Shopsmith Forums

hobbyist7 wrote:Thank you. I have oiled the motor shaft (by prying the spring back). I will try the control sheave. By horizontal, I assume you mean the orientation of the sheave (i.e., ways are flipped and headstock is positioned as a drill press)? Also, what is considered to be the "fast" position? My speed control just has various functions (e.g., routing) and RPM levels.

Fast = max rpm.

By horizontal, he was referring to the way tubes in normal(not drill press) mode. He also definitely recommends raising to vertical over night after oiling to allow the oil to seep into the snout bearing.

The motor shaft has an oil hole near the inside end of the spring. Putting oil on the outer end so it will seep into the sheave shaft is good. Raising to vertical helps distribute that oil into the sheave shaft bore also

Thanks for all the helpful answers!

I received a belt sander attachment with the machine too. I was surprised to see that the coupling device to connect it to the headstock is just a plastic part. How durable have you found these in practice?

When the belts ultimately need to be replaced, is there a documented sequence you'd recommend following? And how long does that take for a first timer?

I am in the Washington, DC area and the nearest repair firm listed is in North Carolina, so that isn't an appealing option....

hobbyist7 wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers!

I received a belt sander attachment with the machine too. I was surprised to see that the coupling device to connect it to the headstock is just a plastic part. How durable have you found these in practice?

....

When I purchased my First Shopsmith I was nervous about the plastic coupler. That would be about seven years, none of the extras I purchased have ever been unpacked. Whoops that is a lie. The second shopsmith did not come with one, thus one extra coupler is in use. Fjimp

hobbyist7 wrote:Thanks for all the helpful answers!

I received a belt sander attachment with the machine too. I was surprised to see that the coupling device to connect it to the headstock is just a plastic part. How durable have you found these in practice?

Mines 30 years old. So I wood say it's durable.

Alignment, Alignment, Alignment is the secret. I align the SPT to the headstock with the 2 shafts being straight to each other and together with no hubs mounted.

I had a coupler connected to a band saw. I had the speed set to high. Turned on the machine, the coupler flew off and broke.

Could have impaled me, I leaned a lesson about the coupler and then I bought two to have a spare.

I was young and new to the shopsmith. That was last month.

Thanks! I will make sure to avoid the same fate (and perhaps wear a kevlar vest)

hobbyist7 wrote:
I am in the Washington, DC area....

Looks like we may be neighbors (although in my experience "Washington, DC area" can mean anything from the VA suburbs to the MD suburbs.

I am in Montgomery County, MD and while I am not an expert I have learned a little something about these machines in the last year or so. If you need in-person help send me a private message. ** EDIT** Should have read the first post, I see you have a Mark VII. I don't know anything about them; I know a bit about the Mark V.

Al

robinson46176 wrote: I keep reminding folks that the Mark VII was designed as a major step up from the Mark V with a lot of improvements like the bigger table and other goodies (reversible, 2 way tilt, the above mentioned positioning rod, the crank headstock positioning, built in dust collection, the 2 way extension table etc.) and were it not for the old Shopsmith going under at that time the 2 problems (which may have shot them down) could have been quickly corrected and it would have evolved into a truly great machine that was superior to the Mark V it was intended to replace

I was just wondering today if the (original) Mark VII can be converted directly to a Power-Pro?
I have not really done much inside of a Mark VII headstock. The one I made into the Frankensmith had the motor and some other stuff missing. The other one that I have for parts (including the plastic cam) I simply have not torn into. The same really goes for my "using" Mark VII. It's been a couple of years since I have used it to speak of and since I even lubed it due to it being pushed into a corner behind a lot of unrelated boot shop stuff.
I do know that the Mark VII does have a totally different headstock casting. It is more square cornered and has provisions for several changes from the Mark V. I do "believe" that much if the insides, like the motor and much of the speed changer (other than method of activation) were the same...
Maybe Bill Mayo has looked at that???


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robinson46176 wrote:I was just wondering today if the (original) Mark VII can be converted directly to a Power-Pro?
I have not really done much inside of a Mark VII headstock. The one I made into the Frankensmith had the motor and some other stuff missing. The other one that I have for parts (including the plastic cam) I simply have not torn into. The same really goes for my "using" Mark VII. It's been a couple of years since I have used it to speak of and since I even lubed it due to it being pushed into a corner behind a lot of unrelated boot shop stuff.
I do know that the Mark VII does have a totally different headstock casting. It is more square cornered and has provisions for several changes from the Mark V. I do "believe" that much if the insides, like the motor and much of the speed changer (other than method of activation) were the same...
Maybe Bill Mayo has looked at that???



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I think frankensmith is a better candidate for PP upgrade!;)