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Chewed-up turntable

Q: Our shop recently purchased a brand new constant-pull stringing machine, one of the better models from a leading manufacturer. It has all the bells and whistles, and an aluminum turntable. After a couple of months of use, the underside of the turntable, where the clamp bases ride, has gotten pretty chewed up, to the point where it is difficult to slide the base clamps when they are loose. I’ve tried filing off some of the chewed-up aluminum that sticks out into the slots in the top of the turntable, but it doesn’t seem to help much. How can we restore the smooth operation of our base clamps?

A: The situation you describe is not normal, as the clamping surface should not gall or deform as you describe it. Even if smoothing the roughened slot surface makes the situation better, you are filing off metal that should be part of the clamping surface. Sooner or later you’ll have to adjust the clamps to compensate for that missing material. Once enough material has worn away, you will not be able to adjust the clamps properly. Because you purchased you machine new from a reputable manufacturer, you should contact the manufacturer immediately about a replacement turntable.

From the July 2007 issue
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