"Sticky" clamping elements

[ear3]

After a year and a half of service, my clamping elements have started to develop a "stickiness" to them, whereby the shaft doesn't slide back so easily, and I sometimes have to bang them with a piece of wood to get them to open after the lever had been disengaged.  Is there a routine maintenance or adjustment that can be done to make the action smoother, other than some lubricant?

 

[tjbnwi]

There is a set screw to adjust the lock lever.

Check for nibs on the bar, knock them off with a fine file.

Tom

 

[ear3]

Thanks.  I have played around with the set screw, but this didn't do anything other than change the clamping pressure.  But it's possible there are some imperfections on the bar that have developed over time, so I'll check them with a file.

There is a set screw to adjust the lock lever.

Check for nips on the bar, knock them off with a fine file.

Tom

 

[JimSpence]

Thank you [member=4105]tjbnwi[/member], for the filing suggestion.  I've been living with sticky clamping elements for a month, and now they're smooth as silk.  And thanks for all your excellent advice and demonstrations in this forum.

 

[Brent Taylor]

I blow the inside out with compressed  air and clean the rod with paint thinner,  depending on what I'm doing and what materials I'm working with, mine get sawdust and pitch build up,  but that is just part of my end of day clean up. Clean tools and space are safe tools and space. Sound like your mother don't I.

 

[ear3]

Another thread prompted me to remember this fix. So I filed down the bars today, and now they are as good as new. This is what they looked like pre-filing