Shopsmith Forums

Shopsmith is running very hot. Any suggestion? Machine is a Mark V about 30 years old? A lot of hours running and more hours setting. I am retired now and want to start working in wood again.

Congrats on being retired. Welcome to the forum, you found the right place to ask about your shopsmith. Nothing that can't be fixed and these are the people to help you do just that. Couple of quick questions. Where are you located, maybe we have someone close by that can help. Second how long does it take to get warm ? Have you serviced the unit ? If so when ? If not we have to start there before we can give you a direct answer. It could be simple build up in the motor, or it could be bearings needing to be replaced. More info will help us narrow down the cause and help get you a working solution.

rdonning1 wrote:Shopsmith is running very hot. Any suggestion? Machine is a Mark V about 30 years old? A lot of hours running and more hours setting. I am retired now and want to start working in wood again.

This is very hard to diagnose accurately without being able to lay ones hands on the headstock (several places) and the motor.

I don't know if setting idle is hazardous to the health of the bearings but if I had your machine I would probably just change the bearings. Doing so is not terribly expensive and is a really good way to become thoroughly familiar with your machine.

While going through that process you can get a real good look at everything else. Items like the sheaves, the belts, the shafts, the keys, the races.

If the motor gets "hot", not just warm to touch, I would rebuild the motor. Doing that before the windings fail would likely extend the life of the motor beyond my life span.

These are great machines but only if they are cared for.

BTW I work in an garage. The door is open all of the time that I am awake and home. The morning sun beats down on my Mark V and it gets too hot to touch even without turning it on. That cast aluminum takes on and retains the heat very efficiently.

One last comment. I would take off the motor drive belt and check to see how everything spins manually. It should be smooth and quiet. With the drive belt removed, the motor, if healthy runs smooth and very quiet. Just a hum.

Confession: You might sense that I think nothing of tearing this machine down into its many parts. The Mark V is a pleasure to work on.

Thanks for the welcome. And being retired is not all that great.
Location: Avondale, AZ (15 miles west of Phoenix, AZ
First, Mark 510 SN# 84403 11/81 upgraded to a 520 1985
Second, Serviced don’t remember, the quill has been replace and speed dial parts about 6 years ago
Gets warm very quick and I think I will try cleaning and servicing it today.
The motor has been bopping the circuit breaker for some time, I was told by shopsmith that I needed to set the speed on low before turning off and that corrected that problem.

Agreed with what has been said. Most likely bearings, but could be belts, sheaves, motor. Start by servicing the headstock. You might lock the quill in the extended position and feel if the end is getting hot as you run the unit. That could indicate a bad bearing there.

Since you have been running a Mark V since before 1985, there is likely little that I can tell you new.

Being in Avondale, our weather related experiences are very similar. Hot is hot no matter where you are at.

If you can not put an approximate date on the last time you serviced, I would suggest that your first priority is a good cleaning and lubrication. Oiling the sheaves can not be over emphasized. I unquestionably overdo this aspect of maintenance but I suggest that two or three times a year is not excessive.

While oiling, wax the tables and the quill.

Check belt tension and adjust as necessary.

Now check for heat build up.

I will create a fire storm with this statement but I am sticking with it.

Your machines, both of them, should function quite well on a 115vac/15amp/14gauge circuit as long as the service run is in good condition and you are not using an extension cord. Having said that, if you have a 12gauge service available, by all means use it. It is more efficient than the 14gauge run but I don't believe you will see any improvement in Mark V performance.

In the service panel, check to make certain that all of the screws are tight on each and every feed. Feel the breakers that service your shop. The feed that provides power to your Mark V. If it is warmer than the rest - replace it. If it is hot to touch, turn it off and don't use that circuit until you have replaced the breaker. If it is still hot - call an electrician unless you are one.

To reiterate what Dusty said, check the breaker screws, specially the one that mounts the wire. I had a remodeling business, doing work at a clients and he mentioned he had a breaker that was always tripping with very little load on it, checked it out, the screw that holds the wire was loose by a quarter turn, tightened, problem solved. Also if a breaker trips allot, the spring in there weakens and it will trip easier.

Small 'detail', but where is it getting hot?

Top of headstock?

Idler shaft?

Quill area?

Motor pan?

Answers will help narrow it down.

Now about the popping breaker problem.

I am going to assume it was 'new' 30 yrs ago.(a youngster to us)

The induction motor comes very close to tripping a breaker every time it starts up. If that is a 15A breaker it will be even more likely to trip since the wiring from the breaker to the receptacle(plug socket/outlet) will most likely be #14. Add in a drop cord and the motor will start up slowly. This increased time will cause the start up current to remain above the breaker trip point for a longer length of time. Dropping the speed control to slow helps in that the motor gets up to speed quicker due to the lower torque load. FWIW the 'always set down to low speed mantra' is a carry over from earlier days when house wiring was less robust or predictable and many used fuses.

Repeated cycles of breaker tripping will create a lower trip point as mentioned above, but more severe is the likely hood of the windings getting cooked at the same time.(that 'could' be a cause of heat today if the motor is the current culprit)

You mentioned replacing the speed control. I do hope it was not damaged due to turning the speed control 'down' without it running so as to 'start' at slow. As a 'tip', never adjust towards slow without the shafts turning and even then do so slowly. One can feel the resistance going that direction.

If you cannot remember the last time you 'serviced' it, it most likely is in dire need. Proper lubrication of the movable sheaves cannot be over emphasized. Lack thereof is the major cause of breakdown/malfunction.

The bearings are sealed and no lubrication is needed, they do after time tend to become 'dried out' especially if not 'used'.

Last but not least, this beast tends to naturally run hot, especially if at high speed for an extended period of time. Add high ambient temp and it will run hotter still. Add radiant heat from the sun and it gets even worse.

I agree with Dusty that getting yer hands dirty as it will give it a new lease on life as well as increase your knowledge of it. At first it can be a bit intimidating, but it is relatively simple once you become familiar with it.



OK, all you desert rats near Phoenix, offer to help him!!!!:D




Oh! Welcome to the loon . . . ah ./ . forum.:)

FWIW the 'always set down to low speed mantra' is a carry over from earlier days when house wiring was less robust or predictable and many used fuses.
JPG you are showing your age!!!!! AND wisdom!!!!
What you dont want pics!!!!!???????????
Example, where I have my off site shop, breaker box is at the opposite side, rectangle, at opposite diagnel corners of the house in relationship to the garage, only a 15 amp circuit to the garage, at least 100 ft distance away. As our astute JPG mentioned, in code a 15 amp circuit is wired with 14 gauge wire, 20 amp is 12 ga. You buy a piece of eclectically motorized piece of equipment, and they give you an "extension cord" wire size to length recommendation. But they do not factor in the distance from your breaker box to the outlet. At the off site shop, just from the breaker box to the garage, based on extension cord recommendations, you should only run a 10 amp motor!!!!! Think of that as an extension cord too in the distance!!!!
In my home, I had all circuits wired 20 amp, 12 ga wire, and to my garage/future shop I had them use 10 gauge wire on 20 amp circuits to the outlets.

rbursek wrote:FWIW the 'always set down to low speed mantra' is a carry over from earlier days when house wiring was less robust or predictable and many used fuses.
JPG you are showing your age!!!!! AND wisdom!!!!
What you dont want pics!!!!!???????????

That mantra is also from greenie days!:p

I doubt he has an infrared camera.