Shopsmith Forums

First off thanks to jsburger for the ideas and pics posted. Greatly appreciated and it really helped.
My 3rd Shopsmith from a once rusted wreck converted this time to a Shorty dedicated drill press.
Wheels are up.
I cant figure out why I cant get it vertical. The lower tubes are very close to level with floor, see pic.
The quill and table are almost perfectly 90 degrees, but not on same plane as lower tubes.
Only thing I can figure is that the lower tubes are not sitting right? see pic.
Thank you

What is the level reading on the way tubes?

They are almost a perfect 90 degrees to the table, accuracy is not an issue but vertical tubes are leaning in towards front and not perpendicular to horizontal shorty tubes which makes the table also tilt forward. It’s not a lot but but is aggravating. It really works great just don’t leave drill bits on table because they roll off.

Is the Base Arm swinging all the way until it lands on the Base? Circled in red on your pic:


- David

A shopsmith when vertical is not at 90 degrees to the tubes. It is designed that way. There have a been a few posts on the subject that you could try and find if it interests you.

In drill press mode what counts is the quill being 90 degrees to the table in all directions. This may well take some tweaking to do, as it is very unlikely that it will just be that way. The one direction is easy to get to as the table can be loosened and tilted to get the 90, then there is a screw on the table that can be adjusted as a stop to the make that repeatable. The other direction will be a shim adjustment, that is more difficult one to do.

Ed

reible wrote: ↑Mon Sep 06, 2021 7:30 pm A shopsmith when vertical is not at 90 degrees to the tubes. It is designed that way. There have a been a few posts on the subject that you could try and find if it interests you.

In drill press mode what counts is the quill being 90 degrees to the table in all directions. This may well take some tweaking to do, as it is very unlikely that it will just be that way. The one direction is easy to get to as the table can be loosened and tilted to get the 90, then there is a screw on the table that can be adjusted as a stop to the make that repeatable. The other direction will be a shim adjustment, that is more difficult one to do.

Ed

That is what I thought but, I am not home right now to check.

Ed- Quill is 90 degrees to table in all directions and drills just beautifully. I have seen some posts but didn’t find one that imitates my issue, at least not the way I’m looking at it.

David, yes it lands on base both sides, I thought about grinding down the casting where it hits the base on each side but figured I was probably missing something that was easier. As I said it works as it should just doesn’t sit right.

Thank you both.

The way tubes etc. are intentionally over 90° when 'vertical'. That is so the entire assembly is pitched away from falling backwards and down.

No I do not recommend grinding anything to 'correct' what is already correct.(but not what is intuitively expected)

JPG- I’m sure you are right and have a lot more experience than I do, so thank you.
Not sure if I can let it go right or wrong I may make the adjustment. I will think about it long and hard before. Thanks again.

With yer shorty setup the odd angle is opposite from a 'normal' setup. Most do not notice it until they get a wixey or similar!

BTW you need to add a shim, not grind away casting(that would increase the over angle). However that would move the off center dimple away from the locking screw.