<HTML>In a message dated 5/16/2003 8:14:40 AM Pacific Standa= rd Time, bradley@rice.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">The intent behind my question w= as "how can I fix the problem," not "how can I compensate for it." </BLOCKQUOTE> Bradley, Fixing the problem entails finding where the leverage differs. Individual va= riances are most often in the most highly levered places, like the knuckle, = where very small variations in either height or placement can affect the lev= erage significantly. I suppose the capstan could be out of line, but that is= less common. Irregularities at the repetition support flange, such as machining differenc= es or excessive traveling papers can change the spread. Did you get my earlier message about scooting hammer flanges? >>In some cases, though, it isn't the knuckle that's misplaced - it's = that the flange has been placed carelessly on the screw, especially on non-s= haped-rail types. It can be as simple as moving the flange a little under th= e screw. There's often plenty of room in the screw hole. This may disturb th= e in/out line of the hammer, but you can decide at that point whether to cor= rect or ignore that.<< Isaac also mentioned papering shank flanges forward/backward slightly. Bob Davis</HTML>