Shopsmith Forums

An example of why the set screw is 'filled'.

Loosening the arbor set screw is ok as long as it is retightened prior to use. It DOES need to be centered on the flat.

DLB wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 3:30 pm

w8dev wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 3:16 pm https://youtu.be/e8P0TOUuQUk?t=175

Interesting but not correct. There is an adjustment on the lower blade guard for aligning the riving knife with the blade.

- David

Ok thanks. It seemed like a plausible use and the answers that I found in the forum for it just being "a hand hold to rotate the spindle" didn't seem like a very good answer to me.

Do not overlook he bearing/shaft stop function on some early models.

JPG wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 4:23 pm Do not overlook he bearing/shaft stop function on some early models.

Can you elaborate?

On earlier models(and likely all others) a shoulder on the quill shaft behind the bearing acts as a stop in that direction for the inner race of the bearing.

The 'stop' collar provides an identical function in the opposite direction(prevents the shaft from sliding away from the inner bearing race).

If a sloppy fit, the shaft will exhibit end play.

Key point here is it stops the inner race on the shaft. A retaining ring serves the same purpose for the outer bearing race.

When in doubt look at the manual:
Ed

w8dev wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 3:16 pm https://youtu.be/e8P0TOUuQUk?t=175

Ok, as others have suggested already, don't do that. I don't know where he got that idea from. Get your spindle knob back on properly and use the proper adjustment method. And keep your arbor mounted all the way on the spindle up to the spindle knob. If it's not all the way on it can shift towards the spindle knob when running which can cause all sorts of destruction in table saw mode. The spindle 'flat is sloped to prevent arbors from shifting away from the headstock but won't stop them from shifting toward it.

Hmm, looked at the comments for the video and Woodshop Nerdery Tom mentions that the new arbors are longer and align the blade with the riving knife better. The video author acknowledged that, wish he'd update the video to correct it.

Maybe the function of the spindle knob wouldn't be such a mystery if it was called the spindle cap instead. Calling it a knob makes it sound like something you should be manipulating for some purpose.

Adam,

Anyone can put anything out there in the web universe. Some may think they have a better way to do something. This one is not the case. Important things to remember here are the locations on the spindle where the set screws go for both the Spindle Knob and attachments (arbors, chucks & etc.) are reverse tapered flats. Moving either the Spindle Knob or attachments away from the Headstock and "locking" them down leaves them able to move back toward the Headstock during operations. This can cause poor results and dangerous conditions. Using the Spindle Knob to "adjust" the blade position relative to the splitter of the upper guard is not the way to do it. That is what the adjustment screw on the lower Blade Guard is for. Once set it will be the correct position when you use the table saw again. Unless you only use your Shopsmith as a Table Saw, which would be a waste of its abilities, you will use other attachments on it. When using it as a Drill Press or Mortise the pressure put on it could be enough to cause the Spindle Knob and Drill Chuck move back towards the Headstock if the Spindle knob is not correctly seated because it was used to adjust the saw blade position. If that happens the Spindle Knob and Drill Chuck will no longer be completely locked in place.

Russ: GOOD point. The drilling(or mortising) pressure applied is transferred through the drill chuck, through the stop collar, through the bearing inner race, to the shoulder on the quill shaft.