Shopsmith Forums

pessen wrote:No, I mean the idler shaft. At least that is what Nick repeatedly referred to it as. The portion of the video I am referencing is at 16:30 of Sawdust session 22. Attached are some pics it just to make sure there is no confusion:

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What do you mean by soaking the shaft? If it is still in the headstock I can't submerge it.....do you mean applying kerosene with a cloth and letting that set overnight?


Thanks for your help. This is my first time taking a headstock apart so am still trying to learn all the terminology and figure out exactly how everything comes apart. Would probably help if I had the owners manual.....but it didn't come with my machine and I am too cheap to pay for it at this point.

Apply penetrating fluid with an oil can or whatever. Let it seep into the cracks between parts.

There may be a set screw that goes into a groove in the idler shaft bearing that is accessed from the bottom. The eccentric sleeve can be rotated in the headstock bore by inserting a screwdriver in the slot, but you have it already set to the loosest belt tension position.

I did not realize you were 'off' the fan sheave spacer and on to greater endeavors.

BTW it slides INTO the headstock for removal.

[quote="JPG40504"]Apply penetrating fluid with an oil can or whatever. Let it seep into the cracks between parts.

There may be a set screw that goes into a groove in the idler shaft bearing that is accessed from the bottom. The eccentric sleeve can be rotated in the headstock bore by inserting a screwdriver in the slot, but you have it already set to the loosest belt tension position.

I did not realize you were 'off' the fan sheave spacer and on to greater endeavors.]

Sorry for the confusion. I figured that while I was taking it apart to replace the fan sheave spacer I would go through and do a good cleaning of everything since I had not done that yet and there was a good amount of oil/dust residue on everything.

In the Sawdust Session 22 Nick pulled the idler shaft straight out rather then pushing it into the headstock. I'll go ahead and try to push it in and see if that will work....I wasn't sure if the belt would be loose enough to allow that. I'll give it a go though.

Thanks!

pessen wrote:Sorry for the confusion. I figured that while I was taking it apart to replace the fan sheave spacer I would go through and do a good cleaning of everything since I had not done that yet and there was a good amount of oil/dust residue on everything.

In the Sawdust Session 22 Nick pulled the idler shaft straight out rather then pushing it into the headstock. I'll go ahead and try to push it in and see if that will work....I wasn't sure if the belt would be loose enough to allow that. I'll give it a go though.

Thanks!

I do not know how he got the idler shaft sheave through the bore? Sure he was not merely removing the eccentric bushing? If I have time I will check to see what Nick did that you are referring to.

If your idler sheave is properly attached to the idler shaft, the shaft will not pull out as Nick did! There is a retaining clip that prevents the idler sheave from sliding off the shaft as Nick's did in the saw dust session. His apparently was missing that clip.

So, as I said earlier, it needs to move into the headstock to remove(and is reinserted from the inside when reassembling).

FWIW Nick refers to the control sheave as the floating sheave(technically accurate since it floats on the idler shaft as does the floating sheave on the motor shaft), but for clarity it is the control sheave.

JPG40504 wrote:The idler shaft is in the headstock.

I assume you mean the motor shaft.

The fan sheave and the floating sheave are on the motor shaft.

If it is gunked up, the floating sheave can be quite difficult to remove(for the same reason, it does not function well either).

Soaking and gradual movement will eventually get it loose. Prying should be done in a balanced manner. If you noticed, Nick was about to use a pry bar, but I would have used two(one opposite the other). Try to get the key and keyway well soaked. My favorite 'soaker' is kerosene, but there are other more 'exotic($$)' fluids that might work. Do not try to rush it, let it 'soak' overnight at least.

Ok, I have everything apart and am down to trying to remove the fan sheave on the motor shaft. I removed the set screw but the sheave still won't budge. I am not sure if I want to try soaking it with kerosene as I don't want to get any in the motor.....but I am not sure what else to do to try to get it off. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

pessen wrote:Ok, I have everything apart and am down to trying to remove the fan sheave on the motor shaft. I removed the set screw but the sheave still won't budge. I am not sure if I want to try soaking it with kerosene as I don't want to get any in the motor.....but I am not sure what else to do to try to get it off. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Were you able to remove the key? As long as the motor shaft is kept horizontal, I do not think there will be much going into the motor, but the front bearing is there, and you do not want to 'dilute' any lubrication left.

Soaking is not the object, penetration into the mating surfaces is. The key prevents you from rotating the sheave on the shaft. Rotating usually helps loosen things. Getting the key out can become a major effort in itself if the set screw was embedded into the key(the typical case!).

Careful but forceful prying (from opposing sides and equal to prevent cocking on the shaft) may be needed.

This can be a real booger!!!

P.S. Prying needs to be against (or as near to it as you can get) the hub, not the outer circumference!!!!!!

JPG40504 wrote:Were you able to remove the key? As long as the motor shaft is kept horizontal, I do not think there will be much going into the motor, but the front bearing is there, and you do not want to 'dilute' any lubrication left.

Soaking is not the object, penetration into the mating surfaces is. The key prevents you from rotating the sheave on the shaft. Rotating usually helps loosen things. Getting the key out can become a major effort in itself if the set screw was embedded into the key(the typical case!).

Careful but forceful prying (from opposing sides and equal to prevent cocking on the shaft) may be needed.

This can be a real booger!!!

P.S. Prying needs to be against (or as near to it as you can get) the hub, not the outer circumference!!!!!!

The key actually came out rather easily. Though it does have a slight bend or curve to it so hopefully it will go back in alright. It didn't look like there was an indentation from the set screw. I was able to grasp the shaft well enough to be able to turn the sheave a little bit. It was tough at first but the more I turned it the looser it seemed to become. After a bit of working at it I was able to gradually start pulling the sheave up the shaft. Once it got loosened a little bit it went quite easily.

Once I got the sheave off I discovered that there was no sheave spacer between the sheave and the motor. Seems the set screw was the only thing keeping the spacing correct, and it seemed a bit loose so probably came lose and allowed the sheave to move in towards the motor.

I have the headstock all apart now, and there is definitely a bit of oil/(saw)dust grime (forgot the technical term for this buildup) on a lot of the parts. Next job is to clean them all up and then re-assemble everything. Thought of a couple of additional questions as I was inspecting the parts from the headstock:

1) I have not had much experience working with bearings before. How do I tell if they are still good, or if they need replacing? Should they spin smoothly with no apparent friction? What do they normally feel like and what signs should I watch out for to know whether I should replace them or not?

2) What do you recommend cleaning the shafts/sheaves and misc parts from the headstock with? I think Nick in the SawDust sessions recommended mineral spirits with a brass brush and a nylon brush. What is the best method and things you all have found to use?

Thanks,

Pessen

pessen wrote: . . .
1) I have not had much experience working with bearings before. How do I tell if they are still good, or if they need replacing? Should they spin smoothly with no apparent friction? What do they normally feel like and what signs should I watch out for to know whether I should replace them or not?

2) What do you recommend cleaning the shafts/sheaves and misc parts from the headstock with? I think Nick in the SawDust sessions recommended mineral spirits with a brass brush and a nylon brush. What is the best method and things you all have found to use?

Thanks,

Pessen

1 They should rotate smoothly(no gritty/bumpy feeling). They should not be totally free wheeling since they should have some grease inside. The inner race should not be 'wobbley'.

2 Again Kerosene works for me but mineral spirits smells better!. Lacquer thinner is a good last 'rinse'. Stubborn stuff will need to be scraped off.

Just thought I would add a picture of the "hidden" set screw since I just took mine apart tonight in case anyone stumbles across this thread in the future via the search function.

This 1955 Greenie didn't have a bushing either - which was nice since that gave me room to get a screwdriver against the hub to coax the sheave off the shaft. The set screw was the only thing holding the fan sheave in place. It was not rubbing on the motor mount, but still needed to come off to replace the bearings.