Double Bearing Quill?

[DC Ross]

Here's a stupid question: How can I tell if I have a double bearing quill?

[dusty]

If you watch this Sawdust Session, Nick will tell you how:

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... enance.htm

But if you simply remove the quill and test to see how far into the end the first bearings is located you can tell. With a two bearing quill, you can insert your Shopsmith allen wrench only about 6" before you contact the bearing. If the allen wrench seems to reach almost to the other end of the quill, you have a single bearing quill.

Watch the Sawdust Session.

[DC Ross]

Thanks Dusty, it looks like i have the two bearing quill
Now I just have to figure out why it's wobbly

[woodburner]

You can either have a bent quill shaft, in which you will have to replace the whole quill assembly to fix it, or send it to the company to have it worked on.
Or, the allen setscrew on the top of the headstock is not seated correctly in the groove/plow that is on the top of the quill shaft. You will see the groove/plow when you extend the quill out from the headstock. If the allen setscrew is not seated right, it will allow the entire quill turn freely and make it wobbly. To test this, turn the allen setscrew down until it stops and then back it off about a quarter turn. If everything runs smooth, you fixed the problem. If not, then you probably have a bent quill shaft or the bearings are worn out. If this is the case, contact customer service to find out what to do next.

[james.miller]

Sometimes you just need to replace the bearings.

If your checking the setscrew check to see if it has a flat spot worn in one side of it, happened to me.

[sackbut88]

It seems Nick got this kind of wrong. The single bearing quills I have seen have a dust shield that stops an Allen wrench about 2 inches in. If you use a probe thin enough to get past that, it goes nearly to the other end. On the double bearing quill, the bearing that stops the probe is about 4 1/4 inches in, not six inches.

[dusty]

I have three double bearing quills and they all test IAW what Nick presented in the Sawdust Session. (I may be treating 4 1/2" as = 6"). Let us not quibble over that.

I have limited hands on experience with a one bearing quill so I will let others comment there.

I must assume, given the way you came onto the forum, that you have a great deal of experience with the one bearing quills and that you are well aware that there are multiple versions. Some may have dust shields while others do no.

I hesitate to call Nick "wrong".

[reible]

Way back in 2008 I did this post with some pictures of a single bearing quill and with an early 2 piece two bearing quill. At the time at least two newer versions of the 2 bearing quill existed. That count might be about 6 different ones now.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewtopic.php?t=2719

You have to watch for dated materials, we only know what we know at a point in time. Live goes on and so do designs.

There are also two bearing quills which have been machined from single bearing quills, at least two people I know of have engaged in that process so add those to what might be in any particular machine.

To me it was always easier to pull the quill and have a look down inside then to even worry about how far in anything was. If you see a bearing way down inside it is one bearing quill, if you see a bearing up close then it's a two bearing.

The washer normally comes out pretty easy, in most cases tipping it upside down lets it fall out. Just make sure you are looking at bearings and not the washer.

Ed

[jsburger]

Way back in 2008 I did this post with some pictures of a single bearing quill and with an early 2 piece two bearing quill. At the time at least two newer versions of the 2 bearing quill existed. That count might be about 6 different ones now.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewtopic.php?t=2719

You have to watch for dated materials, we only know what we know at a point in time. Live goes on and so do designs.

There are also two bearing quills which have been machined from single bearing quills, at least two people I know of have engaged in that process so add those to what might be in any particular machine.

To me it was always easier to pull the quill and have a look down inside then to even worry about how far in anything was. If you see a bearing way down inside it is one bearing quill, if you see a bearing up close then it's a two bearing.

The washer normally comes out pretty easy, in most cases tipping it upside down lets it fall out. Just make sure you are looking at bearings and not the washer.

Ed

That is what I was going to say. Nick was not wrong at that point in time.

[jdonovan]

What version of the 2 bearing quill is the best? I have a single bearing quill and was looking to upgrade