# loose levelling screws



## Woodmont (Dec 29, 2010)

Newbie here. I'm happily using my PC router in my Jessem table top router table. 
Only problem, the levelling screws are quick to loosen. Is there something I'm missing? I get the plate nicely levelled. Rout a bit and find the screws have backed out.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

I'm not familar with the Jessem table, but if the screws go all the way through the supports, you could put a dab of nail polish on the threads after you have it all leveled. Once it dries, it should help keep your screws from vibrating down, but be easy enough to remove should you have to readjust.


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

*Well I wasn't having that problem, that I noticed yet, but my Hart Design plate, because how I have my table hinged on my cabinet (lifts up like a car hood), I had to add a couple of hold-down screws to it. When I would have the table raised, and I was inserting or removing a bit, my router and plate would jump out of place. So I added two #8 flathead screws through the plate and table, and used wing nuts under the table. I don't pull down hard, just a tad. Maybe something like that would help you too. Although, the idea of the finger nail polish might work well for your problem.*


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

I'm not sure of the setup on the Jessem, but my plate adjustment screws go through brass threaded inserts from the bottom of the table. To keep them in place, I simply added a washer and a lock nut, which is tightened after the adjustment is made. The lock nut creates tension between the threaded insert and the nut, so it stays in position.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Kinda interesting. I couldn't get two of the leveling screws started on my Incra plate. Anodizing got into them. Figured I could just chase the threads with a 1/4" tap but wasn't sure of the size, metric, whatever, so I e-mailed INCRA. Turns out they use 1/4-28 setscrews and 1/4-27 threaded holes. 
Anyway, I would suggest the blue (medium strength) loctite thread locker. Don't use the red or green high strength if you ever want to adjust them again.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Amazon.com: Kreg PRS3040 Precision Router Table Insert Plate Levelers: Home Improvement

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## Woodmont (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks all. I chatted with a friend at work who asked why I hadn't tried backing up with nuts. Well, once I'm leveled, why not? If I have some handy, I'll try that. Otherwise, nail polish. Great idea. Should do the trick.


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## ArTrvlr (Aug 22, 2009)

*I was wondering about this...*



jschaben said:


> Kinda interesting. I couldn't get two of the leveling screws started on my Incra plate. Anodizing got into them. Figured I could just chase the threads with a 1/4" tap but wasn't sure of the size, metric, whatever, so I e-mailed INCRA. Turns out they use 1/4-28 setscrews and 1/4-27 threaded holes.
> Anyway, I would suggest the blue (medium strength) loctite thread locker. Don't use the red or green high strength if you ever want to adjust them again.


Thanks for this info. I just today received an Incra plate and was putting the adjusting screws in and noticed they got very snug before they went in very far. I backed one out and it had slivers of aluminum on it. Since they need to protrude from the bottom I removed them and started them from the bottom, but of course with the same results. But I believe if I had threaded them all the way through from the top the hardened steel screw would have "cleaned up" the mis-matched threads in the aluminum and they would be loose. It would have been nice if the instruction sheet had made mention of this since it is a (AFAIK) unusual way of locking a thread.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

ArTrvlr said:


> Thanks for this info. I just today received an Incra plate and was putting the adjusting screws in and noticed they got very snug before they went in very far. I backed one out and it had slivers of aluminum on it. Since they need to protrude from the bottom I removed them and started them from the bottom, but of course with the same results. But I believe if I had threaded them all the way through from the top the hardened steel screw would have "cleaned up" the mis-matched threads in the aluminum and they would be loose. It would have been nice if the instruction sheet had made mention of this since it is a (AFAIK) unusual way of locking a thread.


You're right. Those should really be installed from the bottom, drive end first and "unscrewed" through the plate until level is achieved. I have a couple that require the loctite treatment.:sad:


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## RT1000 (Jan 9, 2007)

jschaben said:


> Kinda interesting. I couldn't get two of the leveling screws started on my Incra plate. Anodizing got into them. Figured I could just chase the threads with a 1/4" tap but wasn't sure of the size, metric, whatever, so I e-mailed INCRA. Turns out they use 1/4-28 setscrews and 1/4-27 threaded holes.
> Anyway, I would suggest the blue (medium strength) loctite thread locker. Don't use the red or green high strength if you ever want to adjust them again.


I am curious on what they would use to make a 1/4 x 27 tpi threaded hole.
And i like the Idea of using nail polish. I tell all my customers to use locktite (not green)
I have herd of this before I will have to check myself to make sure it works


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## ArTrvlr (Aug 22, 2009)

RT1000 said:


> I am curious on what they would use to make a 1/4 x 27 tpi threaded hole.
> And i like the Idea of using nail polish. I tell all my customers to use locktite (not green)
> I have herd of this before I will have to check myself to make sure it works


I wondered about the odd thread count as well... maybe they make their own taps??
Seems to me an easier solution would be setscrews with the nylon insert in the threads. Which would be an option for anyone with a plate with standard thread pitch holes... IF you could find the nylon insert setscrews. They might be available at a specialty fastener dealer like Fastenall.

And I still think Incra should have something in the instructions to warn that the threads are going to be tight.:angry:


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

RT1000 said:


> I am curious on what they would use to make a 1/4 x 27 tpi threaded hole.
> And i like the Idea of using nail polish. I tell all my customers to use locktite (not green)
> I have herd of this before I will have to check myself to make sure it works


Hi Joe - They didn't explain it. I can only guess custom tooling. Nylon insert allen screws make more sense to me also. 
BTW - you don't want your customers using red locktite either. Both the green and the red are high strength. The difference is that the green can be applied after assembly, it's thin enough to migrate down the threads after the fastener has been torqued.


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## Racer2007 (Nov 3, 2010)

Nail polish works great and is a lot cheaper than Loctite. Just have your wife or girlfriend buy you a bottle of clear. 
Get strange looks at the counter when I go looking for it.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Racer2007 said:


> Nail polish works great and is a lot cheaper than Loctite. Just have your wife or girlfriend buy you a bottle of clear.
> Get strange looks at the counter when I go looking for it.


Just pick up the little bottles at the dollar store. I like the silver, personally


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## dapetersen (Aug 23, 2010)

Gail,
Locite a good answer. You could also put a second nut on the bolt and pull it snug, but not tight, to the first. If you pull to hard you deform the thread. The second nut applies tension on the threads just like a lock washer would do. 

John,
If you thread the bolt through the tapped hole you may end up with a hole with no or even worse weak threads that won't hold much force. The locite will work if the threads are close, but it is less than ideal. You might want a threaded insert or a helical (McMaster Carr) to repair the tapped hole if things don't work out.

Dave


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## ArTrvlr (Aug 22, 2009)

*luckly, not striped*



dapetersen said:


> John,
> If you thread the bolt through the tapped hole you may end up with a hole with no or even worse weak threads that won't hold much force. The locite will work if the threads are close, but it is less than ideal. You might want a threaded insert or a helical (McMaster Carr) to repair the tapped hole if things don't work out.
> 
> Dave


Dave, thanks for the advice, but I did not strip out any of my threads. I stopped well before they got to that point. If they had striped, another alternative to re threading or repair the threaded hole would be to just use it as an access hole, as you would do if you had a Incra made table. The adjustment method there is to use these same holes as access to adjuster screws threaded into the ledge routed below the plate. Just an idea if anyone has a striped hole/holes in an Incra plate.


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## KenBee (Jan 1, 2011)

ArTrvlr said:


> I wondered about the odd thread count as well... maybe they make their own taps??
> Seems to me an easier solution would be setscrews with the nylon insert in the threads. Which would be an option for anyone with a plate with standard thread pitch holes... IF you could find the nylon insert setscrews. They might be available at a specialty fastener dealer like Fastenall.
> 
> And I still think Incra should have something in the instructions to warn that the threads are going to be tight.:angry:



I have a Woodpecker Table, Insert, Super Fence and the Insert Destruction [sic] sheet specifically states the leveling screws get tighter as you insert them to prevent them from backing out. I ended up using a 1/4 inch ratchet and socket to install them because I honestly didn't have the strength to install them with the provided allen wrench.


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## ArTrvlr (Aug 22, 2009)

*looking for Incra instructions...*



Ken Bee said:


> I have a Woodpecker Table, Insert, Super Fence and the Insert Destruction [sic] sheet specifically states the leveling screws get tighter as you insert them to prevent them from backing out. I ended up using a 1/4 inch ratchet and socket to install them because I honestly didn't have the strength to install them with the provided allen wrench.


I am going to see if I can find my Incra instructions... seems like they should warn you about those threads.


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## ArTrvlr (Aug 22, 2009)

This is all Incra says about installing the screws...

No mention of interference fit, they might be a little tight, nothing. Is it just me, or shouldn't they warn you? This is my first Incra purchase, but every review I have read about them has bragged on how clear and complete their instructions are. Their fit and finish also get high marks, and I want to make clear that I am well pleased with the product overall. This one little point may seem nitpicky, but I just had high expectations after all I had read about them. OK, rant over, I got it out of my system, I can move on.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

ArTrvlr said:


> This is all Incra says about installing the screws...
> 
> No mention of interference fit, they might be a little tight, nothing. Is it just me, or shouldn't they warn you? This is my first Incra purchase, but every review I have read about them has bragged on how clear and complete their instructions are. Their fit and finish also get high marks, and I want to make clear that I am well pleased with the product overall. This one little point may seem nitpicky, but I just had high expectations after all I had read about them. OK, rant over, I got it out of my system, I can move on.


I don't personally have a problem with the way they are doing it. Over the distance used, >3/8", there shouldn't be a problem. Even if running the threads all the way through you would simply be rethreading to 1/4-28, not a big difference from 1/4-27, maybe some slight degradation in the threads. I thought it was kind of a clever way of ensuring the things don't back out under vibration for those who don't use loctite or other method of securing them. JMHO


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