A Feeling in My Bones

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:15 am

mrhart wrote:So a new 2012 model SS comes with a caster kit (extra cost?) and they don't predrill the holes in the factory? Seems kind of odd.

I would assume 'extra cost' option, and the Mark 7 was 'standard' holes.

greitz · Post by **greitz** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:41 pm

According to the "New Products" Shopsmith brochure, the new (larger) caster wheels are just an upgrade item to the Retractable Caster Brackets. I don't think Shopsmith is (yet) selling the Retractable Caster Brackets with the larger wheels pre-installed.

I haven't heard that the Mark 7 has different legs than the Mark V, it just has new pivot bases and arms. So a new Mark 7's legs are probably still predrilled with holes to match the smaller-wheeled caster brackets.

Gary

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 2:09 pm

greitz wrote:According to the "New Products" Shopsmith brochure, the new (larger) caster wheels are just an upgrade item to the Retractable Caster Brackets. I don't think Shopsmith is (yet) selling the Retractable Caster Brackets with the larger wheels pre-installed.

I haven't heard that the Mark 7 has different legs than the Mark V, it just has new pivot bases and arms. So a new Mark 7's legs are probably still predrilled with holes to match the smaller-wheeled caster brackets.

Gary

I suspect that you are correct in all aspects. I am sort of surprised that the new legs are not coming out predrilled to fit both sets of retractable brackets but that IMHO is no big deal.

If Shopsmith was to discontinue the original wheels would that be the same as trying to pressure me to buy new wheels when really I only need one to replace a broken one.

If new Mark 7s came drilled for new wheels only, then I would either have to redrill to mount what I already own or buy new wheels. Not cool.

Like I said, no big deal. If you want "Big Wheels", get big wheels and redrill.

2bits · Post by **2bits** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:37 pm

JPG40504 wrote:I would assume 'extra cost' option, and the Mark 7 was 'standard' holes.

Yes the retractable caster assembly is an 'extra cost' option and if you order the new larger caster wheels that bumps up the price and they only send the new wheels. The legs still have the holes drilled for the old style wheels. I used the Shopsmith provided drilling template and triple checked everything (unit was sitting belly up) and when we flipped it over the legs still drag the floor on the highest setting. I remember the thread that had several pages about this and I was hoping Shopsmith would have corrected it by now.

I seem to recall that some folks placed some washers in the assembly to exstend the wheels. I will go through that post and see what I will have to do to make them usable. I started getting things cleaned off and waxed and that is all I got done today. I will measure the rear table trunnion tomorrow.

mrhart · Post by **mrhart** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:28 am

Umm..it's like Friday and noooo pics yet....I imagine its alot like a Christmas morning photo. A giant pile of boxes and paper and tags, and sitting in the middle of it all is a smiling little kid that looks like this

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:05 am

mrhart wrote:Umm..it's like Friday and noooo pics yet....I imagine its alot like a Christmas morning photo. A giant pile of boxes and paper and tags, and sitting in the middle of it all is a smiling little kid that looks like this

Give him a break, guys. He isn't retired like some of us. He has a boss that holds a pay check every week. I'm sure he is spending as much time as he can getting this puppy up and running. Remember, he is suffering from sawdust withdrawals. It is not like he has never tasted sawdust before.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:11 pm

2bits wrote:Yes the retractable caster assembly is an 'extra cost' option and if you order the new larger caster wheels that bumps up the price and they only send the new wheels. The legs still have the holes drilled for the old style wheels. I used the Shopsmith provided drilling template and triple checked everything (unit was sitting belly up) and when we flipped it over the legs still drag the floor on the highest setting. I remember the thread that had several pages about this and I was hoping Shopsmith would have corrected it by now. I seem to recall that some folks placed some washers in the assembly to exstend the wheels. I will go through that post and see what I will have to do to make them usable. I started getting things cleaned off and waxed and that is all I got done today. I will measure the rear table trunnion tomorrow.

Bummer! That is worse than previously described.

The adding washers was to compensate for third party caster stems being too long.

I think CS needs their cage rattled from you as purchaser of a considerable investment.

For 'our' enlightenment, how far above the original holes(along a line coincident to the center of the original two holes) are the new holes.

If the legs are dragging in the max raised position, those holes would need to be about 1/2" too high off the floor.

Something be wrong here!

I hope SS did not make a correction in the wrong direction!? If so, they owe you a new set of legs IMHO.

2bits · Post by **2bits** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:54 pm

I got back home to a very cold Tucson on Sunday afternoon. (I had a previous engagement for this weekend) so I did not get too much done in the shop.
The new caster template moves the holes 1and 13/16ths inches. My garage floor may be sloped more than typical, I will have to lay out the level (as soon as I get some room) and see how much it is sloped.
I will try and add a couple of photos. Although I don't have much in the way of "Kodak moments" to post.