3" Caster Upgrade - My Review

[rwilabee]

Because of some of the reviews for the 3" install I decided to figure out where I wanted to drill the holes and didn't use the template. They came out just perfect with plenty of clearance when they are down and the legs sit firmly on the ground when they are up.

Rich

[Ed in Tampa]

So my new mark 7 arrived yesterday, and I ordered the upgraded caster set with it. It had a relatively recent date on the template (may 2012, I think), so I followed it exactly, lining up the template so both original holes matched up exactly when lit from behind the leg, then I punched and drilled, and I was disappointed to find that the stand barely clears the floor on the highest level.

This was really disappointing. I even made 1/4 inch holes so that there would be no slop.

I'm not really sure what shopsmith is thinking. In fact, it mystifies me that in making new stands that they couldn't have pre-punched both sets of holes at the factory to match the casters that they have at the factory.

That is pathetic!
And in my opinion inexcusable.

I'm afraid if I ordered the casters and ended up with the stand barely clearing the floor I would send the whole mess back.

[paulmcohen]

So my new mark 7 arrived yesterday, and I ordered the upgraded caster set with it. It had a relatively recent date on the template (may 2012, I think), so I followed it exactly, lining up the template so both original holes matched up exactly when lit from behind the leg, then I punched and drilled, and I was disappointed to find that the stand barely clears the floor on the highest level.

This was really disappointing. I even made 1/4 inch holes so that there would be no slop.

I'm not really sure what Shopsmith is thinking. In fact, it mystifies me that in making new stands that they couldn't have pre-punched both sets of holes at the factory to match the casters that they have at the factory.

$1.00 worth of Stainless Steel washers solves the problem. I just finished my double tilt upgrade and the washer what worked perfectly before the upgrade need to be rearranged. I think there is more to this issue then just the template. The upgrade has you not tighten the leg nuts until the machine is leveled. Depending on how the legs are "leveled" the number of washers change.

When everything is perfect, the wheels don't touch the ground and spin fully (360 degrees) but there is "almost" no space between the lowest point of the wheel and the floor . In the first position I can almost fit a 1/4 spacer under every leg and in the next a 1/2" spacer. To make this happen I use between 1 and 5 washers for each wheel.

[dusty]

Because of some of the reviews for the 3" install I decided to figure out where I wanted to drill the holes and didn't use the template. They came out just perfect with plenty of clearance when they are down and the legs sit firmly on the ground when they are up.

Rich

I did the installation just a little bit differently but I used the template provided and followed the instructions. Details of how I did it differently are contained within this thread.

Mine seem to work fine. The wheels clear the floor when the legs are grounded and the legs clear the floor in both of the elevated positions. The Mark V can be pushed around with almost no effort.

What more could be expected.

[dusty]

That is pathetic!
And in my opinion inexcusable.

I'm afraid if I ordered the casters and ended up with the stand barely clearing the floor I would send the whole mess back.

I think you are off the deep end, Ed.

You don't even know what , if anything, is wrong.

rwilabee: What did you expect that you do not have?

The legs clear when the wheels are down (both positions) and the wheels are free of the ground when the legs are grounded.

Maybe I don't understand.

[rwilabee]

I have exactly what I expected a great rolling Mark V.

I think you are off the deep end, Ed.

You don't even know what , if anything, is wrong.

rwilabee: What did you expect that you do not have?

The legs clear when the wheels are down (both positions) and the wheels are free of the ground when the legs are grounded.

Maybe I don't understand.

[dusty]

I have exactly what I expected a great rolling Mark V.

That is great but apparently that was not the case for nil.

[dusty]

So my new mark 7 arrived yesterday, and I ordered the upgraded caster set with it. It had a relatively recent date on the template (may 2012, I think), so I followed it exactly, lining up the template so both original holes matched up exactly when lit from behind the leg, then I punched and drilled, and I was disappointed to find that the stand barely clears the floor on the highest level.

This was really disappointing. I even made 1/4 inch holes so that there would be no slop.

I'm not really sure what shopsmith is thinking. In fact, it mystifies me that in making new stands that they couldn't have pre-punched both sets of holes at the factory to match the casters that they have at the factory.

If Shopsmith had prepunched the holes for us, would the wheels not have been in the same position with respect to the floor? I think so.

If your wheels clear the floor (even barely) when the legs are grounded, I believe you have exactly what was intended. That apparently is not what you expected but I believe that is the way it was designed.

[reible]

Let's take a different road and look at this page:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/markvcasters.htm

In particular this description:

• Step once on the actuator and your Mark 7/Mark V raises 1/4" off the ground for rolling over smooth surfaces
• Step twice on the actuator and the ground clearance increases to 1/2"
• A third step allows your Mark 7/Mark V to settle gently back onto the ground when you're ready to go to work.

The design intent is clearly stated. When I read this it is clear what I expect from the caster set. I don't expect anything more or any thing less.

When we look at the new casters:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/premium_casters.htm

I do not see anything that would indicate this should change the expectations of having the same distances.

I do not see any indication that you might have to deal with pedal location issues (moving pedal, grinding pedal, adding washers to clear pedal)(undocumented in the instructions).

I do see claims like this:

Easy Installation
Installing them on your existing Shopsmith Retractable Caster Brackets is a "breeze". Just re-drill some new bracket mounting holes in the legs of your Shopsmith (we provide a paper guide template for positioning)... pull the old casters out... pop the new casters in... bolt the brackets into the new position... and you're done in about half an hour ! That's all there is to it.



Not so sure this sediment is shared by a lot of owners, unless your expectations are a lot less then mine.


So for those that are so happy with these what would you opinion be if say the new PowerPro were to be delivered to your door and when you start it up you find that the lowest speed is 500 rpm and the top speed is 7000 rpm. OK so it is not a 1/4" at the first step, well it is not 250 rpm but still it is works.... And so it is not a 1/2" at the second step nor is 10000 rpm but it still works. Just saying.



I took the time to hand layout mine set of holes. The location I have meets all the expectations as listed by shopsmith for the caster set. I did move the pedal as I like that approach best, that is of course ones own choice. If you have the holes located where you are not clearing the ground by much at least you have the "washer" option (which is not an item mentioned in the instructions).


I'd say shopsmith owes yet another set of instructions/templates to clear up these issues or to change the specifications of the caster set.


Ed

[dusty]

Let's take a different road and look at this page:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/markvcasters.htm

In particular this description:

• Step once on the actuator and your Mark 7/Mark V raises 1/4" off the ground for rolling over smooth surfaces
• Step twice on the actuator and the ground clearance increases to 1/2"
• A third step allows your Mark 7/Mark V to settle gently back onto the ground when you're ready to go to work.

The design intent is clearly stated. When I read this it is clear what I expect from the caster set. I don't expect anything more or any thing less.

When we look at the new casters:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/premium_casters.htm

I do not see anything that would indicate this should change the expectations of having the same distances.

I do not see any indication that you might have to deal with pedal location issues (moving pedal, grinding pedal, adding washers to clear pedal)(undocumented in the instructions).

I do see claims like this:

Easy Installation
Installing them on your existing Shopsmith Retractable Caster Brackets is a "breeze". Just re-drill some new bracket mounting holes in the legs of your Shopsmith (we provide a paper guide template for positioning)... pull the old casters out... pop the new casters in... bolt the brackets into the new position... and you're done in about half an hour ! That's all there is to it.



Not so sure this sediment is shared by a lot of owners, unless your expectations are a lot less then mine.


So for those that are so happy with these what would you opinion be if say the new PowerPro were to be delivered to your door and when you start it up you find that the lowest speed is 500 rpm and the top speed is 7000 rpm. OK so it is not a 1/4" at the first step, well it is not 250 rpm but still it is works.... And so it is not a 1/2" at the second step nor is 10000 rpm but it still works. Just saying.



I took the time to hand layout mine set of holes. The location I have meets all the expectations as listed by shopsmith for the caster set. I did move the pedal as I like that approach best, that is of course ones own choice. If you have the holes located where you are not clearing the ground by much at least you have the "washer" option (which is not an item mentioned in the instructions).


I'd say shopsmith owes yet another set of instructions/templates to clear up these issues or to change the specifications of the caster set.


Ed

I would agree with you on most of this. However, the complaint (let me call it observation) raised in this thread was that the wheels just barely cleared when the legs were grounded (my words, not nil's).

That description of a completed installation fits mine as well. One step up, my legs are not quit 1/4" off the floor but awfully close. Two steps up, I can say the same thing, if I measure all four legs.

It is important to note that the measurements are not the same in all four locations. This could be because of my floor and then it could be because I installed with differences or it could be because my casters do not all retract the same.

I suspect the later.

Nothing Shopsmith could have done (within reason) would change that.

EXCEPT: Maybe, just maybe the critical dimensions for older caster sets are somewhat different than for the newer ones. This would mean that there needs to be unique installation instructions dependent on which casters are being installed.