The torsion arm is preventing me from lowering the head enough to work items clamped directly to the deck. I was wondering if there would be any ill effects to just removing the assembly?

The torsion arm is preventing me from lowering the head enough to work items clamped directly to the deck. I was wondering if there would be any ill effects to just removing the assembly?

Only that it will take more effort to raise the head.

Regards,
Ray L.

And watch your fingers. I thought I was careful....

And watch your fingers. I thought I was careful....

spring come at you fast? I was about to go remove it, but if there's some particular trick or precaution I'd love to hear it (not that I've never had to pick my fingers up off the floor before, but it's sort of an event I'd like to never repeat).

spring come at you fast? I was about to go remove it, but if there's some particular trick or precaution I'd love to hear it (not that I've never had to pick my fingers up off the floor before, but it's sort of an event I'd like to never repeat).


Just run the head all the way up, to minimize the spring tension, before removing it. It's not a big deal.

Regards,
Ray L.

I was in the middle of something and didn't have the reach. I slowly took the bolt out of the head stock with one hand while holding the torsion arm. I'm a big guy and can hold that tiny spring.
-But my mill is high,
- had to reach over everything,
-bolt started to stick,
-knew something bad was about to happen,
-but I got it in a half nelson,
-wife and child sapped my strengh(or was that my will)earlier,
-it was late,
thunk, ouch. Some how I smashed the hell out of my knuckle near my fingernail. I can't figure out how. Still hurts three days later. Wifes a doc, gives no sympothy.