Shopsmith Forums

The quill on my new Mark 7 is binding slightly. It does not extend or retract as smoothly as my Mark V. When retracting, I usually have to assist it with the handle. If not it will hang up. I have waxed the exterior quill housing. What else should I try? Does this need a "break in period"? I tend to doubt it... Everything else seems fine so far...

There's a set screw that adjusts the ease with which the quill retracts. It is located on top of the headstock under some mystery material. Dig out the mystery material and adjust the set screw. This is shown in one of the Sawdust Sessions.

When I've replaced my single bearing quills with the two bearing ones they have taken a short while to adjust to each other, that being the new quill and the gear in the headstock. Make sure to wipe the quill down and wax it, then buff, a couple of times if you can. I've even seen what might have been described as burrs come off or possible finish by way of small black pieces.

If the sticking continues much over a week it might be a case of getting to the top set screw and removing the quill for a better cleaning and waxing along with adjustment of the set screw.

If you haven't removed a quill before make sure you read up on the method as you don't want to have to deal with the return spring coming loose unless you really have to.

Ed

ChrisNeilan wrote:The quill on my new Mark 7 is binding slightly. It does not extend or retract as smoothly as my Mark V. When retracting, I usually have to assist it with the handle. If not it will hang up. I have waxed the exterior quill housing. What else should I try? Does this need a "break in period"? I tend to doubt it... Everything else seems fine so far...

Chris
Did you buy a completely assembled Power Pro or did you do n upgrade?
I bought a new PP and I have had a similar problem with mine. When I took it apart there as a groove in the quill spring housing where the housing slipped during drilling operation. The quill would start to bing after about 20 to 30 holes were drilled and it got so bad that the wuill would bind and I could not move it. In desparation, because I was in the middle of our Toys for Tots program I swapped out my original pinion shaft for the PP pinion shaft and everything was OK. I kind of forgot about the problem until recently and I reinstalled the PP pinion shaft and the original problem returned.
It seems that when the set screw that holds the spring housing in place is tightened the quill binds. If I put very slight pressure on the set screw the quill seems to work OK. It could be that the set screw was tightened at the factory just enough not to cause the bind which may have caused the set screw scoring on the spring housing.
It may be that the spring housing is distorting when the set screw is tightened and causing some sort of bind when the spring winds up in the spring housing.
I found the problem after the depth stop changed position while drilling about 80 holes which resulted in some considerable reworking of some parts to make them useable.
You are the only other PP owner that I have heard that has this problem.
Try loosening the set screw on the spring housing to see if it will lessen the bind.
My original pinion shaft is back in the PP headstock because I had a large project recently and had to be sure the depth stop would not slip again.
Let me know if you find a reliable solution. I will try on my end as well. I will try to find my old pics of the problem if I can.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:Chris
Did you buy a completely assembled Power Pro or did you do n upgrade?
I bought a new PP and I have had a similar problem with mine. When I took it apart there as a groove in the quill spring housing where the housing slipped during drilling operation. The quill would start to bing after about 20 to 30 holes were drilled and it got so bad that the wuill would bind and I could not move it. In desparation, because I was in the middle of our Toys for Tots program I swapped out my original pinion shaft for the PP pinion shaft and everything was OK. I kind of forgot about the problem until recently and I reinstalled the PP pinion shaft and the original problem returned.
It seems that when the set screw that holds the spring housing in place is tightened the quill binds. If I put very slight pressure on the set screw the quill seems to work OK. It could be that the set screw was tightened at the factory just enough not to cause the bind which may have caused the set screw scoring on the spring housing.
It may be that the spring housing is distorting when the set screw is tightened and causing some sort of bind when the spring winds up in the spring housing.
I found the problem after the depth stop changed position while drilling about 80 holes which resulted in some considerable reworking of some parts to make them useable.
You are the only other PP owner that I have heard that has this problem.
Try loosening the set screw on the spring housing to see if it will lessen the bind.
My original pinion shaft is back in the PP headstock because I had a large project recently and had to be sure the depth stop would not slip again.
Let me know if you find a reliable solution. I will try on my end as well. I will try to find my old pics of the problem if I can.
Bill V

Thanks everyone for the advice. I did buff the quill tonight with some scotchbrite and re-waxed and buffed.,helped somewhat, but still not right. Before I dig out the set screw I think I'll call Shopsmith since it is pretty much a brand new Mark 7. Don't want to screw up and void the warranty!

ChrisNeilan wrote:Thanks everyone for the advice. I did buff the quill tonight with some scotchbrite and re-waxed and buffed.,helped somewhat, but still not right. Before I dig out the set screw I think I'll call Shopsmith since it is pretty much a brand new Mark 7. Don't want to screw up and void the warranty!

Blame it on Fedex!:D

ChrisNeilan wrote:Thanks everyone for the advice. I did buff the quill tonight with some scotchbrite and re-waxed and buffed.,helped somewhat, but still not right. Before I dig out the set screw I think I'll call Shopsmith since it is pretty much a brand new Mark 7. Don't want to screw up and void the warranty!

I may be on the paranoid side (others determine this, not me) , but I remember my PowerPro DIY instruction-manual mentioned that the new motor may slightly flex the aluminum headstock casting. So I speculate this may contribute to quill-binding.

Another thing is that the quill-binding can vary whether you have a horizontal load weight (saw-blade, e.g.) or a vertical load weight (drill-press).

nuhobby wrote:I may be on the paranoid side (others determine this, not me) , but I remember my PowerPro DIY instruction-manual mentioned that the new motor may slightly flex the aluminum headstock casting. So I speculate this may contribute to quill-binding.

Another thing is that the quill-binding can vary whether you have a horizontal load weight (saw-blade, e.g.) or a vertical load weight (drill-press).

WHAT??

The Mk series headstock casting, flexes? Really?

Don't make me say it. (I have ERs.)

I think it's finally clear to me, why the ER makes a better lathe, and they're STILL using ERs to build the Mk series.

steve

I have had the same issue with the the quill binding. But cleaning and waxing did very little to cure the issue as did adjusting the set screw. With the quill removed I found that the quill feed pinion binding was to blame. Note: Be sure not to let the spring tension whip the handle away from you when trying this. Cured it by spraying the quill feed pinion bearings in the headstock with Bostik bearing lubricant. Seems the rear bearing (by the quill feed stop) was the major cause of the binding. I removed the quill feed stop to get better access to the bearing. Problem solved. This is on a factory assembled Power Pro headstock purchased July, 2012.
Regards,
Dwight