Shopsmith Forums

I have a mark V shopsmith. It ran a while back but didn't have the power to do aything. it would bog down when you put pressure on it.
Now when you turn it on, it doesn't run. Just Hummmm's. Sounds like it wants to run but feels like something is catching it. Can't even advance the wheel by hand.
I also just got another shop smith mark V. It ran three times. I just turned it on for a minute or so and then turned it off each time. Today I was going to use it. I turned it on. then off so I could get a light to adjuct the speed for the table saw. When I turned it on, it just Hummed and felt like it was locked up. Just like the other one.
Any idea what I need to do ?????

Try to take the V belt off the motor pully and try to run the motors under no load. If this is successful then the motor should be OK. The same problem on two machines acquired at different times seems to indicate a common problem. The V belt may have dropped too far into one of the sheaves and gotten wedged. I believe this caused by rotating the speed control too far either too high (high speed adjustment needed) or past the slow speed setting resulting in the jam. Try to rotate the main spindle by hand and at the same time rotate the speed control handle to move the belt about midway up on both of the sheaves. This is a slow process be patient. Then try to start the machine, it should run. If it still hums or it is still very hard to turn by hand yhen you have other issues so come back here for further discussion.
Bill V

beeg wrote:When was the last time ya lubed it?

Now what made me think you were going to say that!:D


In any event, do not continue to attempt starting until the cause is identified and corrected.

The won't turn by hand is indeed probably a belt caught in the sheave.


As described above the first step is to get the belt off the motor pulley and go from there. Trouble is, if not set to high speed, it will not want to come off. Yes a catch22!!:(

Take the belt cover off and then describe to us what you find. Pix are a big help(the camera tells all and we'uns know what is 'normal' and may detect abnormal stuff).

JPG40504 wrote:Now what made me think you were going to say that!:D

Because I think many people are lack on maint.

When I am going to turn a unit off and expect it to be off for an extended time, I do not run it all the way to slow speed for this very reason. The drive belt gets down too deep in the sheaves and is sometimes hard to get out (back up in speed).

Put a sanding disk on the headstock and use it to help turn the shaft. Turning it may break the belt loose from the sheaves (if this is what makes them hard to turn).