VersaNotcher collar re-install process (remedy for binding, stuck parts, etc)

Hey! People asked for this info somewhere and we promised to post it to our forum. We have had a few customers end up with one of their ACME collars on the vise drive slipping and having the two collars pinch the vise jaw, locking up the whole system. While this is extremely frustrating, it is not common and luckily very easy to solve. Here is the process:

If your threaded collar is slipping or your vise is binding, the fix is easy. Take both collars, upper jaw, and washer off the acme threads. The upper jaw will still be in the machine (on notchers with a welded ACME nut), it can't be taken out. Clean the collars with lacquer thinner and a small brush. The threads need to be 100% clean. Now clean the threaded shaft the same way. Allow them to dry (this takes about a minute with lacquer thinner). Now thread on the large threaded collar, slide on the brass washer, push the upper jaw on, and put the lower collar on. This will show you how far up the shaft the upper collar goes. Remove the lower collar, upper jaw, and washer. Thread the largecollar up high enough that you can apply BLUE Loctite to the acme threads of the shaft, and move it back down where it was (now with loctite of course!). Snugly clamp the lock screw on the collar until you can't move it by hand easily. Don't over torque it. You are strong enough to break it, you don't need to prove it to us. NEVER under any circumstances apply Loctite to the lock (pinch) screws on ANY collar. Now replace the washer and upper jaw. Loctite the ACME threads with blue Loctite and install the lower collar, and tighten the set screw with 1/32" to 1/16" of play between the collars and the washer/upper jaw. This "slop" is what allows this jaw to float and grip bends securely. Allow to cure per Loctite instructions. You will likely never have a problem again. 

This is worth writing again. DO NOT over torque the lock screws on the collars. DO NOT apply loctite to the collars. You DO NOT need to weld anything to the ACME threads. WE have sold thousands of these and had them abused from coast to coast and internationally. Maintaining them is easier than modifying them. Sorry for the rant!

Photo shows some of these parts for reference. We have revised these machines over the years, if your parts don't look identical to these there isn't necessarily anything wrong with your machine. Thank you!