New to the 10ER

[Real1shepperd]

Hi All,
I'm sure you've heard this story many times before or experienced it yourselves. I was made aware of a 10ER that had been sitting unused in a warehouse basement for the last 20 yrs. Original owner had passed away over 20yrs ago. Son not really interested in the machine. This is almost like a comedy, but if you knew me...pretty normal. One light bulb down in this huge basement. I can barely see the machine. I have a very limited time frame to get it out of there, because other people are becoming aware of its existence. No time to go back home and get flashlights. It's sitting next to a planer and some ShopSmith parts are on top of the planer.

It has the deluxe bench with with retractable wheels etc...even a nice wooden drawer. Inside the drawer are an assortment of parts, including original saw blades- 8". The blade on the machine is 7 1/4 and betting the son used it for a bit that way...wasn't even put on correctly and was rotating out of round. We have to get this rig up three flights of stairs to a loading dock we discovered by sliding a door open that was stopped by junk in the warehouse.

The guy helping me had a Mark V once and assured me all the parts were there in the drawer. They weren't, no drill chuck, no fence. We had to split the ER from the bench because it was too heavy for my helper to carry.....I was game. No flashlights, just cell phone lights...oh boy. Finally we got the two split and the ShopSmith loaded in my truck after much grunting and cussing. Then the bench. On my way out I could hear people asking about the ShopSmith and they would pay double the asking price etc....ohhh.

I live in a arid climate(almost a desert) so there was virtually nothing but a skim of rust on the way tubes. They cleaned up like new with no effort. Unfortunately, the saw blades and the dado blade were put into a plastic bag and then shoved into the drawer. Somehow moisture got into that plastic bag and rusted the saw blades pretty bad, but not so much the dado.

So I've been reading searching, reading searching....about 123,000 E's and ER's made total. These aren't the kind of things usually to go to a dump. ShopSmith, thanks to their infomercials have a good reputation. Most people would say, "Don't take that to the dump, sell it!". However, I'm sure some did make it to the landfill, burned up in fires etc. OTOH, I see a reasonable array of parts and accessories on eBay.

I bought a speed changer assembly among other things. What I'm finding out is that for the most part, the people selling these parts are not familiar with them. The speed changer assembly was missing some minor parts. But the seller took it off another ER so he had the missing parts....WTH? But worse than that was one of the 'fixed' sheaves crashed into something inside his shipping box and chipped the sheave.

So assuming he eventually sends me the few missing parts(I'm withholding money from him), he thinks he can find me a sheave. But he's sending me pics of headstock and motor sheaves...telling me they're easy to find. I told him you have to find the 'fixed' sheave from a speed changer.

So now we get to 'Skip' @MKC. Twice now I have sent him emails asking questions about items for sale. I've gotten no answer. But when I bought his "Power Tools and Woodworking For Everyone" book, it came right away. Do any of you have any experience communicating with 'Skip'? Has he been worn down by newbies asking questions?

If this seller can't find me a 'fixed' sheave, would it be best to have one made by someone like 'Skip' or should I wait and keep looking? And.....it appears that ShopSmith themselves is only selling the 11" blades. I got all the rust off the original blades and will sharpen them. But if there are new 8" blades I'm sure the cutter teeth designs are more advanced by now? I'm told you limit yourself by using a 7 1/2" blade and/or the 11" inch blade?

Oh and I almost forgot...in his speed changer tutorial 'Skip' refers to the inner sheave as a "floating sheave". I had the assembly sitting in a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF for two days. The center sheave seems pressed/fixed. Is it just called a "floating sheave" because it acts like one......because of the way you set the "fixed sheaves"?

Kevin

[JPG]

The 'center' pulley sheave should move freely between the outer sheaves.

Current SS blades are 10". Do NOT use them on a model 10!!!

IIUC Skip has retired.

Tell him to send a good sheave off 'the other' speed changer!

[DarrenDD]

How about (2) fixed sheaves and a floating sheave for good measure:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125368199712?m ... media=COPY

[JPG]

How convenient is that!

[Real1shepperd]

That's quite a bit, but I'll fwd that to the seller...thanks!

I can't believe that center sheave actually moves....wow. That thing is rust frozen on there I guess. May try some heat next.

'Skip' may be retired, but he still selling stuff on his site! You'd think he could answer emails....

Kevin

[JPG]

TRY 50/50 MIX OF ACETONE/ATF

[chapmanruss]

Real1shepperd,

First off welcome to the Shopsmith Forum. Sounds like you found a nice Model 10ER. As for the Speed Changer parts, do be extremely careful with them. As you can see, they are expensive to replace if you can find them. They are easily broken if not carefully and correctly handled. Although it is a more common accessory it is a sought after one and carries a premium price. Getting the floating sheave off the sleeve can be difficult. I even had to use a hydraulic press to carefully get one off. Nothing else worked. This is usually caused by running the Speed Changer dry without proper lubrication. That looks to be what happened to the Pulley parts for sale currently on ebay. The sleeve needs to have a very smooth surface and likewise the inside bore of the floating sheave needs to be very smooth. The sheave floats back and forth on the sleeve on a film of grease or oil. Preferences on grease or oil being used varies and either will work fine as long as it is maintained. Grease generally lasts longer but the assembly has to be separated to regrease. Oil generally doesn't last as long but can be added without disassembly. The Pulley assembly needs to have oil on the shaft it rides on for the oillite bearings in the ends of the sleeve.

As for the Saw Blades, JPG has already said no larger blades. The Model 10's were designed to use 8" Saw Blades. I would forget trying to get the existing blades useable again. They don't hold their sharpness as well as carbide tipped blades. New 8" Blades can be found. I have found several brands and I have even found one at my local Home Depot.

[Real1shepperd]

TRY 50/50 MIX OF ACETONE/ATF

Read my first post.....


Kevin

[JPG]

TRY 50/50 MIX OF ACETONE/ATF

Read my first post.....


Kevin

Missed taht.

[Real1shepperd]

Real1shepperd,

First off welcome to the Shopsmith Forum. Sounds like you found a nice Model 10ER. As for the Speed Changer parts, do be extremely careful with them. As you can see, they are expensive to replace if you can find them. They are easily broken if not carefully and correctly handled. Although it is a more common accessory it is a sought after one and carries a premium price. Getting the floating sheave off the sleeve can be difficult. I even had to use a hydraulic press to carefully get one off. Nothing else worked. This is usually caused by running the Speed Changer dry without proper lubrication. That looks to be what happened to the Pulley parts for sale currently on ebay. The sleeve needs to have a very smooth surface and likewise the inside bore of the floating sheave needs to be very smooth. The sheave floats back and forth on the sleeve on a film of grease or oil. Preferences on grease or oil being used varies and either will work fine as long as it is maintained. Grease generally lasts longer but the assembly has to be separated to regrease. Oil generally doesn't last as long but can be added without disassembly. The Pulley assembly needs to have oil on the shaft it rides on for the oillite bearings in the ends of the sleeve.

As for the Saw Blades, JPG has already said no larger blades. The Model 10's were designed to use 8" Saw Blades. I would forget trying to get the existing blades useable again. They don't hold their sharpness as well as carbide tipped blades. New 8" Blades can be found. I have found several brands and I have even found one at my local Home Depot.

Thank you Russ, yes....there is evidence of brute force on the eBay one for sale. I couldn't live with that and the scars as a reminder. Could you share with me where your source of 8" blades are? I'll look again @HD.....didn't see that size before. I have the smaller Skil saw so I'm pretty sensitive to blades other than the 7 1/4" standard.

I put the seller in touch with 'Skip' by way of his phone # and told him to call about maybe having an extra 'fixed' sheave. I've heard nothing on his end. At least I held some money back on that sale.

I have some non-harmful ideas for getting that center sheave loose. I've gone through the rest of the speed changer and it's in pretty good shape compared to others I've seen on eBay.

I'm betting that speed changer sheave assembly was dropped at one point and weakened the edge of that sheave....colliding inside the box on the way here just broke it. The 'fixed' sheaves look pretty fragile to me, aluminum and all.

*Update;looked on Amazon/eBay....holy cow, the selection of 8" blades!

Kevin