Shopsmith Forums

Over the course of time I've had my Shopsmith, I've found the arbor set screw somewhat loose as well. I've conditioned myself to check that set screw prior to any cutting, whenever I remember to do that.
I'm not overly impressed with the composition of the set screws on the SS in general. It appears the metal is on the soft side. Just the other day, I was re-calibrating my SS jointer and the flat tip screwdriver keyway on the set screw just twisted off. Now I get the pleasure of drilling it out to replace it with a harder steel one..;>(
As a general rule, I''d think one should conduct a good once-over of things like that when you're doing your normal cleaning and lube of your SS.

[quote="transplanted"]Over the course of time I've had my Shopsmith, I've found the arbor set screw somewhat loose as well. I've conditioned myself to check that set screw prior to any cutting, whenever I remember to do that.
I'm not overly impressed with the composition of the set screws on the SS in general. It appears the metal is on the soft side. Just the other day, I was re-calibrating my SS jointer and the flat tip screwdriver keyway on the set screw just twisted off. Now I get the pleasure of drilling it out to replace it with a harder steel one..]

If you believe the set screws are made of poor quality materials, have you given any serious thought to buying some high quality set screws and doing a mass replacement. That could be done for probably less than $30.

What makes a "Good quality' set screw? Because set screws are designed with different tips (flat, cupper, knurled, oval, maybe even half moon) that I assume the designers chose for a specific reason, I am very careful not to just replace it with just any set screw. My sanding disc arbor twice has loosened up on me. Is it worn out, or was it operator error? Probably operator error so I tighten it down, and move on. Maybe I have the wrong one installed.

bcone1381 wrote:What makes a "Good quality' set screw? Because set screws are designed with different tips (flat, cupper, knurled, oval, maybe even half moon) that I assume the designers chose for a specific reason, I am very careful not to just replace it with just any set screw. My sanding disc arbor twice has loosened up on me. Is it worn out, or was it operator error? Probably operator error so I tighten it down, and move on. Maybe I have the wrong one installed.

This thread does not speak to what makes a set screw good but sorta addresses what makes one right.

dusty wrote:If you believe the set screws are made of poor quality materials, have you given any serious thought to buying some high quality set screws and doing a mass replacement. That could be done for probably less than $30.

Yes I have thought about replacing just the ones that are adjusted on a somewhat regular basis. Through one here and there, they've just about all been replaced with the exception of a few lone stragglers.
Am I the only person with this opinion, or are there others sharing this observation about soft metal composition set screws on the SS...510 anyway?

transplanted wrote:Yes I have thought about replacing just the ones that are adjusted on a somewhat regular basis. Through one here and there, they've just about all been replaced with the exception of a few lone stragglers.
Am I the only person with this opinion, or are there others sharing this observation about soft metal composition set screws on the SS...510 anyway?

There has not been a lot of discussion about soft metal in set screws specifically, but there has been some discussion about low quality replacements parts in general. All I can say, with set screws in mind, is buy from replicable dealers. I would suggest Fastenal and they have a web site.

Whenever I have a setscrew come loose, I discard and replace without debate. They are just too inexpensive to take a chance with. Over the coarse of 25+ years I would guess that I have probably discarded a dozen or so set screws because they were found loose. I have probably replaced at least that many because they were missing when I went to install a saw blade and arbor. They seem to fall out and get swept up.

I don't know about set screw quality, but…
Last week, I decided it was time to pull maintenance on my PowerPro. Cleaned and waxed the tubes and shafts. 13 minutes.
Had never blown out the headstock. OK, easy enough. Lower connector comes right off. Upper connector does not. Check ends of Allen wrenches. All are rounded. Cut off and dress all 4 allen wrenches. Round off two again. Still no movement on the set screw. Use magnifying glass on screw. It is rounded out.
Grab appropriate screw out set from auto toolbox. Start drilling to remove set screw. Two hours and 45 minutes later, after sharpening the screw removal tool 6 times and dulling a carbide masonry bit, I get the screw out. Grab jar of stuff from the Help Kit, replace screw. Finish opening the headstock and blow it out. Replace everything, another 2 minutes.
Not my idea of sawdust creation. After lunch, I looked up torque values for 5/16-18 set screws. Several tables of values later, (range from 150 to 190 inch-pounds) I decide on 170. Dig out torque wrench and tighten screw. Will check and evaluate frequently.

There also is this recent thread r.e. set screws:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=11716

One thing I learned from the above thread is that SS purposely designed their set screws soft so they don't gouge the quill shaft or other item into which you are screwing it. For me, the key with set screws has always been to make sure the head is clean before inserting an allen wrench and then making sure the allen wrench is fully seated before applying torque. Also, occasional lubing of each with a drop of 3-in-1 oil will go a long way toward preventing them from corroding in place and requiring the level of torque to free them that may strip them instead.

jimthej wrote:I don't know about set screw quality, but…
Last week, I decided it was time to pull maintenance on my PowerPro. Cleaned and waxed the tubes and shafts. 13 minutes.
Had never blown out the headstock. OK, easy enough. Lower connector comes right off. Upper connector does not. Check ends of Allen wrenches. All are rounded. Cut off and dress all 4 allen wrenches. Round off two again. Still no movement on the set screw. Use magnifying glass on screw. It is rounded out.
Grab appropriate screw out set from auto toolbox. Start drilling to remove set screw. Two hours and 45 minutes later, after sharpening the screw removal tool 6 times and dulling a carbide masonry bit, I get the screw out. Grab jar of stuff from the Help Kit, replace screw. Finish opening the headstock and blow it out. Replace everything, another 2 minutes.
Not my idea of sawdust creation. After lunch, I looked up torque values for 5/16-18 set screws. Several tables of values later, (range from 150 to 190 inch-pounds) I decide on 170. Dig out torque wrench and tighten screw. Will check and evaluate frequently.

Maybe I don't know how to do this OR maybe my torque wrench is way off, I have had it for many years and it has not ever been calibrated in that time.

I checked eight different installed allen screws and they all released somewhere between 50 and 60 in/pounds according to my Proto 6061-5 Torque Wrench.

To tighten them, I use the Shopsmith allen wrench. The allen screw is first screwed down finger tight and I then turn the allen wrench tighter until the wrench handle flexes about 1/8 of a turn. I do that flexing motion twice. I have not used the torque wrench to tighten them in the past. Maybe I should.

Does Shopsmith declare the correct torque setting anywhere?

All this talk of set screws coming loose...I've never had it happen.
Am I the only one who uses a drop of threadlock to secure them? Not the permanant-never get them out stuff, just the medium strength stuff.

Here's why I do it. It keeps the arbors from loosening up, I don't have to crank the screws tight enough to strip stuff, and in all the years I've done it, it's never hurt anything. So, what am I missing?