ShopSmith Repairs

patsfanjoe2000 · Post by **patsfanjoe2000** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:08 pm

Does anyone in the San Antonio, TX area fix ShopSmiths? My motor keeps tripping the breaker. Also, the speed adjustment is missing a few teeth. Thanks
Joe

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:51 pm

First off, when did ya last do maintenance? What year is your SS? What speed do ya leave it at when ya turn it off? Do you have it on it's own circuit? Also

WELCOME to the forum.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:21 pm

patsfanjoe2000 wrote:Does anyone in the San Antonio, TX area fix ShopSmiths? My motor keeps tripping the breaker. Also, the speed adjustment is missing a few teeth. Thanks
Joe

Does it run at all? Please tell beeg that you have cleaned out all the sawdust, lubed everything that the manual says to lubricate, waxed the tables and checked the power cord for insulation deterioration (shorts).

backhertz · Post by **backhertz** » Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:45 pm

I don't know of anyone near you. If you have the skills, you might benefit from the troubleshooting manual and/or DVDs sold by Jacob Anderson on Ebay.

I know of only three places you can send your headstock for repair. Bill Mayo in Florida, Jacob Anderson in Virgina, or the factory in Dayton, OH.

I viewed a YouTube video today with a guy with a motor problem which he ended up burning up the windings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OT-MevPk34

You can easily do your own maintenance if you watch Jacob's videos and possess some basic skills. You might find some other You Tube videos or Nick Engler on the Saw Dust Sessions he and Drew produced a number of years ago.

Do you mean the speed control knob which uses potted metal? Those often break if a person tries to change the speed with the motor off. There's a guy on Ebay who will sell you a rebuilt knob with a steel gear for half of the price of a new knob from Shopsmith that is made of the potted metal.

I notice this is your first post- welcome. Have you used the Shopsmith very long? A tripped circuit breaker is common even with a new Mark V if you are running a Shop Vac and turn the headstock on at high speed. I rewired my shop with dedicated 20-amp circuits for my Shopsmiths as I was tired of breakers tripping when I used the Shopsmith at my father's basement.

It would be helpful if you could send a pic or two & let us know what model & age Shopsmith you have. Preventive and periodic maintenance and lubrication is critical to trouble-free operation of your Shopsmith.

Try looking at these:
http://www.woodshoptips.com/tips/010305/index.htm
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/serv ... /index.htm

patsfanjoe2000 · Post by **patsfanjoe2000** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 5:56 pm

My Shop Smith is about 12 years old. I just made a couple of quilt stands for my wife without problems, using the band saw and drill press. Everything seemed fine. I went to reattach the band saw and that is when the breaker started to flip.
I always bring the speed to slow before shutting the machine off.
The saw was the only thing plugged in at the time. I have the workshop split into three circuits. One for lights and the other two for the plugs. I have a Sears radial arm saw plugged into the same circuit as the Shop Smith but hat wasn't on.
Other than cleaning the saw dust and waxing and oiling the table and extensions, I never took the machine apart.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:04 pm

patsfanjoe2000 wrote:My Shop Smith is about 12 years old. I just made a couple of quilt stands for my wife without problems, using the band saw and drill press. Everything seemed fine. I went to reattach the band saw and that is when the breaker started to flip.
I always bring the speed to slow before shutting the machine off.
The saw was the only thing plugged in at the time. I have the workshop split into three circuits. One for lights and the other two for the plugs. I have a Sears radial arm saw plugged into the same circuit as the Shop Smith but hat wasn't on.
Other than cleaning the saw dust and waxing and oiling the table and extensions, I never took the machine apart.

How about oiling the sheaves?

claimdude · Post by **claimdude** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:29 pm

patsfanjoe2000 wrote:Does anyone in the San Antonio, TX area fix ShopSmiths? My motor keeps tripping the breaker. Also, the speed adjustment is missing a few teeth. Thanks
Joe

Skip Campbell lives in the DFW area. He has done some work on my SS over the years.

Jack

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:22 pm

You may want to try to turn the spindle by hand while rotating the speed control handle slowly to get it up off the dead slow setting. It is possible that the V belt dropped too low into the motor sheave and is bound up. This is caused by a worn V belt.
Bill V

db5 · Post by **db5** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:35 pm

Here's a great source for a motor rebuild. $70 plus you pay for shipping. Probably cheaper than sending it to Florida.

Simon Eng
933 S. Grinnell St.
Anaheim, CA 92807

714-757-0380

sse92807@yahoo.com

If the Speed dial is missing some teeth look for buying a replacement on eBay.

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:30 pm

db5 wrote:Here's a great source for a motor rebuild. $70 plus you pay for shipping. Probably cheaper than sending it to Florida.

Simon Eng
933 S. Grinnell St.
Anaheim, CA 92807

714-757-0380

sse92807@yahoo.com

If the Speed dial is missing some teeth look for buying a replacement on eBay.

If I'm not mistaken, that's for a motor rebuild and not a headstock rebuild...seems like the motor is not usually the problem, or even if it is, the headstock is likely to need bearings and other repairs.