Shopsmith Forums

I scored a strip sander from a friend today. This makes #3. The only reason I bought it is because it has the steel wheels with bearings in them.
The bearings are 6203 2RS and are rated C3.
These wheels do not have the stepped 5/16" to 1/4" bolt but has a 1/4" bolt that goes all the way through. There is a stepped bushing that has a 1/4" hole all the way through that has been pressed into the inner race of the bearing and when I tried to press it out it did not move a bit. Has anyone replaced the bearings on these wheels?
These wheels and bearings are in excellent shape as the sander was only used once by the seller.
I was wondering how much pressure was used when the bearing and spacer were pressed together. Anyone know?
I guess that I am getting too curious in my old age.
The steel wheeled unit is smoother than the plastic wheels by a LOT.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:I scored a strip sander from a friend today. This makes #3. The only reason I bought it is because it has the steel wheels with bearings in them.

Bill V

Isn't the addiction great.

Had to chuckle when I read this and asked myself. WHY?

Answer: 1. Because we can. And 2. Because life is about choices..

BTW. The strip sander scoreboard is: Bill 3 Steve 0

cooch366 wrote:

wa2crk wrote:I scored a strip sander from a friend today. This makes #3. The only reason I bought it is because it has the steel wheels with bearings in them.

Bill V

Isn't the addiction great.

Had to chuckle when I read this and asked myself. WHY?

Because the plastic wheels suffer from melt around their bushing even if they are lubricated according to instructions. The steel wheels have bearings rather than bronze bushings. A world of difference!

Getting tired of replacments, I bought these: Much better than these: The polyurethane wheels can run continuously for 4 hrs at a time with no issues. Probably can go longer, but I wear out.
The plastic wheels start to melt around the bushing in just a few minutes (maybe 15 or 20) or so and the sanding belt adjustment needs changed. By the time this happens it is too late to save the wheel. I can use it, but belt adjustment suffers. It will never get better.

If wa2crk can get his steel bearings installed for less than $102 He is ahead of me. Best wishes Wa2crk.

Does anyone know what year it was when SS stopped using the steel wheels on the strip sander? The one I bought does not have a serial number.
Bill V

Been looking for a strip sander for years never found one I wanted to buy. Still looking.

wa2crk wrote:Does anyone know what year it was when SS stopped using the steel wheels on the strip sander? The one I bought does not have a serial number.
Bill V

I don't, but I checked mine to get you a data point. It has a "serial number" of 101292, which is presume is a date code for 10/12/1992. The two small wheels are steel. The two big ones are made of a non-magnetic metal, and look like aluminum.

BTW, I couldn't find the serial number sticker at first. I finally found it on the inside of the thing, near the upper left corner of the cast metal housing.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:

wa2crk wrote:Does anyone know what year it was when SS stopped using the steel wheels on the strip sander? The one I bought does not have a serial number.
Bill V

I don't, but I checked mine to get you a data point. It has a "serial number" of 101292, which is presume is a date code for 10/12/1992. The two small wheels are steel. The two big ones are made of a non-magnetic metal, and look like aluminum.

BTW, I couldn't find the serial number sticker at first. I finally found it on the inside of the thing, near the upper left corner of the cast metal housing.

FWIW, my strip sander is S/N 05-09-05 so that makes it 10 years old. I bought it new from the mother ship. The drive wheel is metal. All of the other wheels are plastic. There is no sign of any melting plastic after 10 years.

jsburger wrote: FWIW, my strip sander is S/N 05-09-05 so that makes it 10 years old. I bought it new from the mother ship. The drive wheel is metal. All of the other wheels are plastic. There is no sign of any melting plastic after 10 years.

How long do you run it at a time. I sand 80 or so toy cars in a mass production mode, one car at a time. As Said 20 minutes will kill the plastic wheels.

If you use your Strip Sander regularly, check the plastic wheels. If they are at all wobbly, the melt has started and pretty soon the bushings will be loose and slide out of the wheel..

charlese wrote:

jsburger wrote: FWIW, my strip sander is S/N 05-09-05 so that makes it 10 years old. I bought it new from the mother ship. The drive wheel is metal. All of the other wheels are plastic. There is no sign of any melting plastic after 10 years.

How long do you run it at a time. I sand 80 or so toy cars in a mass production mode, one car at a time. As Said 20 minutes will kill the plastic wheels.

If you use your Strip Sander regularly, check the plastic wheels. If they are at all wobbly, the melt has started and pretty soon the bushings will be loose and slide out of the wheel..

I can't say that it has ever been run for 20 minutes but pretty close when my wife is making her bow tie jigs. I would think if it were a frequent problem that SS would address it.

No wobbly wheels here.

Why isn't Shopsmith addressing this obvious design defect?