Gifted a Shopsmith; Now what?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 9:15 pm

shaun.farmer wrote:Front to back on the left third of the table. When I asked the guy who have it to me, he said it was used for storage and things were piled on top of it. It makes it a challenge getting the motor connected to the bandsaw.

Sight unseen, I think a few swipes with sandpaper(or file if really proud) would bring it back closer to 'normal'.

shaun.farmer · Post by **shaun.farmer** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:13 pm

Tried to grab a picture

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:46 pm

You will NOT need a file:)

320 or 400 grit should work.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:59 pm

The bench (lower) tubes can always be painted like the early Greenies bench tubes. I find the pits in the way tubes will always look bad but as long as the outer surface has been sanded and waxed, the headstock and carriage will slide on these tubes. Keeping the pits from rusting again may be a problem over time. You may want to look for some shiny way tubes on Ebay if looks is important.

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:03 am

I just removed my tubes from a PVC pipe Evaporust soak for about a week and am very pleased with how they look - that stuff really is amazing! They are the thick 10E tubes and they were pretty rusty going in…came out nice and shiny. The Evaporust was pretty dark after one use…not really sure what its life span is but I went ahead and used it to soak another pair of 10E tubes I have that were in similar rusty condition, so we'll see how they come out. I'll probably (properly) dispose of the Evaporust after that soak and buy a new gallon.

Next up, I am going to try and mount them on one of my 10E's and try and turn them on the lathe so I can buff them…I have a 10E jig that mounts in place of the tailstock and allows long cylinders to protrude beyond the end of the machine…just need to figure out the best means to chuck the tube to the headstock. I may get cold feet on this approach and just bench mount them and hit them with a drill-mounted buffer. Any thoughts on best approach to sand and buff the tubes?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:30 am

dgale wrote:I just removed my tubes from a PVC pipe Evaporust soak for about a week and am very pleased with how they look - that stuff really is amazing! They are the thick 10E tubes and they were pretty rusty going in…came out nice and shiny. The Evaporust was pretty dark after one use…not really sure what its life span is but I went ahead and used it to soak another pair of 10E tubes I have that were in similar rusty condition, so we'll see how they come out. I'll probably (properly) dispose of the Evaporust after that soak and buy a new gallon.

Next up, I am going to try and mount them on one of my 10E's and try and turn them on the lathe so I can buff them…I have a 10E jig that mounts in place of the tailstock and allows long cylinders to protrude beyond the end of the machine…just need to figure out the best means to chuck the tube to the headstock. I may get cold feet on this approach and just bench mount them and hit them with a drill-mounted buffer. Any thoughts on best approach to sand and buff the tubes?

Go to an auto parts place and get a 1 3/8" freeze plug(core plug) and a threaded coupler with the same thread. Replace the nut on the plug with the coupler and stick the coupler in the drill chuck. You can figger out the rest! Run it slow.

skou · Post by **skou** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:37 am

Don't sand too much. Those way tubes align EVERYTHING on the ER. If you remove too much, the alignment will be off. Don't try to eliminate the pits, they will turn into pockets to hold lubricant.

One of the members at the ER Group, uses mineral oil on ALL his surfaces. He is in the Philippines, close to the beach, and has very little rust issues. He also doesn't worry about old rust or pits.

Think about this one, say your front way tube has some pits, and you sand them out. Look at your ER. The carriage lock is on the bottom, and the headstock lock is on the top. If you remove 10 thousandths, once you lock everything down, you're now off 20 thousandths. That is the thickness of a playing card.

steve

rlkeeney · Post by **rlkeeney** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:09 am

JPG40504 wrote:The darker, the less effective it becomes.

From Evapo-Rust FAQ

How long does Evapo-Rust last?

One gallon of EVAPO-RUST will remove 1/2 pound of pure, dry rust. That averages removing rust from approximately 300 pounds of moderately rusted steel. When not in use, it is best to cover (but not airtight) to keep out bugs. If any of the bath evaporates, simply add fresh water.

How do I know when the Evapo-Rust is spent?

The bath will turn completely black and will not perform. The pH will be approximately 7.2 and the specific gravity will be about 1.08.

I wonder how you test the pH of a dark liquid.

shaun.farmer · Post by **shaun.farmer** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 1:08 pm

Cleaned up.

Haven't touched the lower tubes or the planer but this looks like a totally different machine now.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:58 pm

shaun.farmer wrote:Cleaned up.

Haven't touched the lower tubes or the planer but this looks like a totally different machine now.

How did you attach it to the ceiling?