I just checked on my parts order and found out they will not be shipped until end of November. There goes my project for making Christmas presents. I am not great wood worker; I bought the Shopsmith counting on all the support. Well, I guess without competent part supply management it is recommended to not put the fait into all-in-one tool. I guess go back to hand tools, fix it when the parts finally arrive and evaluate if it is worth keeping.
As you can see, I am very disappointed.
SS 500(09/1980), DC3300, jointer, bandsaw, belt sander, Strip Sander, drum sanders,molder, dado, biscuit joiner, universal lathe tool rest, Oneway talon chuck, router bits & chucks and a De Walt 735 planer,a #5,#6, block planes. ALL in a 100 square foot shop. .
.
Bob
Geez,
SS is a wonderful company and stives to meet our needs above and beyond any ohter company I work with. They recently had to move to a just in time inventory system to keep alive during these hard times. I do believe you have taken this situation the wrong way. Once you get the parts you need I think you will find that your SS will continue to work with very little down time. It is the most solid piece of hardware I have in my shop. It does require keeping up with maintance of waxing and lubing and calibration from time to time. I take it you just got this machine and it was not in good shape to start with. Once you get it there and see what we all are doing you will find out what spare parts you need to have on hand for the future to avoid the downtime you are experiencing now. Welcome to the forum and hang in there you will soon come to love boht SS and your macnine.
SS 500 upgraded to 510; SS bandsaw; SS jointer
SS Oscillating Drum Sander; Universal Lathe Rest;
lathe duplicatior, shaper fence and shapers; SS Belt
Sander
Jim www.youtube.com/kd6vpe
I have received parts I ordered from ShopSmith and Dave R.
Sorry I was harsh on the company. I just do not have much experience (in woodworking and dealing with ShopSmith). I bought this unit few years ago and used it as a table saw building addition on the house. Simple stuff, but after that it took the rest in the shed while I was installing tiles, plumbing and more. When I tried to use it first time after over a year, I lubricated all, but I was wrong and did not lube lower sheave. That messed up upper sheave bearing. I never had to order parts before except one plywood blade. When I got word that will take few weeks for parts, I just did not take it right. ShopSmith proved me wrong, I got parts a lot faster then I expected. I knew that saw is a great product; I found that parts quality if great, I just did not know that they provide great support also. I got a lot of great support from other members too. Now I am learning maintenance, and reading these posts is a great way to learn. I have few more years to earn paycheck but after that I hope I will have more time to use it. Now I know to build spare supply, and may be able to bail someone else in the pinch.
Hey there Flying! Good to have you with us! Just in case you haven't seen this service, I'm including a link to the Sawdust sessions. http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Sawdust_Sessions.htm
Session 22 has a part about cleaning and inspecting
Once you are looking at the list of the sessions, you can click on the red triangle (arrow) at the left of each and get a list of what each session contains.
Also - in case you don't find it - here is a direct link to the video tips. http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Tips.htm
You can also reach this from a link near the top left of the Sawdust sessions page.
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
Glad things worked out for you. As you know now, we aim to please and as a group goes I don't think it gets much better then this. Hope you enjoy your shopsmith for a good long time to come.
Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
Welcome to the site.
I'm glad you worked it out and the parts arrived.
Hang around the forum. I'm not that great at wood working but it keeps me outta trouble.
Sorta.
The help kit comes with a handy lil syringe full of lubrication for those internal spots.
John, aka. Pinkie. 1-520, 1-510 & a Shorty, OPR. 520 upgrade, Band Saw, Jig Saw, scroll saw, Jointer, Jointech Saw Train. Delta Benchtop planer, Makita LS1016L 10" sliding compound miter saw, Trojan manf. (US Made)Miter saw work center, MiniMax MM16 bandsaw.
Squire of the Shopsmith. ...hmmmm, maybe knave, pawn, or wretch would be more appropriate for me.
I just checked on my parts order and found out they will not be shipped until end of November. There goes my project for making Christmas presents. I am not great wood worker; I bought the Shopsmith counting on all the support. Well, I guess without competent part supply management it is recommended to not put the fait into all-in-one tool. I guess go back to hand tools, fix it when the parts finally arrive and evaluate if it is worth keeping. 
Delta Benchtop planer, Makita LS1016L 10" sliding compound miter saw, Trojan manf. (US Made)Miter saw work center, MiniMax MM16 bandsaw.