Shopsmith Forums

mrhart wrote:Sorry for adding that pic until now. But I had forgot all about asking about that knob until now. I'll look on my new owners manual and call SS and see if thats available. Might be why I'm not sure about my adjusting. Here is the pic again.
[ATTACH]19357[/ATTACH]

My knob is about 1/3 as high and probably 2x wide as the knob in the picture. Is there a worry about having too much tension in a blade? Does it limit your cutting radius or is there more to it?

letterk wrote:My knob is about 1/3 as high and probably 2x wide as the knob in the picture. Is there a worry about having too much tension in a blade? Does it limit your cutting radius or is there more to it?

Can you post a pic for comparison?

I made a quickie cheapie insert with a piece of "soft hardboard-brown on one side, white on the other". It was 1/8" and sqishes in nice so I could test drive this unit on a real piece of wood.
I do think the tension adjustment is the last piece of the puzzle. It doesn't seem like it goes very far and I can't really tell any difference. I notice the faster the blade travels, I can see the shadow of the blade off to the left like the top and bottom arms are not in perfect adjustment.
I needed a couple quick holes, and it did the job!

I can't get to mine right now since it is buried for winter, but here is a long shot with a similar setup.

Sorry autocorrect changed a misspelled version of since to incentive.

mrhart wrote:Can you post a pic for comparison?
I made a quickie cheapie insert with a piece of "soft hardboard-brown on one side, white on the other". It was 1/8" and sqishes in nice so I could test drive this unit on a real piece of wood.
I do think the tension adjustment is the last piece of the puzzle. It doesn't seem like it goes very far and I can't really tell any difference. I notice the faster the blade travels, I can see the shadow of the blade off to the left like the top and bottom arms are not in perfect adjustment.
I needed a couple quick holes, and it did the job!

see second pix https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?p=93593&postcount=41

Blade does not reciprocate up/down, It 'rocks'. Top of blade rocks back on up stroke, and forward on down stroke when viewed from side of blade.

It should move up/down when viewed from the tooth edge.

JPGs picture is what my knob looks like. Mine rotates and increases tension, but doesn't make any clicking sounds.

letterk wrote:JPGs picture is what my knob looks like. Mine rotates and increases tension, but doesn't make any clicking sounds.

So is there a spring and ball bearing inside?;)

mrhart wrote:Can you post a pic for comparison?

I made a quickie cheapie insert with a piece of "soft hardboard-brown on one side, white on the other". It was 1/8" and sqishes in nice so I could test drive this unit on a real piece of wood.
I do think the tension adjustment is the last piece of the puzzle. It doesn't seem like it goes very far and I can't really tell any difference. I notice the faster the blade travels, I can see the shadow of the blade off to the left like the top and bottom arms are not in perfect adjustment.
I needed a couple quick holes, and it did the job!

I hope these will help.

[ATTACH]19409[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]19410[/ATTACH]

I have not taken the knob off. I removed the two set screws in an attempt but the knob was quite secure. I then examined the exploded parts list and see that there is a spring and ball bearing shown. I detected neither one when I had the side set screw out. Mine does not click but then it would not if the ball bearing and spring are now missing.

dusty wrote:I have not taken the knob off. I removed the two set screws in an attempt but the knob was quite secure. I then examined the exploded parts list and see that there is a spring and ball bearing shown. I detected neither one when I had the side set screw out. Mine does not click but then it would not if the ball bearing and spring are now missing.

Have we confirmed if the click is with each line on the knob or each large line? That would be 16 or 8 clicks per rotation. Of course the instruction in PTWWFE are start counting when the knob starts to tighten and the clicks become quieter.

Looks like the number of clicks to count are from 5 to 25.

letterk wrote:Have we confirmed if the click is with each line on the knob or each large line? That would be 16 or 8 clicks per rotation. Of course the instruction in PTWWFE are start counting when the knob starts to tighten and the clicks become quieter.

Looks like the number of clicks to count are from 5 to 25.

1 line/click. 16 clicks/rev.

The ball bearing detents into the flutes on the side of the top knob. There are 16 flutes.

I have made contatc with a forum member who has a replacement knob-bearing-screw ect. Will start the aquasition process today.

I looked last night at the diagram and the saw, I guess what is most likely bent it the tensioning rod itself. Don't know if that is a problem really or not. But the new proper knob ect may be the ticket.

I called SS this morning to ask about my blade mount upgrade that was on backorder, (heard crazy stories about long time frames)...Bingo, going out today! Thats when I heard in my mind "Joy to the World" but it wasn't an angelic voice, more like Chevy Chase.
There was lights too.