Shopsmith Forums

That's right! I bought a Shopsmith! For $20! Ok, ok, I admit, it's part of a Shopsmith. And it doesn't work. But it's very clean! And it makes a soothing humming sound whenever it's switched on, so if nothing else, it's a power hungry sound machine to help the children sleep.

So here you are. $20 of Shopsmith loveliness.



So the plan is to take it apart, figure out why it's bound up, fix it, and go from there. I was planning to buy a used SS with all the goodies, as there are several around (I'm in the Dayton area, so there's that) but figured for $20 to get my feet wet, see how well it fits into my "shop", such as it is, I couldn't really go wrong. Plus, I get to take something apart. Since the speed control is cranked ALL the way up, like, to 11, I'm assuming it's an issue of the previous previous owner starting it at the wrong speed, and binding things up. Of course, now it's been like that long enough the belts are probably turned to glue. I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks.

Oh, and hi everyone!

Aaaaaand I'm an idiot, and meant to put this in the community board, but was reading the maintenance board at the time. If someone could be so kind as to move this, that would he grand!

Take the belt loose from the motor and see if it runs.

If not, my experience says your centrifugal switch on the motor is not closed back, keeping the motor start circuit from being completed. Sometimes debris of some nature falls in between the contacts.

Inspection and cleaning the contacts may be all it takes.

A bad set of power switch contacts would be my next suspect.

There's a lot of info on all that in the forums.

Everett

Thanks, Everett. A thorough cleaning is definitely in the future. It looks like it's in overall great shape, so I suspect it's something simple. Thanks for the tips! This site has provided a lot of great info already.

You said it was cranked past fast on the speed dial. Frequently when the belt wears and is narrower than 1/2" across the face, it will ride too deeply into the sheave effectively locking it up. It occurs at both range limits slow and fast. The mis-adjustment of the range could contribute to that even if it is not worn.

Read Bill Mayo's Headstock Improvement Kit for a good background on the speed control mechanism. It is one of the linked files on the main page "Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More" in the Maintenance and Repair Forum. https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 90#p185690

Everett

Oh man, thank you for that!!

Welcome to the madness!

I think this thread is just where it belongs.

Use it as you proceed and have questions.

Do not let it "hum" for very long(> 1 sec) at a time!

BecauseRacecar wrote:Oh man, thank you for that!!

If you choose to move the speed dial with the machine off, be sure you rotate the quill assembly while you move the dial else you can bend the arms of the quadrant portion of the speed control. If you have the belt off the motor at the time, it will be ok to move it if belt is not wedged.

Some will mount the sanding disk on the most convenient end of the spindle so they can rotate the quill assembly by turning the disk which gives you more leverage.

Why mount on one end or the other? It depends. Are you right handed or left handed? Which hand would you be most comfortable rotating the speed dial down with? That will define which end you mount the sanding disk.

Everett

JPG wrote:Welcome to the madness!

I think this thread is just where it belongs.

Use it as you proceed and have questions.

Do not let it "hum" for very long(> 1 sec) at a time!

Thanks! Not planning on letting it hum at all. This was from the guy I bought it from. I plan to tear it down and fix whatever is wrong. I have many things to look at now. Also many pictures to post as I have questions.

Whelp, I think I see the problem...



The inner part of the belt pulley here, this piece, it was rubbing up against the motor housing. Motor spins just fine without it. I briefly powered it on, and it spins up, no problem. Guessing someone forgot a part when they changed the belt, as it looks brand new. Is this just in need of a set screw? I'm looking at the diagrams now, so I'll find it.