Table spring adjustment

[Dano]

Having trouble with table spring tension. If i set them according to the book there is too much tension and they snap back. but then i take tension off and they can be jerky. i occasionally will spot a single pin if i cant find my pin hand held pin spotter. i have found that some lanes can set a single pin as smooth as if it were a full rack, while others will jerk REALLY bad and throw the pin. So my question is this a gauge to determine if the spring tension is correct by if it will set a single pin smoothly or does that mean nothing?




THANKS,

Dano

82/90's

[felix]

I set mine at an angle from the cup line(Down). No Snap. And No Jerky from being looser.

[smurtland]

i have set all mine so that I can set a single pin.

[Tablejam]

I start with the the table up, set all three with the face of the screws facing the pindeck. If its too much I back off of them, just barely, until its smooth. Newer springs can be stronger than old ones and depending on how the yoke is set all of this can affect it. Because of these variables there really is no one way to set them, its one of those things that you kind of have to play with until it works smoothly. The large yoke spring at the front can affect this too as if it does not have enough tension as the cups tilt it can allow the yoke to move a little instead of keeping it forward and the cups end up jerking. A cup rubbing on the yoke can show up this way too.

[maister]

good advice Tablejam.
Basically the yoke springs on some tables there are three and on others only two.
If there are three springs then they can be eased off.
If there are only two they normally need a little more tension.
If the cups snap back ,it is an indication there is too much tension.
It is a case of getting a smooth operation with a full set, not necessarily a single pin.
I know we spot single or multiple pins but the basic operation is to spot ten and this is what you set them for.
best wishes.
maister

[jonesy]

whilst you are all worrying about the fluidity of the spotting action, once you have set this to just work properly you should then make sure they can cope with an aborted spot cycle. if a table goes down on a spot cycle and something prevents it leaving the pins on the deck (deadwood on the deck, two pins wedged in the flat gutter) then you need enough tension in these springs to lay the cups (and pins) back to horizontal on the way up. insufficient tension can cause the cups to come up at an angle and the head goes through the shuttle & bin leading to all kinds of problems....... ultimately as was previously said they should be set to cope with 10 pins not 1, but the skill is to make it do all of these things - just. an old saying goes 'anybody can make a bridge strong enough, the skill is to make a bridge just strong enough....