut on the left side to tighten the up and down movement of the assembly. There is also the set screws to tighten the brass V wedge against the router slide assembly.

There is a depth stop rod that can be adjusted to set the downward depth. If you are missing the depth stop rod (mine was, it is 1/4-20) and the other two items are loose I can see how the router would drop down.

BTW, the lever does not lock anything. It just screws into the hole and is there.

The lever DOES lock when it and the gibs are adjusted properly. The locking is accomplished by twisting/rotating the lever arm once it is at the desired height..

I gathered from the original post that the router locks in place but the handle then falls down......... that confused me. The lever shouldn't do that. And without going out in the cold to look at it I can't think of a reason for that to happen.

The gibs are a pain to adjust, you need to have the router to be neural so it stays and doesn't fall but things like temperature play a part in this. If I adjusted it on a cold day like today I would not expect it to work well in the summer heat or the other way round. You also need to keep it lubed so it doesn't gall.

If it warms up a bit tomorrow I'll see if I feel like venturing out in the cold to look at it. Trying not to run the heater this winter so my hands only take about a half hour of the cold so shop time has been very limited.

Ed

Thanks for the responses, guys. The router is secure and doesn't slip. The depth control knob/lever just won't stay in position. A quick look at the pdf Algale linked, I think, solved the problem. Looks like twisting the lever holds it in position.
I'll try it today and let you know. I'll also initiate a search for my manual. shoulda done that first, I guess.

algale wrote:

jsburger wrote:

Gene Howe wrote:Mine doesn't lock in place. The router stays in place but, the lever can't be locked. It drops down onto the work. Years ago, I resorted to using a wire loop to hold it up. Shoulda asked here long ago if there is a fix.
Thanks for any advice.

I have an almost brand new one I bought locally about a year ago. I have not used it yet. I went out to the shop today to look. There is no lock for the "lever". The router clamps in independent of anything else. As Al says there is a nut on the left side to tighten the up and down movement of the assembly. There is also the set screws to tighten the brass V wedge against the router slide assembly.

There is a depth stop rod that can be adjusted to set the downward depth. If you are missing the depth stop rod (mine was, it is 1/4-20) and the other two items are loose I can see how the router would drop down.

BTW, the lever does not lock anything. It just screws into the hole and is there.

The lever DOES lock when it and the gibs are adjusted properly. The locking is accomplished by twisting/rotating the lever arm once it is at the desired height..

Were there two versions of the arm? Mine certainly does not lock anything nor do I see how it could. The lever screws into the casting and the whole thing, casting, shaft and pinion gear rotate together to raise and lower the router.

References to half turn once then half turn again and pull/pushing on the hub has me totally confused. What does the push/pulling do? What is the difference between 1/2 turn once and 1/2 turn twice as far as what they do? No I ain't gots one of these things .

What does the end of the lever arm bear against(shaft surface???)