Robb0b

The Campbell Keystone splitter can be made to work pretty good but you have to machine a new part. Those of you that have one know that the stop (a thumb-screwed piece of metal on the curved scale that sets the thickness) does not hold. The stop makes contact in only one spot on the curved bar it rides on and the locking handle moves it (rocks it one direction or the other). Also, when the handle is tightened down (by twisting) the locking-wedge the handle pushes against the curved bar forcably moves the stop. I discussed this with Campbell- Randall and they agreed that my idea would probably work -- they said they knew about the problem and knew that the stop needed to be made differently, but thought it would add to their production cost. Anyway, The thing works pretty good if you throw away their thumb-screw stop and make one that has a longer bottom so that the bottom contacts the curved rail in two spots, make the slot in the stop closer to the size of the curved rail, install a tention screw from the top down onto the top of the curved rail and machine out clearance for the wedge in the handle that comes down from the top so the handle and not the wedge makes contact with the new stop. I drilled and tapped for a screw in the new stop to hold a piece of piano wire bent and extended over the scale on the machine. Making a new stop is kind of a pain in the rear but is the only way to get the thickness adjustment to be repeatable. I fiddled and fiddled and called Campbell-Randall but was unable to repeat a given thickness due to the stop rocking and getting moved by hitting it or by the wedge forcing it to move. Fortunately, I have milling machine and welders to fabricate it and it only took a couple hours -- but was well worth it. If there is any interest I can post pics of what I made.