Rebuild Status/ Cumulative Hour Meter/Other

[backhertz]

Hi all,
I am in the process of totally rebuilding my headstocks before the parts sale expires. I have one old one, relatively speaking, a 1981. This was my $125 purchase. It has a lot of rust. Anyhow, I'm using Jacob Anderson's repair DVDs. I bought the set for $29. I would rather watch Nick & Drew for free, but Jacob, in his one man, two dog show has covered every single Mark V, starting in the 50's. On the head stock DVD, he takes the time to show the differences between the motors, belts, etc. In his motor DVD, he show enough so an average person with average skills and average tools can troubleshoot and/or repair a bad motor.

Anyway, in the old one and my other two head stocks, preventive maintenance was absent. So I'm paying the price now & replacing all the belts, bearings, and other wear items. Do I absolutely have to? No, but in some cases, yes. For example, a motor fan sheave was actually warped/bent. Being this was head stock was my fathers, I know he never took it apart. I figure it was that was from Day 1. Many bearings are dry. My head stocks will essentially be new when I'm finished. I simply need to get my saw blades sharpened & I'll be making chips in no time. I'm in NJ, near Exit 5 off the NJ Turnpike. Anyone know a good saw blade place?

A simple preventive maintenance program will keep them that way. Simply blowing the dust out of the motor pans will prevent rust. The motor pan on the 1981 model is so bad, I'm simply going to replace it.

I almost made it to Harbor Freight to purchase a 12-ton bearing press. But Craig's List saved me. I only need to drive an hour to go pick it up. I've always wanted one, but usually found a way around it. Now I have 'extra' bucks to buy the bearing separators and proper sized snap ring pliers. I want to try and figure a way to only have to replace the tiny bearing in the control sheave. But that looks to be tricky. It's a low priority.

But a higher priority to me would be installing a cumulative hour meter to keep track of the running time so preventive maintenance can be accomplished in a timely basis. I found a meter for $10 from Midwest Equipment.com. I simply need to find a place to mount it either on the head stock- logical spot, or maybe - you know the headstock is probably the only place.

I found a place on Ebay that sells Fafnir bearings. He has the drive sleeve & the larger quill bearing for $4.00 & $5.00 respectively, but quantities are limited. I ordered the remaining bearings from E. B. Atmus. Their prices are much more, but reasonable. I'm not totally sure why Shopsmith doesn't sell em. It's not like any of us would simply replace totally assemblies unless absolutely necessary.

I am also getting my speed knobs modified by Don Horne. He removes the aluminum casting gear and machines the dial so it will accept a steal gear held by a set screw- all for $16.00.

Tony

[brown_hawk]

Tony,

Any chance of a picture and link on the hour meter?

I've thought of this over the years, but that is as far as it has gone.

Meanwhile, sounds like you've got a job on your hands.

Thanks, Hawk

ETA: Nevermind, it's: http://www.midwestequipment.com/Product ... ctID=23271

[gk777]

You live near one of the best by what I have been told for blade sharpening. I have not used them yet so I do not know for sure but

Forrest Blades in Clifton, NJ.

http://www.forrestblades.com/sharpening.htm

[dusty]

I've had all of my carbide tipped blades done by Forrest twice. They do a great job.

[kalynzoo]

I'm truly impressed by you skill. Enjoy.

[charlese]

Hi all,....
But a higher priority to me would be installing a cumulative hour meter to keep track of the running time so preventive maintenance can be accomplished in a timely basis. I found a meter for $10 from Midwest Equipment.com. I simply need to find a place to mount it either on the head stock- logical spot, or maybe - you know the headstock is probably the only place....
Tony

Tony - tell you what I do that has worked for a couple years. Instead of an hour meter. I write the date of the last servicing on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the headstock, just above the warning label. If if run the headstock quite a bit I'll service when I think necessary - but it never goes over one month. (at least not more than a couple of days) A lot easier than a meter.

[a1gutterman]

Tony - tell you what I do that has worked for a couple years. Instead of an hour meter. I write the date of the last servicing on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the headstock, just above the warning label. If if run the headstock quite a bit I'll service when I think necessary - but it never goes over one month. (at least not more than a couple of days) A lot easier than a meter.

Holy Cow Batman! That is a lot of servicing! Well, you can't do it too much, except for maybe oiling the shafts. Don't want too much oil in there.

[backhertz]

Thanks for the link. Clifton isn't all that far. I have a number of blades that I want sharpened before I get to making dust. I didn't realize the resharpening cost was so high....yikes! Any places just as good but with cheaper prices?
Today I picked up a used 12-ton bearing press. Saved me $50-60 over a new one. But then I went to Harbor Freight and dropped a few dollars there. Some of their stuff is just okay; some of it is just real <deleted>.

I picked a bearing separator kit (30305) for $31. It only has one separator, but it seems to be a better quality than the separate separators. I saw the biggest Crescent-type wrench I've ever seen for only $19.99. Amazing.

I had purchased a so-called 1/2" metric impact socket set. The first time I used the 19mm socket, it split in two spots. the 17mm split only in one place. I gave the old sockets to one of the stockers there & he gave me back two heavy duty sockets. I noted the walls are twice as thick. I'm wondering if Harbor Freight is making better quality impact sockets, or the kid gave me the wrong replacements.

Tony

[a1gutterman]

..............I saw the biggest Crescent-type wrench I've ever seen for only $19.99. Amazing.....................

A bit (or two) of trivia: Crescent made the ADJUSTABLE WRENCH popular (they are probably the inventor of it; probably held the patent for years; and therefore, they were probably the only company making them for years); and therefore lots of people refer to the adjustable wrench as a "Crescent " wrench. The fact is, every company that makes mechanics hand tools makes an adjustable wrench. Another not-so-well-known fact is that the Crescent tool company makes sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. too. Used to be American made. You can walk into a Costco store and buy a very large and inexpensive (made in China) Crescent tool set today. I don't recall seeing an adjustable wrench in that set. Huh.

[a1gutterman]

..........I had purchased a so-called 1/2" metric impact socket set. The first time I used the 19mm socket, it split in two spots. the 17mm split only in one place. I gave the old sockets to one of the stockers there & he gave me back two heavy duty sockets. I noted the walls are twice as thick. I'm wondering if Harbor Freight is making better quality impact sockets, or the kid gave me the wrong replacements.

Tony

IMHO, Harbor Freight = junk.