Shopsmith Forums

steve54 wrote:Want to say appreciate all the input. Have ordered and patiently waiting for everything to get here. I use the term patiently loosely.
I really had no idea that there was such a following for Shopsmith. I actually bought my first Shopsmith a 10ER about 15 years ago at a flea market in the middle of a field. It has set in the corner waiting for some much needed attention. Will the tail spur work on the Mark V. And more importantly how does it come apart from the tail stock. It seems to be a eccentric adjustment if I am using the correct terminology. This has two large 1-1/8 nuts or combination. Are these meant to come apart?

The tailstock 'socket' on a 10ER is a bushing that fits into an oversize hole near the top of the tailstock 'bracket'. The oversize hole allows centering it to the headstock spur.

The actual tailstock center has a morse taper #2MT that is inserted into the socket. The Mark 5/V also has a 2MT socket.

Direct answer is yes, but it must be separated from it's 'socket'. If the center has been 'in the socket' for an extended period of time, they are probably fused by rust. Lotsa penetrating oil and force needed then. I have a center/socket pair that have been 'chilling' in the freezer, a few months and when I am ready for the frustration, will again attempt to separate them. Mine however were so badly rusted that another forum member was going to pitch them. Hope someday to succeed in finally 'rescuing them'.

Good Luck!

If you are not familiar with the speed of Shopsmith, be very cautious when starting up a new project. Even at the slowest speed (500-700 rpm) an unbalance piece can be extremely dangerous. I have tried to turn 10" hackberry half logs, and had to run for cover. I could not clamp it down hard enough with the drill quill using a faceplate, and press against live center. I stick with spindles and pends for now, and I'm looking for a way to reduce the speed to something around 70-100 rpm's; or getting a real dedicated lathe for turning platters and bowls. This platter was turned at the local club shop on a 16x42 Delta lathe (13" diameter flamed ash). Even as a balance blank, I'd be very scared to turn that on to start on the Shopsmith.
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[quote="mgdesigns"]If you are not familiar with the speed of Shopsmith, be very cautious when starting up a new project. Even at the slowest speed (500-700 rpm) an unbalance piece can be extremely dangerous. I have tried to turn 10" hackberry half logs, and had to run for cover. I could not clamp it down hard enough with the drill quill using a faceplate, and press against live center. I stick with spindles and pends for now, and I'm looking for a way to reduce the speed to something around 70-100 rpm's]
Trying to understand the grain pattern. Was that cut from a trunk with a branch ring pattern near the center. Also is the 'flame' similar to fleck in oak(spanning annual rings)?

I don't know what part of the tree this was cut from, but the President of the Tennessee Association of Woodturners bought a plank (kiln dried) 14" wide x 2" thick x 10 ft. long, and cut the disk 13.5" diameter for me to turn. So different to turn kiln dried stick as opposed to green lumber cut with a chain saw. I need to get set up to turn the big stuff, because the spouse like them bowls and platters and plates. Great club to be a member of, and wonderful bunch of mentors to boot.

[quote="mgdesigns"]If you are not familiar with the speed of Shopsmith, be very cautious when starting up a new project. Even at the slowest speed (500-700 rpm) an unbalance piece can be extremely dangerous. I have tried to turn 10" hackberry half logs, and had to run for cover. I could not clamp it down hard enough with the drill quill using a faceplate, and press against live center. I stick with spindles and pends for now, and I'm looking for a way to reduce the speed to something around 70-100 rpm's]
Both the PowerPro or Shopsmith speed reducer will get you down into the 200 RPM range, put them both together and you can get somewhere under 50 RPM (I forgot the exact number).

I have set up two headstocks at different times to reduce the quill speed to around 325-350 RPMs (Poor Man's Speed Reducer) and using a jack shaft to 75 to 100 RPM. I removed the Gilmer (or Poly-V) belt. For the Jack Shaft, I use pulleys with a extended hub, by facing one hub in and the other hub out on the Drive Sleeve Shaft and the Idler Shaft. I use link belts for drive belts. I got the idea from Popular Mechanic article May 1960 Page 198.

http://books.google.com/books?id=9tsDAA ... ft&f=false

2" and 7" pulleys mounted side by side with pillow blocks on each side of jack shaft pulleys.

2” pulleys on headstock Idler shaft (hub out) and inside pulley of jack shaft.

7” pulleys on Drive Sleeve shaft (hub in) and outside pulley of jack shaft.

You may want to make a belt cover for the end of the headstock for protection. Since these were for short duration projects, I did not construct any belt cover and was lucky that no mishap occurred.

I remember having to play with the location of the jack shaft platform so the belts did not rub too hard on the tubes. I drilled, & tapped the 2” Idler Shaft pulley for a center groove set screw. There may be one available. I believe I used 8 1/4" pulleys at the time but did not save any information. I used a 5/8" to 3/4" bushing for the 7" or 8 1/4" pulleys and drilled the bushing so the set screw went through the bushing.

Bill Mayo:
That idea of the jackshaft is ok for the SPT side, but I need to be reduced on the quill side. Any idea or drawings would be appreciated. I can see from that old Popular Mechanics article how this works, but getting a stable and slower spindle for lathe work is what I am striving for. Thanks.

BTW: I got an email today from SS for $45 off the UTR. Tempting but still outside my meager budget. Sure with I have a machine shop. I'd make something out of steel.

Q: Does UTR use different toolrest bars, because it looks at though they're about 3/4" diameter, not the threaded standard toolrest posts on the side mounts.

mgdesigns wrote:Bill Mayo:
That idea of the jackshaft is ok for the SPT side, but I need to be reduced on the quill side. Any idea or drawings would be appreciated. I can see from that old Popular Mechanics article how this works, but getting a stable and slower spindle for lathe work is what I am striving for. Thanks.

BTW: I got an email today from SS for $45 off the UTR. Tempting but still outside my meager budget. Sure with I have a machine shop. I'd make something out of steel.

Q: Does UTR use different toolrest bars, because it looks at though they're about 3/4" diameter, not the threaded standard toolrest posts on the side mounts.

1) Remove poly-v or gilmer belt.

2)Do the jackshaft bit, but drive it with the idler shaft, and it in turn drives the output shaft. Might need a shaft extension to make room for the pulleys & belts. You need more reduction since the idler shaft runs 1.6x the 'normal' output shaft speed. A key detail is the pulley diameter difference must be the same for each pulley pair.

The UTR uses the same tool rests. The tool rests have a 3/4" post that is inserted in a 3/4" hole in either the UTR or the Standard tool rest holder.

Do loosen the set screw holding the tool rest in the holder that mounts in the carriage hole etc. Actually the older ones are three pieces - tool rest, holder/mounting arm, and threaded post. Set screws hold it all together.

mgdesigns wrote: Q: Does UTR use different tool-rest bars, because it looks at though they're about 3/4" diameter, not the threaded standard tool-rest posts on the side mounts.

It has both a 1" and a 3/4" post hole. I use the 1" hole with a modular post with heavy duty flat steel bar rest.

paulmcohen wrote:It has both a 1" and a 3/4" post hole. I use the 1" hole with a modular post with heavy duty flat steel bar rest.

The only thing to watch out for there is that the post for the 3/4" hole is higher than the one for the 1" one. As such, your 1" post stuff will need to be longer.

In general, the toolpost on the SS 3/4" rests is not meant for height adjustments. The "adapter" on the UTR or whatever you want to call it does the raising and lowering duties. On a standard lathe toolrest its the post in the carriage which does the raising and lowering.