How do you identify a Gilmer Drive Unit?

durango · Post by **durango** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:23 am

New shopsmith owner, here.

I am a new owner of a 50s era greenie.

Question - how can I tell whether or not my unit has the original Gilmer drive?

I know my unit originally had a Gilmer drive.

How would the gilmer unit look different from any other unit?

(illustrations work better for me than descriptions

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:36 am

easy:

1) take off the belt cover (the metal cover opposit the quill...ie: opposite side of the headstock from where the table goes)
2) use a flashlight/mirror/fingers and feel the upper belt. if the grooves go across it like tank treads then its a gilmer. if they are parallel then its a poly-v

durango · Post by **durango** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:09 pm

It's a poly. Guess it got upgraded at some point --- Thanks!