Shopping for a 2nd hand Shopsmith and Could Use Some Advice

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:23 pm

Don't worry to much about "NEWNESS". I'd rather buy one that was 20/30 years old and properly maintained, then a 5 yr old one that was abused.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 12:51 pm

benush26 wrote:http://montana.craigslist.org/tld/3589189234.html

Cheap at twice the price and such a wise and knowledgeable consignor!

So I am not any sort of SS historian but was there actually a solid maple work bench marketed by SS?

The craigslist description refers to it as a 520 but it is a 510. That's a big difference in my mind ($200-$300 difference). It looks like a nice machine, howqever.

woodhead52 · Post by **woodhead52** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:02 pm

beeg wrote:Don't worry to much about "NEWNESS". I'd rather buy one that was 20/30 years old and properly maintained, then a 5 yr old one that was abused.

Very good point.

How does one properly evaluate the motor during an inspection? In the Buying a Used Shopsmith guide I read that it can be very harmful to adjust the speed dial (it actually reads speed changer, but I'm assuming it's the dial) when the SS is off. I'm not sure I exactly understand why. How forgiving is this? Is it a one time and screwed kind of thing or what?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:12 pm

woodhead52 wrote:Very good point.

How does one properly evaluate the motor during an inspection? In the Buying a Used Shopsmith guide I read that it can be very harmful to adjust the speed dial (it actually reads speed changer, but I'm assuming it's the dial) when the SS is off. I'm not sure I exactly understand why. How forgiving is this? Is it a one time and screwed kind of thing or what?

It is best to treat it as "absolutely unforgiving". The parts involved in the speed changer are not heavy duty parts. They can be easily damaged if misused. They work fine and last a long time if treated right. My machine is nearly thirty years old and shows no sign of damage in the speed control area. Some wear and tear but no damage.

The best way to check is to plug it in and turn it on. Once running, run the speed up and down. It should be smooth and relatively easy to change speeds. It will seems easier going up that coming down.

If there is no power, the speed dial can be changed if you can keed the drive shaft turning. I would suggest mounting a sanding disk or face plate onto the drive shaft and while turning the sanding disk - change speeds.

It is not necessary to turn the shaft fast, just keep it turning whenever you are changing the speed dial.

woodhead52 · Post by **woodhead52** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:23 pm

dusty wrote:It is best to treat it as "absolutely unforgiving"....

...If there is no power, the speed dial can be changed if you can keep the drive shaft turning....

If I'm understanding you correctly, it sounds to me that the speed changer is difficult to turn when the power is off and the drive shaft is not turning. So, in order to turn the speed changer with everything at a dead stop one would have to force it. Is that about right?

Pete

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:32 pm

woodhead52 wrote:If I'm understanding you correctly, it sounds to me that the speed changer is difficult to turn when the power is off and the drive shaft is not turning. So, in order to turn the speed changer with everything at a dead stop one would have to force it. Is that about right?

Pete

Yes. Do not force the speed changer to change positions. Even if the machine is running, if the speed changer is hard to turn - you might be doing damage to it. Hard to turn is a relative statement and only some hands on will allow you to tell the difference.

What is not difficult to tell is when the drive shaft is not moving. If the drive shaft is not rotating - DO NOT CHANGE THE SPEED DIAL.

Now, having said that - if you can turn the machine on and run the speed dial up and down smoothly - it is probable that no damage has ever been done to the speed changer.

woodhead52 · Post by **woodhead52** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 1:46 pm

dusty wrote:Yes. Do not force the speed changer to change positions. Even if the machine is running, if the speed changer is hard to turn - you might be doing damage to it. Hard to turn is a relative statement and only some hands on will allow you to tell the difference.

What is not difficult to tell is when the drive shaft is not moving. If the drive shaft is not rotating - DO NOT CHANGE THE SPEED DIAL.

Now, having said that - if you can turn the machine on and run the speed dial up and down smoothly - it is probable that no damage has ever been done to the speed changer.

Thanks, that clears it up for me. It sounds as though one would surely have some indication if they were turning the speed changer against it's will - so to speak. Also I guess I've watched enough SS videos to recognize a problem with sound of the motor. It seems to run relatively quiet, but with a noticeable whine as the RPMs increase. I did get a chance to see a Mark VII demo at Lowes last week and the new Powerhead is really quiet. I wish I had thought of all these questions then. I wouldn't be bothering you.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 2:16 pm

woodhead52 wrote:Thanks, that clears it up for me. It sounds as though one would surely have some indication if they were turning the speed changer against it's will - so to speak. Also I guess I've watched enough SS videos to recognize a problem with sound of the motor. It seems to run relatively quiet, but with a noticeable whine as the RPMs increase. I did get a chance to see a Mark VII demo at Lowes last week and the new Powerhead is really quiet. I wish I had thought of all these questions then. I wouldn't be bothering you.

You are not bothering anyone on the forum. This is what most of us are here for - the exchange of information and experiences.

Yes, the motor is not quiet but a good motor has a distinguishable Hum. That hum changes as the motor changes speed. I believe that you will be able to detect the bad noises that might emit from a drive system that has has serious problems.

I do not consider bearing failures as serious. They can be resolved if detected and corrected before other damage is done. Ignoring unusual noises can result in problems that become expensive to fix.

benush26 · Post by **benush26** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 2:25 pm

dusty wrote:The craigslist description refers to it as a 520 but it is a 510. That's a big difference in my mind ($200-$300 difference). It looks like a nice machine, howqever.

Last night I did actually contact the consignor to let them know that, "I meant no insult", however they had a 510 (with a link to that web page at Shopsmith showing the differences) and that the price was what I considered high

compared to what others were paying for used equipment.

This morning I received a very nice reply that they indeed had no knowledge of Shopsmiths, relied on information provided by the consignee, appreciated my information and that they were going to advise the consignee regarding the price.

I was half expecting no reply or one that told me to mind my own business. What a pleasant surprise!!