Shopsmith Forums

mgdesigns wrote:This is an old Greenie and there isn't any access hole on the opposite side of the speed control dial, and no nameplate medallion to cover it. I just thought for ease of maintenance I might be able cut a hole in that side and provide the attachment hole or lugs for the tapped screws. That way I might not have to remove the motor and pan to gain access to the main lube points. Just a thought and I wondered if anyone else has done this mod.

I have not but I believe that if you just wait for Bill Mayo to check in on this one you will learn that he has. Of course, you don't have to wait, you could contact him.

mgdesigns wrote:This is an old Greenie and there isn't any access hole on the opposite side of the speed control dial, and no nameplate medallion to cover it. I just thought for ease of maintenance I might be able cut a hole in that side and provide the attachment hole or lugs for the tapped screws. That way I might not have to remove the motor and pan to gain access to the main lube points. Just a thought and I wondered if anyone else has done this mod.

Are there not two holes there about 3 inches apart? They are the locating holes for the 'medallion'.

It seems that there are a couple of hole on what I would call the back side. But no access hole large enough to get a hand into.

BTW: I will be tearing this headstock down on Sunday AM - what types of grease and solvent cleaners should I have on hand. I heard Nick say he used mineral spirits to degrease the case housing, but what should I use to clean shafts & bearings, and what grease should be used to restore (replenish) the bearing if they're even salvagable?

mgdesigns wrote:It seems that there are a couple of hole on what I would call the back side. But no access hole large enough to get a hand into.

The older sand cast greenies did not have the access hole, but did have the medallion. The medallion has two posts that extend through the casting and retaining clips are slipped over the posts from the inside of the casting. Later die cast and head stock castings have the access hole and use the same two post to locate the medallion over the hole. A spring clip on the back of the medallion serves the retaining function. That spring is quite stout. Even later ("C") headstocks have a larger medallion and a larger hole that has screws to retain it.

That vintage greenie did not have the oiling holes in the control and floating sheave snout/hub.

mgdesigns wrote: . . .
BTW: I will be tearing this headstock down on Sunday AM - what types of grease and solvent cleaners should I have on hand. I heard Nick say he used mineral spirits to degrease the case housing, but what should I use to clean shafts & bearings, and what grease should be used to restore (replenish) the bearing if they're even salvagable?

Forget greasing the bearings! They are essentially sealed. Try to not get any solvents in them.

Mineral spirits is a good solvent as long as it is not REALLY gunked up. If it is currently almost working, mineral spirits should be adequate. The only 'grease' you may encounter would be on the porkchop. It needs to be removed(the grease).

The important thing to do is to make sure the shaft and sliding sheaves are well lubricated. The bearings should not require additional lubrication(the bearing holding the loop that goes over the end of the porkchop is an exception). After oiling the control sheave, set it with the bearing facing down and let oil sit on it overnight. It is possible to over oil the sheaves, but it will be thrown out onto the inside of the casting. That will tend to collect sawdust.

Make sure the sliding sheaves have an oil hole in them. If not, add them!

Do not overlook the motor/floating sheave. Disassembly not required! Reassembly could be a 'problem'. That is a long stout spring!

JPG40504 wrote:Forget greasing the bearings! They are essentially sealed. Try to not get any solvents in them.

Mineral spirits is a good solvent as long as it is not REALLY gunked up. If it is currently almost working, mineral spirits should be adequate. The only 'grease' you may encounter would be on the porkchop. It needs to be removed(the grease).

The important thing to do is to make sure the shaft and sliding sheaves are well lubricated. The bearings should not require additional lubrication(the bearing holding the loop that goes over the end of the porkchop is an exception). After oiling the control sheave, set it with the bearing facing down and let oil sit on it overnight. It is possible to over oil the sheaves, but it will be thrown out onto the inside of the casting. That will tend to collect sawdust.

Make sure the sliding sheaves have an oil hole in them. If not, add them!

Do not overlook the motor/floating sheave. Disassembly not required! Reassembly could be a 'problem'. That is a long stout spring!

Good stuff but I would not recommend drilling the "oil hole" with the floating sheave mounted to the motor shaft. This is better done with the sheave removed so that you can deburr the hole and also not worry about hitting the shaft. You can, of course, lubricate the floating sheave without adding the hole.

SDSSmith wrote:Good stuff but I would not recommend drilling the "oil hole" with the floating sheave mounted to the motor shaft. This is better done with the sheave removed so that you can deburr the hole and also not worry about hitting the shaft. You can, of course, lubricate the floating sheave without adding the hole.

Good point! Details, Details, Details. I did a good job of :oself contradiction there!

Hopefully they already have the hole!

Cleaning this up, if a hole IS added, make sure to beburr it on the inside of the bore that slides on the shaft. That would require disassembly of the motor pulley etc.

"Do not overlook the motor/floating sheave. Disassembly not required! Reassembly could be a 'problem'. That is a long stout spring!"

Yea, that looks like a miniature McPherson strut spring - "Danger Will Robinson" - I noticed how Nick Engler had a board with a hole in it and some inner tube rubber bands to act as bungies; He use this gizmo to depress the retainer cup and remove the retaining clip and the carefully loosened the tension on the spring. But the next episode did not show him re-installing that spring. That makes me a quite worrisome. I don't like exploding tension springs jumping up at me. There must be a simple way to compress that spring safely. Maybe that same board with a counterbored hole the same diameter as the spring to keep it confined?

mgdesigns wrote:"Do not overlook the motor/floating sheave. Disassembly not required! Reassembly could be a 'problem'. That is a long stout spring!"

I don't like exploding tension springs jumping up at me. There must be a simple way to compress that spring safely. Maybe that same board with a counterbored hole the same diameter as the spring to keep it confined?

I had mine off and it wasn't a problem taking it off or putting back on. Here's a couple PDF's that may help ya.

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[quote="mgdesigns"]"Do not overlook the motor/floating sheave. Disassembly not required! Reassembly could be a 'problem'. That is a long stout spring!"

Yea, that looks like a miniature McPherson strut spring - "Danger Will Robinson" - I noticed how Nick Engler had a board with a hole in it and some inner tube rubber bands to act as bungies]

Take a close look at the end of the motor shaft. I doubt there is a cup! Yours probably has the nut on the end. That makes it even more 'fun'.