Shopsmith Forums

I was running on low speed, turning a knob for a jar.
The loud noise sounded like the garage door spring had broken.
The mach. kept on running - but I shut it down as quick as I could.
What do I now look for.

Unplug the machine and pull off the belt cover and see if the sheave tension spring retainer on the motor drive shaft came off.

Don't know what machine you have, but that's where I would start.

If it isn't that, take off the drive belt and spin quill assembly by hand to find out what went south.

This is just a guess, but from your description of the sound, I think your quill spring just broke or came loose. You obviously had the quill extended and locked. You can finish turning your knob and when you release the quill, you can see if this is your problem. -

This part-
521875 Quill Housing w/ Spring Assy (incl 39-40) $30.34
39 N/A Spring Housing 1 ---
40 N/A Quill Spring 1 ---

The simplest fix is to buy the $30 unit, however some folks have been able to repair a spring.

There are guys here that can help you along.

I would first look at the speed control parts. Spring attached to the control sheave(might be bent or 'missing'). The quadrant gear(porkchop) may be damaged. The control sheave may be damaged(not likely). The motor belt may be damaged. The Poly-v(or Gilmer) belt may be damaged.

Then the motor pulley.

If nothing is apparent, disassembly may be the prudent course of action.

A more risky course would be to turn it on and while observing the speed control, alter the speed. Only do this if there is nothing amiss visually.

I assume after the loud noise things returned to normal sounds and the speed did not change.

Some pic might help us help you.

Interesting suggestion by Chuck.

Would it be possible that the set screw that holds the quill spring housing was loose and that the housing spun in the headstock and now the spring is not under tension?
Bill V

I pulled the belt cover and the spring fell out.
I don`t know why the snap ring popped off.
Found all the parts and cleaned them, oiled and reassembled them.
seems to work now. thanks guys

wa2crk wrote:Would it be possible that the set screw that holds the quill spring housing was loose and that the housing spun in the headstock and now the spring is not under tension?
Bill V

?????

Just checked in and found that I had the wrong spring in mind. The only spring under the belt cover is the one on the motor shaft of course. I have had one headstock on my bench in which the retaining clip would not stay in the groove on the motor shaft. Somehow the retaining clip wore the groove enough that the clip would repeatedly pop off. The shoulder of the groove was worn to a slope and the clip would ride over the slope and come off. I have only seen this one time.
Bill V

The quill spring housing is "D" shaped and cannot 'spin' in the headstock.

JPG wrote:The quill spring housing is "D" shaped and cannot 'spin' in the headstock.

thanks, now I know that.

Any idea what a snap spring is?