Stop Collar scale too short?

[artlinux]

For several years after purchase I had avoided placing the scale on the stop collar, probably because of not being prepared to place it incorrectly. Well it is time to to do it carefully and enjoy the results.

The scale seems to be too short to close the distance (2.5mm gap rather than 0.8mm gap in the instructions) as seen at URL:
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... collar.htm

Several weeks ago customer service responded to my phone call, only saying write the details and send photo to:

catreq@shopsmith.com . NO REPLY YET!

Has anyone has success in applying the 3 level scale decal to the stop collar with no gap?

What is the address catreq@shopsmith.com used for? Do Shopsmith reply to emails sent there I wonder?

Art

[artlinux]

I found the Shopsmith paper download of a vernier tape for the stop collar. In the text the scale is described as 7.07 inches long being required in order to fit in a complete circle where the scale ends meet. My yellow scale 556419 DC-G03 is exactly 7 inches for the 3 scale portion, and that is no doubt why mine does not fit with ends meeting around the stop collar.

Does anyone else have an uninstalled yellow scale that can be measured for the full width yellow three level scale portion?

Art

[JPG]

I suggest thee take a close look at the scale marks at the ends. One end will have a short spacing. That allows installing with a guarantee it will not overlap. i.e. the gap is intentional.

Maybe yours has shrunk??

[Mike907]

My scales have the .07 or 1/16" gap. Even if your desired measurement wound up in the gap (unlikely, since you can use one of the other three reference points), at most you would be off 0.0006" in height adjustment.

Mike

[charlese]

Oh for "Peat's Sake" The gap allows open space for access to the locking set screw. If the measuring strip went all the way around, you would not be able to tighten the unit onto the pipe - unless you cut away a portion.

[artlinux]

There may be some confusion about the 2 scale pieces SS sells together for this application.

The single scale applies to the portion of the ring with the set screw and is sufficiently short to leave the appropriate gap to adjust the set screw.

The triple scale is manufactured to attach to the wider portion of the stop collar and leave NO gap. My scale measures exactly 7" and I expect it was manufactured incorrectly. As trivial as the gap may appear to be, why not use the correctly manufactured scale and enjoy its use as it was intended? The gap check is an intentional precaution before instillation, per SS.

My question was intended to see if anyone had their own experience to offer with this manufacturing error.

[Mike907]

I actually have two of the adjustable stop collars with the scales. One has a gap of 1/16", and the other has a gap of 1/32". For the purposes of the adjustable stop collar, however, it wouldn't make a difference if the gap was an inch or more. The marks are just relative positions. For instance, suppose you wanted to adjust the collar 27/128". 27/128 = 3/16 + 3/128, so pick an arrow A, B, C, or D and line it up with any of the 1/128" marks, tighten the set screw, then rotate the collar three full turns (3/16") plus 3 of the 1/128" marks. For any adjustment greater than 1/16", you're going to have to do the math to figure out the proper number of rotations and fractions of rotations.

Mike

[jsburger]

I actually have two of the adjustable stop collars with the scales. One has a gap of 1/16", and the other has a gap of 1/32". For the purposes of the adjustable stop collar, however, it wouldn't make a difference if the gap was an inch or more. The marks are just relative positions. For instance, suppose you wanted to adjust the collar 27/128". 27/128 = 3/16 + 3/128, so pick an arrow A, B, C, or D and line it up with any of the 1/128" marks, tighten the set screw, then rotate the collar three full turns (3/16") plus 3 of the 1/128" marks. For any adjustment greater than 1/16", you're going to have to do the math to figure out the proper number of rotations and fractions of rotations.

Mike

You are spot on Mike. I have 4 here. The stops were ordered when SS first offered them years ago. The scales came out some time later and I ordered them when they first came out. All of mine have a gap even though the manual say they don't/shouldn't. As I remember I had to trim them per the instructions. It is not hard to over trim ever so slightly. If you look at the pictures it is obvious that the ends of mine are not straight. The pictures show two of the gaps. The other two actually meet at the top but have a gap below the top scale.

Your adjustment procedure is correct so the gap does not matter.

[artlinux]

Mike & John

Thanks for the conversation and the perspective of long term SS ownership. I appreciate your good and detailed responses.

Even though my first SS was purchased in 1975, I still expected better consistency, support & quality from SS standard products.

I will apply the scales as supplied.

[JPG]

Mike & John

Thanks for the conversation and the perspective of long term SS ownership. I appreciate your good and detailed responses.

Even though my first SS was purchased in 1975, I still expected better consistency, support & quality from SS standard products.

I will apply the scales as supplied.

I cannot in good conscience allow this post to stand without pointing out:

Looking at JSB's two collars it SHOULD be obvious that there is NO QUALITY issue! Look at the spacing between the "0" and the .062" index marks. They are very close to .0005" or one half thousandth which is what it should be!!! The gap is intentional! The resultant spacing is barely one ten thousandth(less than two ten thousandths) deviant from perfect.

The surface upon which the scale is attached is knurled. Not a precision surface by any means, so IMO it is amazing that it is as accurate as it is.

I doubt the screw threads are much more accurate as the minuscule scale 'error'.

Keep in mind the collar was not initially designed with a scale in mind, but the scale was developed much later.


All this consternation is much ado about nothing.

As I have twice pointed out, the gap is not only inconsequential, but intentional and necessary and has no bearing upon the accuracy.

If we are going to judge things and criticize designs and/or manufacturing precision, we must first understand that which we be squawking about.