• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Repairing salon table "clutch"

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
I used my table beyond recommended spec this weekend and seem to have broken the clutch, as the table no longer holds itself up with the handle screwed all the way in. Any ideas as to how to fix this?
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Sounds like there's a high likelyhood that tequila is somehow involved in the making of this story.....

We're in polite company here, Ken... :) Make it out here some time and I'll tell a story...
 
Last edited:

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
IMG_20190519_185546_01.jpg

Looks like the little bit of rubber that should be getting pressed in by the screw broke off...seems like a pretty proprietary piece. Might spell bad news for me...
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
This thing? (photo)

I just drill a hole through the fitting and the tube and put in a thru-bolt. The table is fully secure-and no longer rotates annoyingly.

No need for quick-adjust fittings in that application unless converting to double berth.

1-Thelonious new table base.JPG
 
Last edited:

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
That's genius, Christian. That'll be what I do, then. Probably need a better drill bit than I currently have.
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
This thing? (photo)

I just drill a hole through the fitting and the tube and put in a thru-bolt. The table is fully secure-and no longer rotates annoyingly.

No need for quick-adjust fittings in that application unless converting to double berth.

Sorry to be double posting so much in this thread -- Christian, how would you drill through the table pipe and the fitting to make sure everything is straight and appropriately lined up? Did you bring it home and use a drill press?
 

GrandpaSteve

Sustaining Member
Just break all of the plastic off of that adjuster knob. That leaves a nice nut you can use a 17mm or 11/16" ratchet with. It works much better. Just don't over tighten.

IMG_5350.jpg
 
Last edited:

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If you decide on a through-bolt, I guess a drill press would be the fancy way to do it.

But I wouldn't (didn't) hesitate to eyeball it and drill in place. The bolt path doesn't have to be exact.

But then, my favorite tool is the hammer.
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
So I drilled through the previous "clutch" screwhole - 5/16" bit went straight through without too much effort. Had a friend hold the table still while I did so. Now I can run a 5/16", 4" long bolt through it which comes out almost perfectly flush. I'm not sure if they make 4.5" long bolts, because a 5" is way too long for an acorn nut and the 4" doesn't show enough thread to hold it.

The only problem is the table is slightly wobbly now - anyone have creative ideas on how I might be able to shim this in a way to stabilize it without making it completely awful to raise/lower?

Pics:


IMG_20190605_130440.jpg
MVIMG_20190605_130448.jpg
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
If I get your drift correctly, maybe a bit of old bicycle inner tube? I usually save a few for that sort of thing. Maybe even rubber bands?

BTW: Looking for creative uses for rubber bands. I ordered some for the office and instead of a "pack," Amazon sent me a "case" of three pounds, which is far more than I'll ever use before they start rotting.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Unfortunately, a previous owner left me with something similar. The problem is that there is not enough shaft (table bottom) going down the tube (floor portion).

(Dust is from grinding fiberglass in cabin during refit)

20190526_075931-L.jpg


You'll need a hard shim, not something soft like rubber. For quick and easy till I come up with a permanent fix, I use 2 to 3 construction shim pieces from Home Depot or Lowes work. They are a whopping $1.98 for a lifetime supply and to fit in the tube you need to cut them lengthwise to be about 1/2" wide.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/TimberWolf...n-x-7-9375-in-12-Pack-Composite-Shims/3377156
852981002005_03472284.jpg
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Or, if you're daring, lube one side of the tubing with Vaseline and slather the other with thickened epoxy. Insert, wait, and pray it comes apart again.

For bolt length you could use 5/16 threaded rod cut to any length, but then you'll need nuts on both sides. Ace hardware has "thin" nylocks that don't protrude so much. Or, try to get creative with a bicycle wheel quick-release axle: a fixed nut one one side and a friction lever on the other.
 
Last edited:

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
To level the surface you can also use Fixall. It fixes all, and quick.

RE bolt: A stainless bolt that's too long can be sawed off after installation with a hacksaw or power tool. Put a hex nut on first, then remove it to clear the burrs. Then maybe a castle nut for appearance.
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Finally took the time to look closer at this and saw a couple of things.
First, the 1" knobbed 3/8" bolt is too short so got a 2" replacement at Lowes for $4.57.
20190616_114839-M.jpg


The reason the original is short is because it does not actually press on the shaft of the table; it compresses a collar which is supposed to press on the shaft. The inch long original simply bottomed out too soon.
20190615_110340-L.jpg


Replacing with the 2" bolt helped a lot and the shaft no longer slides down the hole, but there is still a bit of wobble. At some point in the future I plan to use a 3/16" drill to make a hole through the collar, turn down the end of the 2" bolt to go through that, and put a 3/32" locating hole in the table leg. That ought to really lock it in.
 
Last edited:
Top