Shopsmith Forums

YOHO!
I am working on that prickly bandsaw. I have a new ShopSmith blade. I need new guide blocks as well. Is there any order in which I should follow when installing the new blade. Should I install the new blade that I have or wait until I get my new guide blocks from ShopSmith?
#2
The adjustment knobs for the guide blocks and wheel have a screw in the adjustment knobs. What are these screws for? I turned them both ways and saw no movement. Should these screws be tightened down? Are they part of the adjustment of the guides and rollers? The lower guide wheel spins with the blade. The upper guide wheel only touches the blade when I am pushing stock against the blade. Good? I also don’t know if I have the blade guard & drop down post properly set. It seems to have lots of play until I lock it down. Is that proper?
Thank You in advance!

Thomschuck wrote:YOHO!
I am working on that prickly bandsaw. I have a new ShopSmith blade. I need new guide blocks as well. Is there any order in which I should follow when installing the new blade. Should I install the new blade that I have or wait until I get my new guide blocks from ShopSmith?I would wait
#2
The adjustment knobs for the guide blocks and wheel have a screwSee Below in the adjustment knobs. What are these screws for? I turned them both ways and saw no movement. Should these screws be tightened down? Are they part of the adjustment of the guides and rollers? The lower guide wheel spins with the blade.Supposed to The upper guide wheel only touches the blade when I am pushing stock against the blade. Good?YES I also don’t know if I have the blade guard & drop down post properly set. It seems to have lots of play until I lock it down. Is that proper?Typical
Thank You in advance!

Not sure what screws you are referring to.

I'm with JPG 100% on the blue comments. Can you upload some pictures of the screws?

Thom,

The screw inside the adjustment knob attaches the knob to the guide assembly. It should be tight or the assembly can move with the extra "play" created by the screw being backed out. The knob moves the guide assembly closer to or farther from the blade.

You also asked

I also don’t know if I have the blade guard & drop down post properly set. It seems to have lots of play until I lock it down. Is that proper?

JPG answered, Typical

That is correct and as long as the upper guide stays in the same position when raised or lowered in relationship to the blade when locked it is correctly aligned.

chapmanruss wrote:Thom,

The screw inside the adjustment knob attaches the knob to the guide assembly. It should be tight or the assembly can move with the extra "play" created by the screw being backed out. The knob moves the guide assembly closer to or farther from the blade.
. . .

He mentions knob(S) [twice] so I was not sure that was the screw he was referring to.

Good answer if he was.

Thank You all for being a huge help.
Russ you nailed it about the screws. I ordered up new guide blocks and a retrofit bearing kit. When SS ships I will do the swap/install all at once. The guide post up down travel has been adjusted to a sweet spot. Time will tell. I love this machine!

I've had more than a few problems with those screws they tended to un screw rather than adjusting the block in and out. and when I got the saw the square holes that arm of the block mounting bracket were poorly made. I spent a while with small files and stones cleaning them up so they could slide easily. I'd recommend checking the fit of them in any case.