Shopsmith Forums

I recently purchased a used Shopsmith, and looking up the serial number found it to be made back in 1958. I am amazed how everything is still running. The only issue I am having is during lathe operations. I have read through and tried all the suggestions from the owner's manual but can not seem to get rid of the vibrations in the machine. No matter what speed or what size stock, it vibrates just enough to make turning extrememly difficult, especially any detailed work. I am looking for any thoughts on how to "tune up" my machine for smooth operation. Thanks.

My Mark V dates from 1954 and still works well. Vibration is almost unavoidable at the "roughing in" stage as the spinning wood is not in balance. Vibration ought to decrease once the piece has become symmetrical around the axis of rotation. If vibration continues, one must check whether the faceplate or chuck is ought of balance. Also, large diameter objects ought to turn more slowly than small diamter objects.

As a retired :)machinist, I would reccomend that you check the bearings belts and bushings without any accessory attached. This will help define the problem. If all is OK add one accessory (faceplate etc.) at a time until you isolate the culprit.

I would agree with Phil that old of a machine probaly has a few flat spots on the belt.

My shop smith was made in 1957, I think. Everything was still working on it as well.

I replaced the quill on mine and got rid of the vibration problem. And the quill upgrade is pretty easy to do.

Scott B. Jaqua
Hagerson Forge

I think most people would love to see you jump off a bridge wearing that jersey.

Now please stop posting crap and find a sports forum who wants your jerseys.

That is all

spiderclimber wrote:I think most people would love to see you jump off a bridge wearing that jersey.

Now please stop posting crap and find a sports forum who wants your jerseys.

That is all

Notice the join dates of all those posters who preceded. They are all in 2006 - now inactive members who posted only a few times even then.

dusty wrote:Notice the join dates of all those posters who preceded. They are all in 2006 - now inactive members who posted only a few times even then.

I do notice the dates, but some of that comes from someone who is so excited that they can add one thing to a post and be helpful and then decide that it wasn't as much fun as they thought and walk away.

I don't know if any of the posters from 2006 have created spam post before or ever will. What normally happens, is you post something in one thread and the bottom of the page gives you suggestions. These lead the spammer to click on that link and post there, hence bringing up the 2006 post.

I have seen it a half dozen times at least on my other forum where a new member, sees something and just has to create an account and post, not looking at the date and realizing if they had not figured it out in 5 years they probably won't.

spiderclimber wrote:I do notice the dates, but some of that comes from someone who is so excited that they can add one thing to a post and be helpful and then decide that it wasn't as much fun as they thought and walk away.

I don't know if any of the posters from 2006 have created spam post before or ever will. What normally happens, is you post something in one thread and the bottom of the page gives you suggestions. These lead the spammer to click on that link and post there, hence bringing up the 2006 post.

I have seen it a half dozen times at least on my other forum where a new member, sees something and just has to create an account and post, not looking at the date and realizing if they had not figured it out in 5 years they probably won't.

Regardless of the date of a thread, if 'new' information is relevant, then adding a post is indicated.

That does two things:

1)Any one doing a search will have access to that new info.

2)a It exposes newer members to that thread.
2)b It refreshes 'older' members memory of it.

P.S. Once you spend some time here you will realize that often a new thread is the same as previous one(s). i.e. The been there done that syndrome. Notice often a question ... is answered by a reference to those earlier threads.