Shopsmith Forums

Will a worn belt (78 Mark V) cause all speeds, to increase?

I am not sure if my belt is worn, but the speeds sure seem to be increased!

Please advise.

ExtraMile wrote:Will a worn belt (78 Mark V) cause all speeds, to increase?

I am not sure if my belt is worn, but the speeds sure seem to be increased!

Please advise.

My guess would be to replace the belts. If they are original 1978 then I think replacement is appropriate.

I assume you are referring to the motor belt, not the poly-v/gilmer belt.

If so the answer is yes.

JPG wrote:I assume you are referring to the motor belt, not the poly-v/gilmer belt.

If so the answer is yes.

I am trying this first!

Sawdust Session #11

Not the belt. The quadrant is toast. Ordered an entire speed indicator assembly. They are not built. It will take anywhere between 3 to 5 business days to have it built and then another ?? days to be shipped.

Time for me to look for another source of powered equipment, while the SS is down. Try and find a table saw at least!

My woes have been squelched. I now own a Hitachi C10FL 10 Stationary Table Saw. Sorry guys, but this ole boy can not wait for the assembly of the speed control quadrant assembly (which will be 3 to 5 business days) and then another week for it to arrive.

Time is money!

In my case time wasn't money but I did not want to be down for extended amounts of time so that is why I got a second shopsmith. My original one(1976 purchased new) had never broken down but I did do preventive maintenance and clean and lubing on a regular bases. I also did all the upgrades to a 520 along the way. But, once I started thinking about being as old as it was it started me worrying about a time when it might die, that never came or has come but I went and picked up a used 510 anyway. It cost a few $$ to get into shape and then I decided up upgrade to a 520 so that cost a few more dollars but I then had interchangeable machines.

My original one I upgraded to a powerpro a couple of years back and now have another powerpro upgrade on order. I also have a third machine as a drill press (a 500) and a forth machine(about 400 miles north of my location, another 500) and a 10ER still waiting for final painting....

I saved the parts out of the first powerpro upgrade so I have spare parts for the three machines with the older headstocks. The new powerpro is going in a powerpro ready headstock I got from Bill Mayo so I will also have a whole extra headstock in my inventory quite soon.

We haven't been discussing it much of late but for a time we were worried that shopsmith would go under and nothing would be available from them anymore so ebay would be our parts source. I didn't like that idea either so I've stocked myself up and have plenty of parts and machines for what is left of my woodworking time here on earth.

Who is it, the boy scouts who have the motto "be prepared", that always sounded like good advice to me.

So when you have some time tell us about the Hitachi saw.

Ed

I guess my main gripe is and has always been, the time that purchases take to be shipped and or (now) assembled. I find it to be rather ironic, that the quadrant assemblies are listed under 'most replaced parts' heading and since that is so, then why don't they have a lot of them built and ready to ship?

I truly think that SS is run on shoestring budget and their warehouse is virtually non existent. I also think that SS relies to heavily on third party vendors. Did you know that another company makes most of their cutters (for example... Knives, band saw blades) and so forth?

So when you have some time tell us about the Hitachi saw.

First day, comments. Wow, is this saw quiet and I can see, that my production times, will dramatically increase.

Although I do already miss my Smith. So folks, my Smithy stays.

It simply now has delegated a certain task, to another permanent fixture of my woodworking shop!

ExtraMile wrote:I guess my main gripe is and has always been, the time that purchases take to be shipped and or (now) assembled. I find it to be rather ironic, that the quadrant assemblies are listed under 'most replaced parts' heading and since that is so, then why don't they have a lot of them built and ready to ship?

I truly think that SS is run on shoestring budget and their warehouse is virtually non existent. I also think that SS relies to heavily on third party vendors. Did you know that another company makes most of their cutters (for example... Knives, band saw blades) and so forth?

Warehouses are a relic of times past. Just in time(from vendors or in house) is the norm today. JIT also requires a predefined schedule - not likely for replacement needs.

External vendors are a fact of life when your production quantities are small.


As Ed mentioned, many of us stock piled when SS survival was uncertain. 'We' are happy the mother ship still floats and tolerate the delays as preferable to obsolete which I dare say will occur with the new toy before the SS becomes so!

Finally cutting tools are a highly developed/specialized industry and therefore those 'other guys' are far more capable.