Restoration Progress On My 1955 Greenie

[dusty]

My apologies. I deid not mean to suggest the tube is out of round. What I wondered is if by some remote chance the tube might be warped a little. I seem to remember someone having a situation where a warped tube after being rotated slightly cured an issue that sounded a bit like yours. Incidentally I have read most of this discussion, no I did not read the one you suggested. I simply decided to take a risk and offer a remote possibility for consideration. If out of line again I apologize. fjimp

I don't believe it is possible to be "out of line", Jim. After all, what we are really doing here is brainstorming in an attempt to resolve a problem. Solving a problem that you can not touch and feel is really a shot in the dark at best.

The attraction here is that wonderful machine that mickyd has created using the parts that many of us would have sold on ebay for whatever someone might have given us.

It is sort of ironic, isn't it. Nick was in the process of retrofitting an old goldie when Shopsmith pulled the plug. Now we see this miraculous restoration of an equally destitute greenie coming out of the work shop of Mickyd.

I sure wish Nick would check in. I know he would be very impressed with what has happened here.

Someone was to have received that goldie when that Sawdust Series was over. Maybe it should go to mickyd. He could use it to do woodworking and keep his greenie in a showcase.

[mickyd]

My apologies. I deid not mean to suggest the tube is out of round. What I wondered is if by some remote chance the tube might be warped a little. I seem to remember someone having a situation where a warped tube after being rotated slightly cured an issue that sounded a bit like yours. Incidentally I have read most of this discussion, no I did not read the one you suggested. I simply decided to take a risk and offer a remote possibility for consideration. If out of line again I apologize. fjimp

fjimp - ALL input is appreciated. Never feel uncomfortable making any suggestions. Sometimes, it's those remote possibilities that lead to or help solve the problem. It gets peoples gray matter working and whenever that occurs, it can only help in the long run.

Regarding the possibility of a warped tube, if you mean a tube that isn't straight, it sure could cause a problem like this. I would have noticed that however when I sanded the tubes in the homemade drill / lathe setup. The tube would have wobbled up and down as it rotated but it didn't. It ran nice a true.

[robinson46176]

I Do not understand how out of roundness could cause this.

You are right, If the way tube was out of round the headstock main casting would not even slide on the tube.

[mickyd]

I am now home......the diagnostic journey begins......check back later! If there IS a solution, there will BE a solution. I'll look at all the stuff you guys have shared.

[JPG]

My apologies. I deid not mean to suggest the tube is out of round. What I wondered is if by some remote chance the tube might be warped a little. I seem to remember someone having a situation where a warped tube after being rotated slightly cured an issue that sounded a bit like yours. Incidentally I have read most of this discussion, no I did not read the one you suggested. I simply decided to take a risk and offer a remote possibility for consideration. If out of line again I apologize. fjimp

As Dusty has already stated, this is a brain-storming session, and NO ideas or thoughts or suggestions are candidates for judgement. ALL thoughts are appropriate no matter how at first blush they may seem 'strange'. They will be sanity checked by the rest of us, but DO NOT feel reluctant to SOUND OFF. Part of the value of this type of 'solution' seeking IS that of different folks with different experience, history, creativity etc.!


BTW Where is the "third" screw bolting the belt cover to the headstock?

[mickyd]

.......................................
BTW Where is the "third" screw bolting the belt cover to the headstock?

This shows the six screw holes. Three hole to the left, headstock. Three holes to the right, motor pan

[ATTACH]4260[/ATTACH]

[mickyd]

The issue with the belt cover rubbing against the top of the way tube is RESOLVED!!! Previously, it looked like this. My Greenie now has adequate clearance between the way tube hole in the belt cover and the top surface of the way tube. No more dragging across making the sound of a scratchy tuning fork.

The fix was a “CORRECT” fix. CORRECT fix = determining the ROOT CAUSE of the problem and eliminating it as compared to the “EASY” fix method which is doing what ever it takes, with what ever you got, and in as little time possible, in order to be on with your life. This method has no regard for cosmetics or concern in maintain design originality (i.e. duct tape, bailing wire, clamps, tie wraps, coat hangers etc…..). I don’t want to say that there is anything wrong with the EASY fix method. I’ve done MANY. But when it came to this restoration project, which I took on in February, an EASY fix approach wasn't’t going to be an option unless there was big $$$$ impact.

I want you guys who participated in this troubleshooting brainstorm session that your input was great. The cool thing about this forum is the quality, sanity checking, and promptness of replies from everyone. Just like the issue that came up with my need for caution label that was no longer available for purchase which went from an initial postto my putting the sticker on my Greenie is just 48 hours, this problem and solution followed with equal expedience. My initial post was on 4/27/09 at 10:30 pm and within 24 hours, there were 17 member posts and a FIXED ShopSmith, wrapping up the project last night at 10:00 pm. Unbelievable!!

Before I digress too much, here's the Greenie fixed followed by a few pics of what the root cause was.
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[ATTACH]4276[/ATTACH]
--Note the uniform gap with no contact.
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[ATTACH]4277[/ATTACH]
--Guess
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[ATTACH]4278[/ATTACH]
--Guess again
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[ATTACH]4279[/ATTACH]
And again....look like paint remover in action?
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Three components went into resolving this problem.

1.Paint on the major contact surfaces of the headstock housing and motor pan was removed.
2. Lacquer on the inside contact surface of the belt cover was removed
3. Tweaking the cover around once all paint and lacquer was removed

WHODATHUNK??

Judaspre1982 (aka Dave) obviously did in his post #206questioning paint thickness followed up by jpg40504 (aka J) suggesting the tweak method on the belt cover in his post #202. These two approaches are what resolved the issue.

Regarding the paint..... As I thought about using that solution,, it started to make a lot of sense since the interference of the belt cover hole and top of way tube was only a few thousandth of an inch. I figured that if I remove the paint on the bottom of the motor pan, it would allow me to raise the belt cover by the thickness of the paint in turn eliminating the interference. I removed the paint with stripper, cleaned the area well with mineral spirits to neutralize the stripper, and put the cover back on. Unfortunately, that didn't’t fix it.

I looked at where the 6 screw holes were on the belt cover vs. their mating thread holes and they looked perfectly centered. I tried to tweak the cover to bias it a little but it wouldn't’t budge in any direction. I was able to pull the belt cover off with a little persuasion and decided that I needed to try to get a smidgen of “slop” to see if biasing the cover over the threaded holes would help. To do this, I then removed the paint on the other primary HORIZONTAL contact surface (top of headstock, the top surface of the two angled sides where the cover transitions outward to accommodate the motor pan) and I also removed the lacquer I had sprayed inside the belt cover but only where it contacted the motor pan. When I put the belt cover back on, it was still quite snug BUT, I was able to tweak it around just a little. Well, I found out that just a little tweak makes a BIG difference on how the cover way tube hole lines up with the way tube. Looking at the headstock from the operators side, I biased the cover in a clockwise direction, which RAISED the belt cover way tube hole UP off the way tubes. I kept my fingers cross hoping that the 3 through holes in the belt cover still lined up with the mating threaded holes AND THEY DID. They were biased toward the outer edge of the through holes but I was just able to get the screws started. Screwed ‘em in “Good’n Tight” and bingo, problem RESOLVED.
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Thought I'd include the first picture of the completed Greenie.....just scroll down to see it.
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[ATTACH]4280[/ATTACH]

REAL SOON!!

[tom_k/mo]

Mike, now that's just MEAN...

[mickyd]

Mike, now that's just MEAN...

But in a loving way!!

[tom_k/mo]

But in a loving way!!

I swear, it's like dangling candy in front of a kid...

Can't wait to see the finished project. BTW, have you tried your NevrDull yet?