Shopsmith Forums

lahola1 wrote:JPG,
my mk VII is an early one ;sn 405025 and does not have a key slot so i guess that answers the question that it should be locked down.

I stand corrected!

Mine looks like the following.
https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 13#p137213

Appears slipping was a common problem.

Lahola your original start relay had the contact's mounting rivot broken loose and the contact bar was rattling around inside.

JPG,
yes, the orig relay was in petty bad shape but thought it might be repairable with a new piece of fiberboard between the contacts. i'm curious if you've learned anything about the supco relay but i guess that's for another thread.

lahola1 wrote:JPG,
yes, the orig relay was in petty bad shape but thought it might be repairable with a new piece of fiberboard between the contacts. i'm curious if you've learned anything about the supco relay but i guess that's for another thread.

Yes.

But fer now, I think some parts are missing from the original relay.

My MVII headstock is currently 'buried' so another day fer that.

I found the right start capacitor in a size that would fit in the shell of the original when I took it apart. That way everything fit. Piece of cake. Just measure the ID of the original and find one with a smaller OD.

Thanks for the responses. So far the motor has been starting in both directions so I am going to go with the start relay is not really bad (yet). But I like to document things for future generations.
UPDATE- I am good at finding things. I have found a person that has made the VII cam in the past and he has the file he reverse engineered when someone sent him a part to replicate. He has a CNC machine so can make it from a brass/steel or even aluminum (but YIKES- almost $300!!!). If we do a mass order, we can probably get a better price. Even the brass/steel one is about $130. The plastic is around $27. I am thinking to order at least 3-5 plastic ones for myself for repair work but also when the one I have breaks/melts. So who else is interested in a cam- for current repair or future? I have the guiys phone # so we can discuss. I plan to call him in next couple days for more information but wanted to scan the interest here in this forum.
2nd UPDATE- I was able to take a scrap M500 carriage and cut slots to clear the gear rail. (scrap was given to me by a gentleman from Asheville that had a mishap with the lathe. The chisel caught the wood and it drove the chisel into the carriage shattering it. Fortunately he was fine. He stopped by my shop to buy a replacement and a couple other odds n ends.). I cut the slots to mount this cariage to left of headstock so M500 table tilts so headstock is UNDER the table. The one on other end, headstock is above table.
posted couple pics of the test cuts. I have chosen another good M500 carriage (rattie paint) as a volunteer for next victim... errr I meant subject.


let me know who might be interested in a spare cam and we can get some ordered. I'll update on details once I speak to guy.

JPG- I would love to sit and chat sometime on a visit to Lexington. Daughter and grand-daughter live there so we visit frequently- just not right now. Daughter works at Pawlished Pets off Man-O-War Blvd so if you or friends have a dog(s) that needs grooming, ask for Monica. She is very good.

You gonna mount shaper/whatever to the fixed drive sleeve shaft?

I would be suspicious of the power switch when any new motor start problems arise.

Do I understand correctly that the lathe chisel shattered?(not the carriage)

P.S. I would be interested in a couple of plastic cams(material?) in that price range, but do hope 'he' is not the same person as cnc made the aluminum cam I obtained a couple(?) of years ago. It had a couple of issues. I think 'his' pattern was the culprit.

Since I'm seeing pictures of the carriage I'm assuming that is what broke, You wouldn't happen to have pictures of the broken part, it sure would be interesting to see what happened.

Ed

As requested- pics of the broken carriage. The chisel hit at front table leg base. It just tweaked his arm but drew it down and not into the spinning work piece. Always a reminder that machines don't care about your appendages.
to answer JPG, the chisel I think was fine other than needed sharpening.
As for the CAM maker, I do not think it was same guy. He said he recently acquired CNC capability and could do aluminum and metal. He has made plastic for others in the past. His name is Kirk and a Mark VII owner sent him a broken plastic CAM as a pattern to make replacement. Depending on cost of steel/brass, I would be interested in that over plastic due to more durable and save the hassle/irritation of swapping plastic ones. He did mention though that it might be up to 5% off on the curve so not sure how that would affect the speed but it definitely would cause it to be different. But it may be close enough to not matter. But if cost is around $125, that buys a few more plastic ones.

I was also able to mount a speed increaser to the right side of the VII- I had to remove the rod that allows carriage to follow the headstock. I am not sure yet what I plan to use this as but since it lifts both ways and motor goes both ways, it makes it versatile. If it keeps breaking, that is a liability. I have a belt that should be here today or tomorrow and when I am replacing it, will do as many of the bearings as I can- I stock for the V and most look to be the same. The center shaft I believe I read has 2 bearings and a spacer so not sure if I have them or not but Gary does (Bandsaw Warehouse- I have gotten many things from him and he does a great job. I particularly like the blue poly tires he sells. I have rebuild quite a few bandsaws with them including a TotalShop that was crap and I used Shopsmith bandsaw parts to revive it. Only original TotalShop parts are the lower wheel which got new bearings- 2 and a spacer not double-single bearing like Shopsmith saw.

If you know BTW, then you have a source for a correct poly-v belt.

JPG- yes I saw several listings on EBAY for around $45. The one in place is still in good shape so not going to replace it at this time. I did get the replacement motor belt today so will work on that probably over the weekend- depending how a project for the bride progresses. I'll replace as many bearings as I have (should have most) and check into why the impeller rotates on shaft. During work on the bride's project today, , I also dug out a garbage M500 carriage and cleaned it and the parts all up after cutting the slots to clear the gear rail. It was an old greenie that I painted a very close Rustoleum Textured Dark Pewter which is a shade or 2 lighter than most SSmith grays and does have some texture as do the VIIs and early Mark Vs after SSmith was reborn in early 70s. I cleaned up the bores and hardware which were in terrible condition. The lock was almost frozen- front wedge with the right hand threads was sticking and that wedge I had to "persuade" out of the bore by gentle massaging with a dead-blow hammer. I use a wire wheel on a bench grinder to clean the tarnish/grit/dirt/rust/corrosion from most parts. It usually works well.

While I have it apart I'll check other things as well. Friday (tomorrow) I also plan to call the guy that claims to have made cams for people in the past and find out more about these and options and costs for other materials- specifically he mentioned a steel/brass option. The aluminum I am afraid will be too expensive- in the area of $300. I'll update with more info after I talk to him. Time for some head-to-pillow time.