Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:39 pm
Chuck: 6" Belt sander, not 1" strip sander.charlese wrote:I bet new idler wheels would put an end to his tracking problem.
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Defending the SS belt sander
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Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:38 pm
This morning I Emailed Matthias Wandel and sent him a copy of the Belt sander owners manual and a link to Nicks video.
Below is a copy of our correspondence.
Below is a copy of our correspondence.
So the upshot is he is not impressed with the need to dissemble for maintenance, but I am sure he will be happier with the performance now that it is tensioned properly.> -----Original Message----- From: Ron Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 11:21 AM To: matthias@woodgears.ca Subject: Shopsmith belt sander
> Thank you for your YouTube channels and web site, I get much enjoyment and inspiration from them.
> In a couple of your videos you have mentioned having problems with the tracking on you Shopsmith belt sander.
> This is most likely caused by "gunk" build up in the idler drum.
> I am attaching a .pdf file of the owners manual for the Shopsmith belt sander,
> and a link to a video showing how to dismantle and lube the same.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91bRVOMEDFg
> I hope these are helpful.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Ron Dyck
On 16-02-14 09:08 AM, Matthias Wandel wrote:
> Just checked, it turns fairly freely.
> But part of the tensioning thing has always been kind of broken.
>
> Matthias
>
-----Original Message----- From: Ron
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 3:34 PM
To: Matthias Wandel
Subject: Re: Shopsmith belt sander
It is possible that a previous owner had it apart and reassembled it
wrong, damaged a part, or did not adjust it properly.
I own several pieces of Shopsmith equipment, but not a belt sander yet,
most of them made in the 50's and still running.
They were designed back when equipment was made to last, not wear out
and be obsolete in a couple of years.
I belong to the Shopsmith Forum, http://shopsmith.com/ss_forum/index.php
Some of our members have owned Shopsmith equipment since the 60's and
7O's and are very knowledgeable about how to repair and maintain them.
If you were to post a question there detailing the problem I am sure
they could help figure out how to get it running properly.
If parts are required the Canadian Shopsmith distributor is
http://allinonewood.com/ , located in Oakville, Ontario.
Ron
I just had it apart. Man, what a stupid design! That the whole thing has to be take apart to oil the bearings once in a while.
And that belt tensioner is too "clever" a design that in practice it becomes stupid. It turns out, it wasn't broken after all. It was just a bad design. I had no idea the knob needs to be wound up for the belt tensioning to work. I always got around this by attaching a weight to the knob.
Matthias
Sorry for you frustration, but glad that you are on track to have it working properly.
On of our members, Bill Mayo, who for may years had a business repairing Shopsmiths, modified the tension drum by drilling some holes in the tube the spring is in and adding a grease Zerk to drum to make lubrication easier. this link shows a picture. http://shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewtopic ... 89#p204389
Ron
Well, mine hasn't been oiled in 20 years. So should be good for another 20.
Building a better belt sander is on my list of things to do.
Matthias
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 5:04 pm
Read this quote again: "It turns out, it wasn't broken after all. It was just a bad design. I had no idea the knob needs to be wound up for the belt tensioning to work. I always got around this by attaching a weight to the knob."
In other words, since he didn't understand its design and wasn't using it properly and therefore got sub-optimal results, it is the design that is "bad" as opposed to user error. What a knucklehead.
In other words, since he didn't understand its design and wasn't using it properly and therefore got sub-optimal results, it is the design that is "bad" as opposed to user error. What a knucklehead.
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 5:30 pm
Just reinforces my impressions of him. If only he were as smart as he thinks he is.......... well as I said before I prefer to just ignore him.
Ed
Ed
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 6:52 pm
"NIH!"
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 8:32 pm
Mine was new in 1983 and has been run hard ever since. It has always worked perfectly. The tracking adjustment is as perfect as you could want and the tensioner has always worked too.
If he is having problems, he needs to do some basic maintenance and learn the right way to use the tool. The tool is great. The user probably not so good.
If he is having problems, he needs to do some basic maintenance and learn the right way to use the tool. The tool is great. The user probably not so good.
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:10 pm
Wow, I don't even know where to start with this individual!!!
Oh well, He can think as he feels and the rest of us know the real deal!!!!!!
Mike
Oh well, He can think as he feels and the rest of us know the real deal!!!!!!
Mike
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:31 pm
We have a guy in our woodworking club who has the opinion that anything that says "Shopsmith" on it is inherently no good. Retired shop teacher of course!!!
We also have two 6X48 belt sanders in the shop one SS and the HF. Need I say more?
When the SS is used there is virtually no dust in the shop. Of course the dust collector is running. When the HF machine was donated most of the members noticed that there was ABSOLUTELY NO DUST COLLECTION on the HF unit. Maybe Matthias should try that belt sander in the shop. Is there anything that needs to be lubed on the belt sander? The bearings may have to be changed every twenty years or so but everything else should be good to go the distance. Keep it lubed and blow the dust off after use and it will outlast most people.
We have had several sanders pass through the shop from donations and the SS sander with the retrofit dust port beat all of them hands down. I would not give up any of my SS gear even the strip sander which I had to redesign the idler wheel for. That little gem outperforms any of the 1" strip sanders that we have had in the shop for the past ten years.
Bill V
We also have two 6X48 belt sanders in the shop one SS and the HF. Need I say more?
When the SS is used there is virtually no dust in the shop. Of course the dust collector is running. When the HF machine was donated most of the members noticed that there was ABSOLUTELY NO DUST COLLECTION on the HF unit. Maybe Matthias should try that belt sander in the shop. Is there anything that needs to be lubed on the belt sander? The bearings may have to be changed every twenty years or so but everything else should be good to go the distance. Keep it lubed and blow the dust off after use and it will outlast most people.
We have had several sanders pass through the shop from donations and the SS sander with the retrofit dust port beat all of them hands down. I would not give up any of my SS gear even the strip sander which I had to redesign the idler wheel for. That little gem outperforms any of the 1" strip sanders that we have had in the shop for the past ten years.
Bill V
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:38 am
You have to have thick skin if you love Shopsmith but still want to immerse yourself in the wide world of woodworking. They all say disparaging things about SS but we know better. I still enjoy Mathias Wandel's excellent videos. He's got talent, grit and determination. He's what they now call a "maker". Have you seen his better mouse trap video?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4PaGvAhV9I[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4PaGvAhV9I[/youtube]
Re: Defending the SS belt sander
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:47 am
Maybe others know but I would be curious how his business works. I gather being a YouTube star is not especially lucrative. He did allude once to building stuff for a trade show. He makes too many home built things to merely be a hobbyist. Perhaps Mrs. W. has a good income?