Today in the shop (powerpro)

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:31 am

I had quite a long list of things to do today. I got a reasonably early start and finish one project quickly. Of course it wasn't a big job, 4 countersinks, 4 holes, I cut and then finding some 1/4-10 nuts and bolts.

While drilling the holes the quill feed was not retracting well and got worse as I did more holes.

I checked the top set-screw, no difference, so time to pull the quill. With the quill out the spring still didn't want to unwind. Yep I seen that before. The spring housing was most likely packed with sawdust. Well that has to be one of my no so favorite things to do but it had to be done.

First thing I end up having the spherical fall inside the headstock (501317 if you don't know what it is). I think perhaps I did this a couple of times over the years. It has always fallen in to the motor pan and I was able to retrieve it quickly and with no major efforts needed. Took off the belt cover, it was no where to be seen. Pulled the motor pan, it was no where to be seen.

This was not one of those days where nothing seemed easy. I looked everywhere I could see, used flashlights, mirrors, magnets, tipped to drill press mode, tilted to shaping mode.... had my Wife look. I must have spent and hour on this, and no so much as an faint idea where it had gone.

By now it was clear that it was time to pull the motor. Dug out the tools I needed and proceeded to undo the belt and tip the motor supported by the top screws, still nothing. OK removed all the screws after I got a platform setup. Pulled the motor out and away. The washer had managed to fall and catch itself to one of the tinnerman clips that holds the power supply.

I was able to fish it out with the help of my Wife's smaller fingers. OK I learned that I will have to be a lot more careful next time as this was way to much work finding it and retrieving it. The motor mounting went along well until I noticed one screw was missing. Black screw, black driveway. Need less to say it was now time to play find the screw, an ever popular game. Spent the next half hour looking for the screw. It was no where.

I finally gave up and figure I'd had enough for the day. The main table was mounted backwards for the motor removal and when I removed that and tipped it up the sound of a fastener falling was music to my ears. I have no idea where it was on the main table but it was hiding somewhere. So I finished buttoning up the headstock.

Got the sawdust out of the spring housing and then came the re-hooking of the spring. I'm no expert at this but I usually do pretty well at it so this part went well.

Waxed the quill since it was out. Then being very careful this time I put things together and readjusted the tension. Just because I could used the shaper vertical position to do the assembly work and it worked very well. I did have to think which way to turn the spring being in that position and I did get it right... sure didn't want the spring to come off again.

Yep things were working fine again. Then I plugged the headstock in and turned it on... sounded fine so all was well.

Including a very quick lunch this was 3 1/2 hours of my day.

I still managed to cut up about a dozen pen blanks and have 8 sized and drilled for my next batch of pens. The rest of the projects move off for another day. I've got two pens I need to do tomorrow, they come first. After that I'll have to see.

So that was my day in the workshop.

Ed

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:09 pm

Sounds like a day full of "quality time" with the Shopsmith.

I'm now past 2 years with the PowerPro and enjoying it. My wife likes the quietness when I spend time turning on the lathe.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:26 pm

Perhaps the 'shaper' position is good for quill shaft removal also? Drop into the belt cover?

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 1:39 pm

Reible;
I am having trouble with the pinion shaft on my PP also. After drilling several holes ( 10 or 20) or so the pinion shaft gradually starts to bind up and can get real sticky. I even have a groove in the spring housing from the set screw where it dragged when I advanced the quill. I put my old quill and pinion shaft in the new PP headstock and now it seems normal however the new PP pinion shaft will bind in the old headstock casting when only slight pressure from the set screw is applied. If I hold the spring housing by hand I can turn the handle almost one full turn without a bind. Did you find any debris in the PP pinion shaft? I would really like to pursue this matter cause I believe that it may be a problem unrelated to sawdust.
I also noticed that the woodruff key is no longer used and the bushing that is behind the quill lock handle does not have the keyway slot either. Wonder why the change?
Also when removing the pinion shaft tie a string on the operator's end of the shaft and the domed washer will not fall into the bowels of the beast.
Bill V

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:10 pm

I be curious how well the quill lock works without the key and keyway.

And how it does so!

Seems to me a tight spacer, washer(s) by themselves will not prevent the quill shaft from rotating.

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:14 pm

nuhobby wrote:Sounds like a day full of "quality time" with the Shopsmith.

I'm now past 2 years with the PowerPro and enjoying it. My wife likes the quietness when I spend time turning on the lathe.

The "quietness" is nice. With some of my newer saw blades even sawing is quiet. That is a definite plus for the powerpro.

I think I would have preferred the "quality time" to have been making saw dust rather then the fixing issues I caused by dropping the washer and temporally loosing the fastener.... It was a learning experience for me as well and had I tried to move a little slower it would have taken me less over all time.

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:18 pm

JPG40504 wrote:Perhaps the 'shaper' position is good for quill shaft removal also? Drop into the belt cover?

I guess I never did say that but yes that is why I went that way.

While I didn't do a test drop I believe you are correct as to were the washer would end up. I'll save that experiment for another time.

Another plus for the dual tilt.

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:05 pm

wa2crk wrote:Reible]That is interesting, in other cases where I've seen this happening the binding starts with the quill not wanting to return. At that point I know something is not right and I stop and look into it. The saw dust in the spring housing is not always the answer. [/color]

I put my old quill and pinion shaft in the new PP headstock and now it seems normal however the new PP pinion shaft will bind in the old headstock casting when only slight pressure from the set screw is applied. If I hold the spring housing by hand I can turn the handle almost one full turn without a bind. Did you find any debris in the PP pinion shaft? I would really like to pursue this matter cause I believe that it may be a problem unrelated to sawdust.

In my case this is my original headstock from back in 1976. The pinion shaft and related parts are all original equipment. The quill was updated once and then replaced with the one that comes with the powerpro. Each time I've updated the quill I've found that the pinion gets reshaped by the steel quill, there is a wear in period so to speak. I clean the teeth on the pinion with a brush and then where I find a bur I file it away and re-wax.

I've also found small "nicks" in the slot on the quill, used a file to clean them up too. I contributed that to a previous owner.

I also noticed that the woodruff key is no longer used and the bushing that is behind the quill lock handle does not have the keyway slot either. Wonder why the change?

I have none of the new hardware of which you speak. I would have thought the keyway and key would be required to keep thing from moving but from what you are saying I guess not. (It would lower ss's cost by not having to do those operations.)

Also when removing the pinion shaft tie a string on the operator's end of the shaft and the domed washer will not fall into the bowels of the beast.

Yes I know about the string thing but I've done so well most times without it that I don't take the time, sort of like a game really, you know the thrill of victory sort of thing. Now with my new procedure I think I will continue to play the game.

Bill V

I'm quite interested in the new arrangement of lack of the key and no-slot bushing. I wonder when that change happened?

I'm also wondering what is up with your machine. How in the world can things bind so bad that it twists the spring housing. I think the spring is the only mechanical connection so the twisting between the housing and the casting..... having trouble figuring out a way for this to bind to that extent.

Please keep us informed as to what you find out.

Ed

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 4:13 pm

Actually the slot for the woodruff key is still in the pinion shaft but no key. I thought that it dropped out until I saw the slot missing in the bushing. My original headstock is a 1983. I will have to wait until Friday to call SS cause the 30 lb bird is getting in the way. I am thinking that the spring may be cracked and it may be the cause. I don't want to take the spring out of the housing.
I did once and I DO NOT want to have to rewind another!!!:(
Bill V

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 1:49 am

Glad it is now fixed, Ed. I've had issues (now repaired) with my PowerPro, but never that one.