Shopsmith Forums

Hi there new to this site, but not new to woodworking.
My problem is I moved my power station to a different place in my shop and now the blades keep breaking. I'll admit I don't know much about the maintenance but she's been so good for over 20 years I haven't had to do a lot to her. Now I'm going threw blades like crazy. Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada
Any advice?

I am inclined to think the blade breaking is caused by something that moved in the bandsaw when the power station was 'relocated'.

Prime suspects are the blade upper and lower guides which may be pinching the blade (at the weld?).

Sight unseen, that be my guess.

Thanks wish you were here to tell
All my blades were breaking at the weld except for one.

Woodworkingal wrote:All my blades were breaking at the weld except for one.

Can you check all of the alignments for your bandsaw? Can the blades be replaced because they broke at the weld?

I have had the blades replaced because they broke at the weld, but the day I got them back two broke again! I love my lil shopsmith and don't want to retire her as now I finally have two saws and like having one with the 1/8 blade and one with a 3/16 blade for my bandsaw boxes.
My dad was mr maintenance but has passed away and I tried to read the online manual but it's all foreign to me
Lol it's like I can drive the car but don't ask me to fix it. What I wouldn't give for someone to give my old girl a once over!

If you are willing to list your location, hopefully we have a member that can give you a hand. Sorry to hear of the dad's passing, sounds like he was integral to your world. Hopefully someone can help you out ....

Woodworkingal wrote:Hi there new to this site, but not new to woodworking.
My problem is I moved my power station to a different place in my shop and now the blades keep breaking. I'll admit I don't know much about the maintenance but she's been so good for over 20 years I haven't had to do a lot to her. Now I'm going threw blades like crazy. Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada
Any advice?

Please confirm that we are discussing a Shopsmith band saw. How many broken blades are involved? Are the blades properly tensioned?

I would start by backing off the cool blocks so that they do not touch the blade and spinning the wheels by hand while watching the blade. It should track in a relatively consistent path at all times.

Consistently breaking at the weld seems odd if the band saw itself was the problem. Talk to Shopsmith Customer Service about this. Some Shopsmith band saw blades are guaranteed against breaking at the weld. Are these older blades (been around awhile) or heavily used blades?

What size blades seem to break most frequently? I know you said "Power Station" but please confirm that you do not have a "Power Stand"? I am not sure what difference it makes but maybe.

I'm in castlegar BC. I miss having shopsmith in Canada. My dad used to work for them, he was a handy guy to have around

Woodworkingal wrote: Sad thing is no shopsmith in Canada
Any advice?

Welcome aboard.
There is a ShopSmith Canadian Distributor in Ontario, that you can order parts from. All In One Wood Tools

Also here is a link to an online manual for the ShopSmith band saw. Band saw manual