Shopsmith Forums

Hello all,

Just installed the PowerPro upgrade on my '57 Shopsmith (model B). My problem is that when feeding the quill (like using the Drill Press) there is a "knocking" sound, which is in sync with the spindle rotation speed. It's most noticeable at low speeds. Can feel it through the quill feed handle. When I stop advancing the quill, the knocking stops.

All the quill, idler, and belt components went on properly. Can't figure out what must be "knocking". I've contacted Shopsmith, but so far no reply.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

--Doc

Is the nylon coupler pushed fully onto the drive sleeve shaft(it goes on very hard until it detents).

JPG wrote:Is the nylon coupler pushed fully onto the drive sleeve shaft(it goes on very hard until it detents).

Well, when I installed the drive sleeve assembly, I pushed it far enough on to subsequently insert the spiral snap ring. I'd assumed it wasn't supposed to go on any farther than that.

DrGreg wrote:

JPG wrote:Is the nylon coupler pushed fully onto the drive sleeve shaft(it goes on very hard until it detents).

Well, when I installed the drive sleeve assembly, I pushed it far enough on to subsequently insert the spiral snap ring. I'd assumed it wasn't supposed to go on any farther than that.

The drive sleeve is as you said.

Now about the nylon coupler! That white thingie that connects the drive sleeve to the quill shaft.

JPG wrote:

DrGreg wrote:

JPG wrote:Is the nylon coupler pushed fully onto the drive sleeve shaft(it goes on very hard until it detents).

Well, when I installed the drive sleeve assembly, I pushed it far enough on to subsequently insert the spiral snap ring. I'd assumed it wasn't supposed to go on any farther than that.

The drive sleeve is as you said.

Now about the nylon coupler! That white thingie that connects the drive sleeve to the quill shaft.

Yes, I was confused (as usual). Just removed the drive sleeve assembly (along with plastic coupler). The plastic coupler was pre-installed to the drive sleeve, and I confirmed that it is fully seated. I also confirmed that the drive sleeve itself was fully seated in the casting (or I couldn't have installed the spiral snap ring).

The quill/spindle assembly seems to fit fine; that's why I was perplexed at the "knocking" sound during quill feed.

Any other ideas?

--Doc

P.S. Thank you VERY MUCH for your suggestions; yours is the only help I have.

Maybe we be looking at the wrong surface(s)!

AIUI the quill feed pinion gear is NOT included in the set of new parts. I would now be suspicious of the old worn quill feed pinion gear slightly interfering with the new sharply defined teeth in the quill gear rack teeth.

At this point I would put $ on that suspicion.(is there anything else left to cause clicking when quill is advanced/retracted?).

JPG wrote:Maybe we be looking at the wrong surface(s)!

AIUI the quill feed pinion gear is NOT included in the set of new parts. I would now be suspicious of the old worn quill feed pinion gear slightly interfering with the new sharply defined teeth in the quill gear rack teeth.

At this point I would put $ on that suspicion.(is there anything else left to cause clicking when quill is advanced/retracted?).

You nailed it, my friend; a new quill feed pinion gear is NOT supplied, and mine is noticeably worn. Virtually every pinion tooth has a nice semicircular score mark on its face. Looks like I need a new pinion, all right.

Where might I find disassembly instructions for that part of the machine? Or is it simple enough that an ignorant professor of mechanical engineering could do it?

And, again, thanks very, very much.

--Doc

I went back and reread your original post. I would have lost that $.

Let me summarize what I interpret your initial post to mean and some ? to clarify same.

The knocking sound ONLY occurs when advancing the quill. i.e. It does NOT knock at any other time such as when retracting the quill or the quill is stationary.

The knocking sound 'frequency' is directly proportional to the shaft rotation speed.

The knocking sound is more obvious at very slow speeds and vibration/frequency is felt through the quill feed handle. Does the sound level(volume) change at varying speeds?

If all that is accurate(and the answers to the ? are as I expect) my suspicion returns to the drive sleeve/quill shaft nylon coupler and it's installation on the drive sleeve splined shaft.

Also, is the "knock" a sharp rap or more like a 'click'.

IF I INDEED "nailed it", just ignore the stuff directly above.

The only tricky part to removing the quill feed is the return spring and the tension it provides. There is also a sleeve on the switch side that will fall into the dark abyss of the motor pan(PP stuff may prevent that) if care is not taken to prevent that. Have you seen the video that NICK made showing this task?


P.S. After it is out of the headstock, gentle filing of the tooth surfaces may eliminate the source of the knocking.

Thanks for the info. I've already ordered a new quill pinion (not that expensive, but I'm sure I won't have it for a while). After upgrading everything else I hate to skimp there.

I was thinking I'd probably have to remove the (big) motor to get access to the quill spring, etc. Is this not true? Although I'll bet removing the motor would provide a LOT more room to work.

Where would I find the video?

Thanks,

--Doc