Stiffness in speed changer control

chasmoss · Post by **chasmoss** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:19 pm

I have un packed my shopsmith after having stored it in an un heated Garage since August of last year. The coldest it has gotten was -10 degrees but now its been about 41 degrees during the day, Is this normal or does something need to be adjusted?

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:23 pm

HOPEFULLY you didn't try and turn it while the SS was off. Probably just needs to be lube.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:46 pm

chasmoss wrote:I have un packed my shopsmith after having stored it in an un heated Garage since August of last year. The coldest it has gotten was -10 degrees but now its been about 41 degrees during the day, Is this normal or does something need to be adjusted?

Hi chasmoss,
Welcome to these forums. At -10, I wood look for an ice pack that needs thawed!

Seriously, I have never tried to operate mine at cold temperatures. Probably never below 50. Some members here pack it in for the winter because of the cold. Was the motor running (I hope) when you turned the speed dial? If so, maybe the lube on your teeth is stiff? Can you heat the room up and try it?

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:56 pm

Hi,

Just had mine up and running today, first time in a long while. My garage gets down to just be low freezing on the cold days of winter and I have to shut down for several months.

I did a lube job just before putting it away and it started right up and the speed dial operated normally. I'll use it for a short while then do my spring checking/lube/fresh wax and check the alignment. I've had the machine since 1976 and this is about how it goes... I have to admit a few winters I had not gotten the lube job done before I had to shut things down so that was the first thing I did in the spring...

My guess is that is all yours needs... a little TLC.

Ed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:07 am

chasmoss wrote:I have un packed my shopsmith after having stored it in an un heated Garage since August of last year. The coldest it has gotten was -10 degrees but now its been about 41 degrees during the day, Is this normal or does something need to be adjusted?

What have you previously lubricated the control sheave shaft and motor sheave shaft with? It is possible that with 'no use' recently that whatever lubed the shafts has gotten stickey/gunked up. SS recommends only light weight machine oil. It does not tend to get 'stickey/gunky. Get a 'zoom spout' light 'turbine' oil and lube the shafts liberally. A dozen in the hole in the control sheave and about 6 in the motor sheave hole. Let it soak overnight and run speed up and down several times(MOTOR RUNNING). Hopefully this WILL loosen things up.