Shopsmith Forums

Hi I have a pro planer and had to order new table mounting posts because the originals were slightly bent and you couldn't raise or lower the table. I began the long odyssey of taking the unit completely apart to get to the table mounting posts and remove them. This is actually not as hard to do as you might think. The problem comes when you want to put it back together and need 6 hands to line everything back up to put the framing back on.... anyway, I ordered new posts and noticed they had an extra 3/4 inch threaded part under where the sprocket piece attaches with a spring pin. It didn't occur to me that the clearance wouldn't be enough once installed to get the drive chain back on under neath. Now that I have gone to all the work to put them on, my question is, are they the wrong version of post? or do I just cut the additional threaded end off that is preventing me from getting the chain put in place? Obviously I have to take the machine apart and take them off before anything can be done. Please I hope someone knows the answer to this situation. SS only had one part to offer for that machine and they don't seem to want to answer the phone so I can't get anyone to answer my question.

Neither of the two post 'sets' that I have extend significantly below the sprockets.

for some reason when the new posts are installed they are within less than half an inch of the bottom of the housing. the extra threaded part takes up all the space allotted for sliding the chain in place under the posts. there just isn't the needed room to get the chain in there. they almost touch the table. I haven't unbolted it from the legs while assembled. maybe there is room to put the chain on from underneath with it off the rolling table. I didn't put the belt on yet so I can try that but it will be a pain to flip such a heavy machine to try it.

I did get the posts from shop smith so I can say they are original shop smith parts. They just differ from the ones on mine because they have this extra threaded bit under the sprocket. A mystery for me as it doesn't seem to thread onto anything. The exploded drawing they have for the parts doesn't show that close enough to see either.

I'll see if I can post a picture of it. This is my first time on this forum and I don't get along with computers very well.

Decided to go ahead and take the machine off the stand and glad I did. It's harder to adjust the chain than I though and it helped tremendously to do it with the planer upside-down which negated the worry about not having any room to get around the bottom of the posts. Now all I need to do is check all my bolts and calibrate it. Perseverance pays I guess, and now I know every nut and bolt of my planer on a first name basis lol. By the way, if anyone needs shoulder bolts you can get the right ones from McMaster and Carr and if you need to take spring pins out make sure you get the kind of pin removal tool with the little bead that centers the punch and helps it not slide off the spring pin while trying to tap it out. Its a nightmare without that little helpful feature. Used equipment is always fun to try to find parts for but at least Shop Smith has most everything and will sell you replacement parts. Happy woodworking everyone.

You were doing all this with it still attached to a stand??????

You were doing all this with the table lowered all the way?

Have you determined the original posts are actually 'bent'.

Be advised that if the sprockets are not sequenced properly to the chain the elevator action will bind-that may have been your original 'problem'.

Getting the sprockets adjusted to the chain(timing) can be a daunting task!

Proceed with caution.

[quote="JPG40504"]You were doing all this with it still attached to a stand??????

You were doing all this with the table lowered all the way?

Have you determined the original posts are actually 'bent'.

Be advised that if the sprockets are not sequenced properly to the chain the elevator action will bind-that may have been your original 'problem'.]

I always proceed with caution .

yes the posts were bent. And the table plate waggled when I attempted to turn the elevation crank before I started. I rolled them on a table after taking them off. A really big indication of bent posts. I replaced all four just in case the back two were bent even though they didn't look bad. Yes initially I thought I might be able to adjust the posts with the stand on but quickly changed my mind. Yes the table was all the way down as that was the easiest way to reassemble the machine. I then used a 3-inch block to adjust the table.

Flipped it belly up carefully reinstalled the chain adjusted that bolted it back onto the stand, put the pulley back on. tightened everything checked the spring tension for gross estimation. Will fine tune when I'm satisfied enough with everything else to put a board through I still have to adjust the belt tension, lubricate and clean random rust on various place, replace a couple of support pieces that the previous owner didn't bother to put on the stand. (It had a few missing parts when I got it.) Sharpen the blades and then fire it up. It hadn't been cleaned for a long time and the cover housing the gears was chock full of cedar shavings. Took a while to clean the gear teeth but they look unharmed.
I'm looking forward to turning it on and testing it. I found it had too many shims added to the tension rollers. when I tried to tighten the bolts enough to keep from vibrating loose later on, it would freeze them in place so I took one off each side and that corrected that as well. When I bought it there were 2 rubber feed rollers instead of one rubber and one steel. Not sure what happened to this thing before we got it but I think I have corrected all the warts on it.
I have a lot of reclaiming to do so it will be nice to have a planer. Even with buying all the replacement parts, it was a good price and I will have a nice pro planer when its all done. Saving a LOT of money. I have to say its too bad we don't have a Shop Smith repair location near here but its a good learning experience to do the work myself.

Originally it had two rubber feed rollers.

Am I to understand the roller upgrade is only one feed roller???????

If so, infeed?

JPG40504 wrote:Originally it had two rubber feed rollers.

Am I to understand the roller upgrade is only one feed roller???????

If so, infeed?

Yes I bought the metal feed roller after looking at the blowup diagram thinking it had had one initially and the pully upgrade, and plan to get the dust collecter attachment so I can hook it up. also I got t he rollers but have yet to drill the legs to put them on. ( I wish they came pre drilled for those items)