Oiling Sheeves

[hcbph]

Starting to get Dad's Shopsmith Mark V (80's vintage) ready to make sawdust again after sitting for a number of years. I've been reading up on it and everything seems straight forward on maintenance with the exception of one thing. I did put it under power for about 5 seconds to just insure it runs, and it did very well, no strange sounds, vibrations, etc.

I've found reference to oiling the sheeves, which seems fairly easy to do. One question though, I did not find a reference to the type of oil to use. I have some 3-in-One and electric motor oil, but unsure if I should use these or not.

Right now the expected usage is using it for horizontal boring only at this time as I already have a number of shop tools available. I'm starting to build a new bench and will need to drill a few holes and this seems the logical choice.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul

[dusty]

This threadmight be of interest.

As for the type of oil - either of the oils that you reference are fine. I use a turbibe oil. It is available in a Zoom Spout, and is called "Zoom Spout Oiler", at Ace Hardware. I am sure it is available at other hardware stores also.

Good luck with your new machine and welcome to the forum.

PS: If your Mark V has been out of service for awhile, I recommend the after oiling and using it a time or two you re-oil again. I do not believe that you can over oil except that you might have to clean up what gets slung out of the sheaves. Inadequate lubrication is the primary cause of many problems with the Shopsmith.

[hcbph]

Appreciate the info, don't want to screw this one up. I do have an idea I'm going to be checking out - lighting. I got a free led light from HF the other day, should help here. Also picked up a gooseneck led light a while back, also battery operated. Looks like light is almost as important as anything else in maintaining these units, and both these look like they'll get into tight places.

Thanks again

Paul

Update - no way to get a can of 3-in-One oil to the hole of the upper sheeve, so I tried the Zoom oil referenced. Happens I have a Ace Hardware about 5 minutes from my house and at $2.50 it's a bargain. The snout self stores in the container and must pull out to a ~5" reach. Went like a dream, thanks again for the suggestion of Zoom.

The lights worked too. The gooseneck doesn't throw off the amount of lighting the other one does (it has 9 leds vs 1) and where one didn't work the other one did. Not bad for a pair of free lights.

[dusty]

Appreciate the info, don't want to screw this one up. I do have an idea I'm going to be checking out - lighting. I got a free led light from HF the other day, should help here. Also picked up a gooseneck led light a while back, also battery operated. Looks like light is almost as important as anything else in maintaining these units, and both these look like they'll get into tight places.

Thanks again

Paul

The led lite is a good idea. I've tried a number of different lighting methods. Most just get in the way.

[charlese]

I've found reference to oiling the sheeves, which seems fairly easy to do. One question though, I did not find a reference to the type of oil to use. I have some 3-in-One and electric motor oil, but unsure if I should use these or not.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul

Hi Paul! Let me add a little twist to oiling the motor sheave shaft. The instructions tell you to put two drops into the hole while spreading the spring. Well, that hole won't hold two drops very well. I've found that sheave shaft lubricates better if the unit is in drill press position. After putting oil into that hole, spread the other end of the spring and put a few drops onto the shaft. It will run down into the space between the shafts. Then run the speed control up and down a few times.

P.S. make sure the speed control is set to fast before oiling the other (control sheave shaft).
PP.SS. The vertical position is also better for oiling the control sheave, as oil will run down the sides and reach that little bearing at the tip. That's the bearing that holds that wire loop.

[wa2crk]

Hi;
Go to Amazon .com and search for "needle oiler" and they have several in stock. They even have one that looks exactly like the one in the SS help kit.I use that one exclusively for oiling my machine. It is listed for $3.29.
Bill V

[hcbph]

Well after lubing it, giving it some time for the oil to work in etc, I gave it a try. Making a small work bench - roughly 24" x 40" x 2", I'm making it out of some 2" thick QSWO I had on hand for the top. One thing I wanted to do was put a couple of threaded rods through it to help hold it all together over time, so I used the ShopSmith to drill those holes. I'm using 1/2" threaded rod, so there were a pair of 9/16" holes to drill through the whole thing for the rod, well the ShopSmith did it with flying colors. On top of that, it's still not assembled yet, it's strapped down to the appliance dolly I used to move it so it was partial reassembly and drill then tape it off again.

I do have a set of tubes coming I bought off Ebay the other day, I"m going to be cutting them down to make a dedicated horizontal borer out of it.

Overall, looking good.

Paul