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Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:10 pm
by JPG
JPW(Original Paste Wax) is floor wax.

Original since anti slip compounds are NOT added(we need the slick)

Yellow can red stripe

Other brands exist(Trewax)

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:35 pm
by john_001
For getting oil into the moveable sheave oil holes, check out the "Zoom Spout Oiler" - $4 (including the oil) at Ace. It has a long, flexible spout that fits into the oil holes quite nicely.

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:39 pm
by zamlet
Wow, some great feedback! Thanks for the welcome, and thanks to all of you for your detailed posts! :)

First of all, br549 and chapmanruss, from your descriptions, I must have the 'B' headstock. My father purchased the machine back probably in the late 70s - early 80s, if I remember correctly. It is painted grey with sort of a krinkle paint, and the cover definitely pops off. There's no screw or pin, just a couple of springy clips. I don't know if pictures are necessary to identify it further, but I can take a few if it will help.

Dusty - thanks for the pictures! I am still not clear which of these parts are actually the "moveable sheaves" - do you mean the spring, or the pulley, or something else? Also, in that fourth image, is that purple mark universal or only on yours? (I haven't looked yet - sorry!)

We had an old replacement quill still in its shipping box, so my father replaced it at the same time we unearthed the whole unit, a couple of weeks ago. Apparently this was some sort of upgrade that he received many years ago but never installed until just now. I don't know what was upgraded, but he seemed to think it was important. The test run was after we installed the newer quill, not before.

I have tried to clean the unit up somewhat by brushing sawdust and regular dust away and scrubbing the bars with fine steel wool (they had a thin layer of rust on them but no corrosion that I could see). I knew wax was needed but I didn't know what sort of wax to use so I applied some sort of boat wax (= car wax?) to them afterward. I hope that was not a serious mistake! Why is car wax inappropriate?

We've both been very careful not to adjust the speed while the unit is not running. We did put it through its paces for the short time we had it running, and it seemed to work fine. The speed dial seemed a little stiff, but seemed fully operational. I figured it just needed a little lubrication. Where would I apply the lubrication to the speed dial?

This may be a silly question, but where should I go to get #10 machine oil? Would the local Home Depot or Ace Hardware be likely to have it? Should I be careful not to get #9 or #11 (assuming they even exist)?

Again, thanks to all of you for your help! I now have confidence that I can return this thing to full operation soon!

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:43 pm
by john_001
See above - our posts crossed.

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:55 pm
by JPG
Yes you have a "B" headstock.

Drops of oil go into the holes revealed in the first and last pix Dusty posted.

The 'new' quill is likely a two bearing quill upgrade.

The speed control knob is normally 'stiff' going towards slow. Gradual adjustment(slowly) reduces that 'feeling'.

Properly oiled sheaves will greatly reduce the stiff feeling as the sheaves will respond more quickly.



IIUC car wax is 'hard'(to resist the outdoor elements). The main reason for JPW is its slickness when buffed(good old carnuba wax) as well as corrosion resistence. Most current floor waxes are not suitable(the slick has been minimized).


Any hardware store should have "#10 machine oil", but will only identify it as 3 in 1, Zoomspout, sewing machine turbine . . . FWIW mineral oil works(sold by SS a while back).

That purple mark was 'added' to assist in locating the hole.

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 1:10 pm
by dusty
The upper sheave (image 1) is most frequently referred to as "the movable" sheave. However the lower sheave (image 4) moves also. They move in and out in conjunction with one another to establish a variable pulley arrange between the motor sheave (lower) and idler sheave (upper) resulting in speed control.
The MarkV Sheaves Revisited.jpg
The MarkV Sheaves Revisited.jpg (143.51 KiB) Viewed 1002 times

The last bottle of oil that I purchased was the ZoomSpout from ACE hardware. I prefer it not because of the oil but rather from the spout which makes it easier to get the oil where I want it ("in the hole").

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:19 pm
by DLB
As near as I can tell ZoomSpout is an oiler brand, and available with various contents. From my perspective it is not always clear what those contents are. In other threads folks have talked about the version with 'cooler oil,' but this seems to be regionally available. 3-In-One is widely available, frequently with an extendable spout that is better for oiling the sheaves than the old school can was. Either should be fine as long as you are happy with the contents. I choose the 3-In-One, but it is primarily a question of what is readily available near me.

- David

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:26 pm
by BuckeyeDennis
Zamlet, the term "sheave" is more-or-less synonomous with "pulley". But while most pulleys have a fixed width, the Shopsmith variable-speed drive (aka. Reeves drive) uses separate sheaves (half-pulleys). One of each half-pulley pair can "float" along the pulley shaft. This allows the effective pulley diameters (where the belt rides) to be changed, which in turn changes the drive ratio.

The most critical points to lubricate are where those "floating sheaves" ride on their shafts. The little lube hole hiding beneath the big spring in Dusty's photos is there to help you get oil to those points.

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:01 pm
by zamlet
BuckeyeDennis wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:26 pmZamlet, the term "sheave" is more-or-less synonomous with "pulley". But while most pulleys have a fixed width, the Shopsmith variable-speed drive (aka. Reeves drive) uses separate sheaves (half-pulleys). One of each half-pulley pair can "float" along the pulley shaft. This allows the effective pulley diameters (where the belt rides) to be changed, which in turn changes the drive ratio.

The most critical points to lubricate are where those "floating sheaves" ride on their shafts. The little lube hole hiding beneath the big spring in Dusty's photos is there to help you get oil to those points.
OK, that's a great explanation! The word "sheaves" was throwing me off as I was unclear what was being referred to.

It looks like either ZoomSpout or 3in1 is what I should be looking for. I guess I need to be scrupulously careful not to get any oil either on the inside surfaces of the sheaves or on the belt itself. Is there any way of protecting / preserving the belt itself? This one looks OK, but in my experience car engine belts often look OK right up to the day they separate.

JPG, what is the difference between the "two-bearing quill" and whatever its predecessor was? Should I be glad we did this update? I think I still have the old quill if there's any reason I should revert the change.

Re: Maintaining an old, long idle Mark V

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:17 pm
by JPG
If it ain't broke, do not 'fix' it. The new quill is likely a good improvement. However a spare quill MAY come in hand IF the new one develops a 'problem'. The 'old' one has a single bearing. When you removed the 'old' one there was a funny shaped washer like thingie near the drive sleeve end of the splined quill shaft. Keep it. No GREAT loss if it 's location is unknown.

Any oil spill on either the belts or pulley will not reside there for long once it is running. But do clean up any spilled/dribbled/whatever.

Sheaves is a not totally accurate today term left over from the block and tackle days.