Sheared Depth Stop adjuster (BIG pics)

[mbole]

If bras stub is stuck (and it is, as you could not turn it with center punch and hammer), it is usualy too soft for easy-out to grab properly.
Find local machine shop to drill most of it on a milling machine, and then pick rest with awl

[barryvabeach]

I have never had a problem with a big box store easy out - so you can probably use whatever brand they carry - Bosch, Vermont American, or similar. The first thing is you have to size the drill bit so that the hole is wide enough so the extractor will fit it and get a snug grip to back out the screw. Assuming it sheared off with just hand power, I doubt it will be that hard to get it out. The second thing is you want the drill hole to be as close to center as possible, and deep enough so the extractor does not bottom out, but not so wide that the screw disintegrates. Third, you want the hole to stay perfectly centered as you drill down - if you go off center, you can damage the threads of the plane body. I would check with LV to see if they will remove it for you, they will certainly have employees that have removed many screws , and removed taps, which are much harder to remove. If for some reason that doesn't work out, take you time, drill a fairly narrow starter hole, and then use the next biggest drill bit to enlarge the hole, check the extractor to see if it gets a grip, and repeat until the hole is the right size. I would also add some lubricant to the outside of the threads of the screw, every little bit helps.

[Mike Brady]

...and don't use pliers to tighten the knob, in spite of what Chris Schwarz does on his LV tools. That mechanism needs a retooling, me thinks.

[TroutVictor]

Based on the advice here I am going to try and get LV to fix it first before I go all 'amateur hour' and try to do it myself. I am out of town starting tomorrow until I return from Kansas on the 29th. I will wait until then to contact LV about them removing the sheared bolt.

I appreciate the advice. Thanks much.

And just to be clear. I *REALLY* like the plane. Bought the plane with all the options and it has performed in a most excellent manner. Don't know what happened this time but stuff happens. And I was not using a wrench.

[wood2woodknot]

JimReed@Tallahassee said:

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You might want to use a screw extractor. HF has inexpensive kits available. It might work on soft brass but they work better on steel.

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I recently removed a 5mm (so much smaller than what you have) brass screw from a trammel set using a screw extractor - no problem. Carefully drill your pilot hole and turn the extractor by hand with a tap handle or small vise grips.

[bgeva]

I like my small plow, but think there is a fundamental problem with tHe design of the depth stop:
1. The post is round and no amount of roughing it creates enough friction to keep it in position
2. The hole is not through and the screw bottoms before completely locking the stop
3. The screw is brass. REALLY easy to "screw" off the head when it bottoms up. Not sure why not to use steel here

The design of the stop on the moving filister is much improved. Don't see any reason why LV would not copy it to small plow. I think this is a common problem - I personally broke two (2) screws exactly like this. LV customer service are great, but as I said - fundamental design problem. I am planning to "redesign" with my mechanic friend and his milling machines.

I think the biggest issue is that while the plane being fixed you are dead stopped in the project. To remedy I use a piece of wood attached w/double sided tape along all the body as a depth stop. Completely fool-proof. Easy gliding. Obviously, you need more then one if you use different depth settings, but how many do you really use? I have a 1/4 and 3/16 currently and don't foresee a need for more.

[TroutVictor]

LV customer service called this morning. The order for a replacement knob was entered incorrectly so they needed my credit card # again. Same voice, same phone number so I gave it to them. I asked about shipping the plane back for them to fix, at my expense. Very nice lady on phone asked if she could check on it and call me back. She called back as promised and I was told to remove the stub by using a pencil eraser as "this happens quite often". I have no idea how something screwed in a hole to the point of shearing and broken off below the surface was supposed to be backed out by a pencil eraser but I gave it a try. It did not even come close to working. I even sharpened the eraser to try and get a better fit. Still not even close to working.

This is the point where I should have just said screw it and gone back in the house.

I tried the tap it backwards with a sharp awl. Got the beginning of a slot started, had great hope. Apparently I did not have it as securely clamped in the vise as I thought. Screwed the threads in the hole up royally. My fault. Not any less pissed about it but decided I was a woodworker and not a *&%*#%* machinist.

Enough. I don't have the time or interest in letting this take another minute of my time.

Came back in the house, got online and ordered a new one.

I'll use the broken one for back up/paper weight/something until I get near a city big enough for a machine shop where I can have them re-tap the hole and manufacture a new adjuster.


To all that posted: Thank you very, very much. I learned much and it was interesting to find out I was not the only one this has happened to. I understand stuff happens. Just one of those things.

[Mike Brady]

I'm not saying that a self-fix couldn't be done by many here on this forum, but why you should have to do it is the real question. Failed parts should be addressed by this manufacturer; not you. If they charge for it is a different matter, but that is not the issue. Their "pencil eraser" is just a lame answer, altogether. As I said in my first posting, above. This part of the tool is under-designed---I know, I've owned two of them. The first version wouldn't hold the setting at all. The later one is not bad.

[Derek Cohen]

When you rush a job, take short-cuts, do not pay attention to advice ... then you stuff things up.

But all is not lost. This can be repaired.

Step one is to remove the brass section the way you were advised at the start, with an EasyOut after drilling the centre of the bolt to insert it.

Step two - if the thread is toast - insert a Heli-Coil thread. However, first see if you can recut the original thread with a tap.

Now you will be able to replace the locking bolt.

For future reference - anyone still reading this - ensure that the bolt is not bottoming out. It cannot be tightened completely then. Do not use vice grips to tighten the nut, as recommended once by Chris Schwarz. Instead, use a Dremel to cut a screwdriver slot. This works very well ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Scoony]

Thanks Derek, thats a great tip and one that I am going to do this weekend.