Shopsmith Forums

My Shopsmith has always had an issue with the quill being more and more difficult to move the further extended it is. For the first inch or so it is fine, but as I get closer to full extension it gets tighter and tighter and near full extension it is so tight it will stay in position without having to use the lock. I've spent many hours lubricating and adjusting, but could never make the quill have the same "feel" though it's entire range of motion. Maybe it's not supposed to be that way, but in any case I just made my set ups to require minimum quill extension and I lived with it.

So now after 17 years of some pretty heavy use, I'm doing the Power Pro upgrade. I had a very difficult time removing the quill. I literally had to hammer it out and I was afraid I was going to split the case. I was actually thinking about going down the local auto shop to ask to use their press. Finally got it to come out.

Having never disassembled a Shopsmith before, I don't know what the usual wear patterns look like but the bore for the quill has some very distinct wear. The pinion gear has distinct wear marks and probably needs to be replaced. I have not test-fit the new quill; I don't want to risk getting it stuck because I don't want to have to hammer on the new one.

Before I go any further, I want to replace the quill pinion gear if necessary, and make sure the case is OK

So my questions are: Do I need to replace the pinon gear? How can I determine if the case is OK, the bore square & true? What is the recommended procedure for cleaning the bores? There are also fairly deep spiral marks in the way tube bores, is that normal left over from the original machining process?

(This was a demo model so it was fully assembled when I bought it.)

Pinon gear: Wear in the quill bore:

Photos of the quill removed(wear points) will be more enlightening. Of special interest is the groove on the top of the quill and the surface along its entire travel.

Was there compacted sawdust in the quill gear train and the quill advance pinion.

Those wear marks do not indicate sticking(or wear) in an in/out direction.

A few thoughts and questions:

Maintenance Items: As JPG points out, build up between the rack and pinion is normal and needs to be cleaned occasionally. Also the setscrew in the top of the Headstock needs to be correctly adjusted, loose enough not to bind the quill and tight enough to prevent the quill from rolling. Correct is backed out 1/8 to 1/4 turn from bottomed out in the quill. This is a special purpose setscrew and should not be substituted.

I have a Headstock fully disassembled for cleaning with the exception of the way tube locks. Both drive shaft and quill feed assembly (with pinion gear) are removed. When I put the quill in I feel contact with the bore but the quill slides all the way in or out very easily. There is no discernible change in resistance throughout the travel.

The quill bore in my headstock has a similar look to yours in the same place and of similar size. I'm thinking machining during manufacturing: Something in your first picture does not look right to me but I'm having a hard time deciding what it is and whether it is a problem. In your picture orientation, this is immediately above and to the right of the pinion. In Headstock orientation, that is in front of and left of the pinion: Mine looks like this: On mine there is about 1/4 inch of clearance all around the front side of the pinion.

-David

Thank you for your replies. The difference in the position of the gear may be because mine is in the spring wound position from removing the quill? I can't see anything wrong with the gear other than wear.

Here are some more pictures that may help clarify things:

If it were me, I'd let the tension off the quill feed, holding the handle and counting turns as you do so for information. It should be smooth and have decreasing tension until it unwinds, probably more than 2 and less than 3-1/2 turns. Then I'd remove the whole quill feed assembly and try the quill again. It should go in and out very easily with light contact. Next steps depending on those results...

Whatever I thought I saw in the earlier picture must have been in the background.

- David

Thank you David; that sounds like a good plan.

There are some burrs in the sides of the slot on the top of the quill where the setscrew caught it. I would file those out.

I have a new quill--doing the Powerpro upgrade. Trying to make sure there is nothing that's going to damage the new one.

I will get it apart and we'll find out.