Today in my shop (frank talk of stop collars)

[reible]

I'm sorry but I have to do this, yes another history lesson so to speak.

I got my shopsmith new back in 1976. At the time I knew of no one else who had one. I was a member of a woodworking club with about 150 members and none of them admitted to having a shopsmith. I don't think that was unusual at that time.

I did get a 3-day class as part of the purchase price so there were about 20 people who attended the class, meaning at least 20 people owned them. I was already a woodworker and the class was more of an introduction to shopsmith and the extra "deals" they would sell you.

Shopsmith also had catalogs, and publications they sent out to you. Most had some good information and projects/demos to help you expand your knowledge. That and the PTWFE helped a lot.

Of course now-a-days we have the forum, ready made with "experts" on almost every subject. But back then you had a lot of "alone" time with your tools. If you wanted to do something you had to figure it out yourself. Wanted a different set up on the shopsmith, you were on your own for that.

What I'm about to tell you about is something that I developed to fit my needs. I have never seen or heard of anyone else doing this but with so many other users I'd have to think others have done this.

Stop collars was something I learned about when I worked in a machine shop, some of the products we produced used stop collars. Not that they were all that complex but more like I'd never used them.

When I got the shopsmith it came with some, many of you will be thinking of them on the tail stock.

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This model has a single set screw to lock it in place but there are a few other designs out there and we are going to look at another design in a little while. These collars come in various sizes, the ones pictured are 1-1/4" inside dia. Keep in mind that the legs on the extension table and the main table are also that size. (10 series machine do not use this size but the concepts will be the same)

Well before shopsmith introduced the adjustable stop collar there was the need for this sort of adjustment for both the table saw and the drill press. The introduction of the adjustable stop collar has now given us users a much nicer way of doing things. Yes I was right there when they come out to place my order. If you don't have one I save up for one. This is a picture of the adj. stop collar:

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http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... collar.htm

If you want to order one.

The stop collars were an early way of dealing with the issue. In the same way that you use the adj. you can use the fixed. We will get in to that in a short while.

One problem I found that also made these collars useful was being able to return to a previous setup without the hassle of redoing all the settings. That alone make it worth while to get some extra sets of them.

At this point I'll introduce you to dual split stop collar.

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As you can see this makes it possible to add the stop collar above the carriage. This is useful if you have not added a collar above the carriage before putting the main table on. Or if it turns out that you find out you want to be able to return to this depth after you have done a set up.

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With the collar attached you can raise the main table or even take it off and still return to the same setting height wise.

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More coming.

Ed

[reible]

A practical application might be something as simple as let's say you have taken the time to adjust the depth of the miter to right on 1/4". It may have taken you a couple of settings to get it right on. Great you now are all set up to do the cut. About then you notice you need to do a bit of ?? (lets say disk sanding) before you can do the cuts.... OH NO, well maybe not so OH NO as you would think.

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You simply attach the split collar above the carriage and lock, crank the table up and take off the dado blade replace with disk sander, do the sanding then revert back to the place you left off. Table lowers to the same height and stops at the stop collar. Keep in mind the stop can be above or below and in some cases both above and below the carriage.

In case that the stop collar is to be placed on the bottom of the leg you of course can use the split one or go with the one that has just the set screw.

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Now remember when I mentioned that the extension table can also use the collars? Doesn't really mater because they can. Shown next is the extension table with both stop collars in place. In this mode they also work as a top and bottom locations as in you can have two semi-permanent locations. This of course works with the main table too.

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Maybe this would be easier to think of in the drill press mode. You could have the stops set so the table can move 1" between the stops.

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Clear enough? You have the option to ask questions if it is not.

Ed

[reible]

We are not done yet.

Back to one of the functions of the adj. stop collar, that being the ability to change the height setting. Would you believe that these old collars work for that as well? Seeing is believing?

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Now I want the table 1/4" higher. So what happens when you dig out your brass bars or a 1/4" drill bit or what ever you have.

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Want to lower it by 1/4"?

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Ed

[reible]

By now some of you are saying "fine for those even dimensions but what about those other not so standard dimensions? Lets see him do .268"!

I'm thinking I'm glad you ask.

First we move the 1/4", that being done with what ever tool you have handy that is a 1/4". Move the table to the stop collar and lock in place. Now we do the fine adjustment.

Loosen the collar again and then slip a feeler gauge in.

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In this case you need .268" -.250" = .018"

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Of course you would have tighten the collar again before you took the feeler gauge out, and of course you need to remember to move the table up to the stop collar again.

This is also useful when you have to make a change to the main table height, say lowering it 3/8", then having to adjust the extension table(s) by the same amount. If you have the stop collars on then it is a snap especial on the 500 machines

Ed

[reible]

I'm going to be gone for a while again so ask tonight 10/3/12 or wait until I return.... For the most part I will not have access to the forum but will have access to email if the question can't wait.

Ed

[db5]

Where do I get a split stop collar?

Oh, and I want to hear about that TC parked in front.

[reible]

Where do I get a split stop collar?

Oh, and I want to hear about that TC parked in front.

The last ones I got were from http://www.surpluscenter.com for about $6 or so for the 1-1/4" size. That was a couple of years back.

You should be able to find them locally but the price might be higher.

Are you talking about the Chrysler Cordoba? 1979, 360, power moon roof, power seats, leather, just over 40K miles?

Ed

[reible]

Had a few moments so I looked them up, still the $6!

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?i ... 5&catname=

Ed

[SDSSmith]

The last ones I got were from www.surpluscenter.com for about $6 or so for the 1-1/4" size. That was a couple of years back.

You should be able to find them locally but the price might be higher.

Are you talking about the Chrysler Cordoba? 1979, 360, power moon roof, power seats, leather, just over 40K miles?

Ed

Rich Corinthian leather, as I recall.

[curiousgeorge]

You can get the 1 1/4" dual split shaft collars at partsreplacementstore.com for $4.50 each plus shipping.