Powerpro idlershaft alignment

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:56 am

Matbe SS should install the shaft guard on the headstocks when shipping them to avoid having the shafts getting pushed into the headstock. I would require the pinion shaft be replaced. I am sure that the $150 plus shipping includes some sort of insurance to cover potential damages. The shipper should have been notified of the hole in the box and the damage.
When I got mine the driver put the box on the floor of my garage and was reluctant to help me put it up on my work bench until I told him I would help. He was about 25 and I am 70. Shipping weight on my box is listed as 81 pounds, so this thing is NOT a light weight.
Bill V

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:13 am

dusty wrote:I am not at all surprised. I have the box and packing materials that a new PowerPro was shipped in. I was amazed that the headstock had not been damaged. Even the cardboard box was lesser quality (strength) than those of the past.

Box, packing material....is there something we should know, Dusty?

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:40 pm

I still have my box from the PP headstock and the packing material. The packing is brown paper that has been passed through a paper folder to form packing material. Got a demo of that system at the factory in 2008. Mine had quite a lot of paper under the headstock at least my delivery driver did handle the box with care.
Bill

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:50 pm

SDSSmith wrote:Box, packing material....is there something we should know, Dusty?

No! I was just commenting that I thought the box and packing material was inadequate for the weight of the item contained. It was not a flimsy box but I don't think it was stout enough for a 80 pound headstock. I would be more comfortable if they used foam or Styrofoam to prevent the contents from shifting.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:42 pm

dig wrote:OK. I removed the cover, loosened a big allen bolt, turned a slotted bushing(?), pulled the shaft out until it stopped at a small washer, went clockwise on the bushing and re-tightened the allen bolt. The shafts look to be in acceptable positions with relation to the belt cover holes.

You did it correctly!
Here's the method to adjust the belt tension:
- Put the machine in drill press position Make sure to tighten the arm lock knob.
- loosen and slide the belt cover all the way up and tie the cover to the headrest, or put a clamp on the way tube below the cover.
- again loosen the eccentric as you have done before.
- turn on the headstock and set it to run at 900 RPM, if there are no rattling or scraping noises, set the headstock to run at 2000 RPM, then if running normally, set to 3450 RPM. Here's where you will set the belt tension with the machine running.
- With the machine running at 3450, move the slot in the eccentric back and forth to find the place where the headstock runs quietest. This should be near the center of the available movement. (You can probably turn the eccentric about 20 degrees)
- Tighten the allen bolt.
- if there are no noises after the tightening you are set! If noisy, loosen and adjust the eccentric again.

That's all there is to it!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:02 pm

charlese wrote:You did it correctly!
Here's the method to adjust the belt tension:
- Put the machine in drill press position Make sure to tighten the arm lock knob.
- loosen and slide the belt cover all the way up and tie the cover to the headrest, or put a clamp on the way tube below the cover.
- again loosen the eccentric as you have done before.
- turn on the headstock and set it to run at 900 RPM, if there are no rattling or scraping noises, set the headstock to run at 2000 RPM, then if running normally, set to 3450 RPM. Here's where you will set the belt tension with the machine running.
- With the machine running at 3450, move the slot in the eccentric back and forth to find the place where the headstock runs quietest. This should be near the center of the available movement. (You can probably turn the eccentric about 20 degrees)
- Tighten the allen bolt.
- if there are no noises after the tightening you are set! If noisy, loosen and adjust the eccentric again.

That's all there is to it!

Hmmm, wonder if that methodology could be applied to any model headstock.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:38 pm

Dusty,

We want to know if YOU have a PowerPro now. How else do you have the packaging?

Regarding the "live-running" idler-bearing eccentric adjustment method: Yes, I think this may work for the standard headstock too. I tried it myself on my '59 headstock which has Poly-V pieces left over from my '07 PowerPro DIY update.

dig · Post by **dig** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:39 pm

Charlese,

Thanks for the instructions. I ran it a little last night and it was a little noisier than I expected. I hope to do some adjusting tonight to quiet it down.

moose · Post by **moose** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:36 pm

Uh huh! Sounds like Dusty needs to update his profile. I don't think he meant to let the cat out of the bag just yet.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 6:52 pm

Aw! let's wait until Dusty wants to tell us how he came by that box. But we can keep prodding!!!!