Flexible shaft

jimhart · Post by **jimhart** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:09 am

Keep in mind that the Shavings Magazines that featured the flexible shaft also show the Mark V in drill press mode ripping 8x4 sheets of plywood.
I hooked up one of those shafts once and it did a crazed snake impression. Went out and bought a Dremel.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:41 pm

jimhart wrote:Keep in mind that the Shavings Magazines that featured the flexible shaft also show the Mark V in drill press mode ripping 8x4 sheets of plywood.

Just to be clear, someone put a saw blade on while the Shopsmith was vertical and pushed the wood past the blade (I assume the wood was on the floor)?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:46 pm

Hmmmm, now that's a thought?

rcoder · Post by **rcoder** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:52 pm

Flexible shafts are like Corvair's, "unsafe at any speed". Probably why they are seldom seen anymore.

Bob

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:54 pm

rcoder wrote:Flexible shafts are like Corvair's, "unsafe at any speed". Probably why they are seldom seen anymore.

Bob

I have used high-speed (400,000 RPM) dental type flexible shafts and they work great and are extremely safe. You can engrave an egg without breaking the shell. I agree anyone trying to put a 10"+ anything on one, like shown in the old Shopsmith picture, would scare me to death.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:56 pm

dusty wrote:Hmmmm, now that's a thought?

And what happens when the wood on top of the blade pinches, stand clear.

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:41 pm

My Shopsmith flexible shaft arrived today and, as we've come to expect from SS, boy is it well made! This is by far the most heavy-duty FS I've ever handled. It's beefy! This should work well for my intended purposes, and don't worry I intend to stay safe! Here are some shots of the ends...

Shopsmith Flexible Shaft
Typical SS arbor with set screw

Shopsmith Flexible Shaft
Note the lubrication fitting over the bearings... nice!

Cheers, Alec

jimhart · Post by **jimhart** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 5:51 pm

paulmcohen wrote:Just to be clear, someone put a saw blade on while the Shopsmith was vertical and pushed the wood past the blade (I assume the wood was on the floor)?

Sorry I was out of touch for a bit. Yeah, that's exactly what they did. Saw blade was parallel to the floor and they were using the ground as a 'fence.' If you ever get a chance to check out any of the really old Shavings magazines there are some pretty funny things in there. One had a picture of them using the SS as a mixer, like for drinks or mashed potatoes. Standing there in drill press mode with a whisk looking thing hanging out of the drill chuck.

The picture in this thread, with the guy holding the whole surface of the disk sander flush to a board, is right up there. I wouldn't want to be in that room when they switch that on.

Jim

easterngray · Post by **easterngray** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:45 pm

I tried that manuever with the sanding disc today without trouble or unacceptable danger. As long as one keeps a good hold on it, it works just fine. I image the drum sander would be quite handy with the flexible shaft. I do not believe that the flexible shaft is an unusually dangerous tool. Alec

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 7:19 pm

easterngray wrote:I image the drum sander would be quite handy with the flexible shaft. I do not believe that the flexible shaft is an unusually dangerous tool. Alec

The dangerous comment was around the use of a flexible shaft with a saw blade on it:eek:

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