Still visit the forum daily, but haven't found a need to post anything lately. Do have a question, though. I thought of calling to get the answer, but figured it might be better to post here, so that if anyone else is curious, the answer would be easier to find. What is the screw size for the primary angle setting screw on the new arms/riser? It is much smaller than the screw on the original arms. On the original set-up I replaced them with 10-32 headcap machine screws. This gave me a more snug adjustment than with the original ones. I've been using the new arms/riser for a little while now (and have grown to really like them) and find that occasionally they become loose while sharpening and, if I don't notice it right away, it creates edge imperfections that I have to go back and correct. Anyway, I would like to replace these screws with headcaps as well, but don't want to do the trial and error thing! Gosh .... I knew I should have taken machine shop as an elective while back in high school! Instead, I took home economics ..... because that's where the gals were!!!!

Hey Dennis,

Great question. Some have #10-32 and some have #8-32. It looks like you've got the ones with the #8-32 screws.

Thanks Clay. They are definitely not 10-32, so must be 8-32. Why the change (or, more specifically ... why were some made with the original size screws and some with smaller ones)?

Dennis,

I am using the original screws, but I filed the points off of them (more surface area and friction against the bar, and more granular adjustment possible), then put a drop of the purple (light duty ,breakable) locktite on them and screwed them in. They stay snug now. I kind of like the original screws as I don't need a tool to tighten or loosen them. A disadvantage is the screws don't settle into the dimples as precisely, but I have flipped the bar and use the angle cube for setup, so it is not an issue for me.

Phil

PhilipPasteur wrote:


Phil ..
Didn't have to resort to filing off the tips of the screws on my old arms ... as the headcap screws were not pointed and would not slip into the dimples. With the new arms and the smaller screws that apparently are used with mine ... the screws ends are not pointed, but small enough to actually fit into the dimples. Eventually, they wiggle free. That's why I want to replace them with ones I can torque down a little more. I don't want to resort to disassembling the unit again to reverse the base rod around, since when I attached the riser to the base and vise jaw ... I REALLY had to torque it down tightly to get it to seat without jiggling around (and I hate doing that with aluminum parts!!!).