Help with horizontal setup. The assembling.

[Planapo]

From the first photo of this thread I can see what hole Charlie has used to fix the bellows onto the Newport stage, as I have the same stage at hand. That hole is counterbored (right word?), what I mean is that the diameter is larger on one side, so that on the underside the screw's head vanishes in the hole without the screw sliding through because the diameter narrows (in a step) inside the hole allowing only the thread of the screw going through, while its head is being retained.

I see that it's best to use this hole, as then one won't have to have another adapter plate manufactured.
But when sliding apart the two parts of the stage to a maximum that hole is still not accessible from the one side, where one would like to stick the screw in.
Unless there was some magic involved , I figure the stage must have been disassembled. Now, I have the stage in front of me, but hesitate to loosen any screws for disassembly without knowing exactly what I'm doing. I see myself already down on my knees, hopping wildly around, chasing after those tiny steel balls from the bearing bouncing all over the floor.

So can anybody (I rembember Charlie mentioning a move he was preparing for, so he might not be online that often at present)
tell me how to safely disassemble such a stage to gain access to the aformentioned hole from the underside?

Thanks much for your help.

--Betty

[Charles Krebs]

Hi Betty,

Yup... I'm still loading boxes and trying to figure out when I'll ever get all the stuff "set-up" again, but I stop by.

I certainly did not need to disassemble or do anything to the stage (I'm not fond of loose ball bearings and springs either! ). I don't remember any difficulty accessing the hole used. Isn't there a certain position of the upper and lower stages that positions a larger "access" hole in the lower stage directly opposite the upper hole. This then allows you to insert the entire machine screw through the base into the hole in the upper stage? I don't think I've packed that piece up yet so I'll try to take a look today.

[Planapo]

Hi there Charlie ,

Isn't there a certain position of the upper and lower stages that positions a larger "access" hole in the lower stage directly opposite the upper hole. This then allows you to insert the entire machine screw through the base into the hole in the upper stage?

Yeah, that's how it works, of course! Turning the micrometer until those holes are aligned! Silly me!
One should always have a thorough look at things from both sides!

Thank you so much, Charlie!

Best wishes,
Betty

[rjlittlefield]

One should always have a thorough look at things from both sides!

...and in all positions.

Don't feel bad. Those things still fake me out from time to time, too.

--Rik