Shopsmith Forums

I have a new Mark 7. All four casters swivel, which makes it hard to guide into the designated parking spot in my garage. It would be much easier to steer if the casters on one end were fixed and did not swivel. Has anyone come up with a retrofit for the casters to get one end to stay fixed?

I just got my casters on last night - my used 500 came with a set but one of the wheels was destroyed and the rest not far behind. I swapped them out for 3" casters. In my shop I need all four to swivel so I can get it where it needs to go.

Anyhow, what about a board that has two notches out of it, one near each end, such that it slides over the casters with one caster in each slot - keep them from pivoting? Looking at mine, I'd say it would have to slide in from the side and not the top, so I see adding some sort of hook so it can hang over the bar that has the foot pedal to keep the whole thing from just falling off. You could just lift it off if you need the wheels to pivot. If you haven't found a solution and this isn't clear I can draw a picture.

In the past if I have needed to stop swivel castors from swiviling without replacing them with fixed ones, I have removed the axel bolt or drilled out the fixed axel pin and replaced it with a length of threaded rod that goes through the 2 castors and prevents them from swiveling. Not sure if this would work for your application but it definitely works.

Sounds interesting, but I;m having trouble visualizing how to keep it from adting as a brake.

I've never had an issue with the 4 swivel casters, but I think I would take a different approach.

Why not build a small dolly that can fit under one end of your Shopsmith. Put fixed casters on it. Lift one end of Shopsmith onto it (keep the Shopsmith's wheels in the up position on that end) and wheel away. Get to where you want to be and pull the dolly out.

That way you can keep the functionality of 4 swivel casters which can be very convenient when "parallel parking" the Shopsmith.

As easy as the new casters are to manage, I would think that you could steer just as easily from the end.

It seems like an extension table, inserted all the way down and locked, would make a good steering aid.

brown50 wrote:I have a new Mark 7. All four casters swivel, which makes it hard to guide into the designated parking spot in my garage. It would be much easier to steer if the casters on one end were fixed and did not swivel. Has anyone come up with a retrofit for the casters to get one end to stay fixed?

As easy as the new casters are to manage, I would think that you could steer just as easily from the end.

It seems to me that an extension table, inserted all the way down and locked, would make a good steering aid.

dusty wrote:As easy as the new casters are to manage, I would think that you could steer just as easily from the end.

It seems like an extension table, inserted all the way down and locked, would make a good steering aid.

I have learned over time never to steer or push the SS by a table. Be it the main table or aux. Knocks my tables out of adjustment.
In my experience it does not take too much to slightly (admittedly ever so slightly) bend the support tubes or move the table on it's base.

I always push my SS using the way tubes or aux table height locks.

This may be like the discussion of how to lay a plane on the workbench. On it's side, on it's sole, or on it's sole with a block of wood under to keep the blade out of contact with anything.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I have learned over time never to steer or push the SS by a table. Be it the main table or aux. Knocks my tables out of adjustment.
In my experience it does not take too much to slightly (admittedly ever so slightly) bend the support tubes or move the table on it's base.

I always push my SS using the way tubes or aux table height locks.

This may be like the discussion of how to lay a plane on the workbench. On it's side, on it's sole, or on it's sole with a block of wood under to keep the blade out of contact with anything.

I do some what agree with you----that is why I said "extension table, inserted all the way down and locked". However, I don't think you are very likely to bend those extension tube legs by pushing the Mark V around your garage.

I have remained silent since I just do not understand the 'issue'.

Force applied at the correct place and in the correct direction will cause it to move in a predictable direction.

I consider all four corners 'swivelable' to be a prerequisite to moving into a small space.

Now if there are 'floor' obstacles(bumps). . .

I consider the end castings/tubes to be a 'correct place'.