Shopsmith Forums

My Dad had a SS when i was a kid, and i spent hours on it with him. so when i was old enough, i got one of my own. i spent $1,000.00 on a greenie from a Widow at Church, and have been toting it around since then. it's been a love-hate relationship for around 25 years. I love what it can do, and what i can make, but the transforming and constant tweaking got tired. Last Year at age 50 I ended up in ICU with Covid, and almost didn't make it. Thank God, I did. The past 6 months have been a self re-discovery, and spending time in the workshop has been a major therapy for me.

Last week, i went out to use the SS as a drum sander, it started to spin up then threw the breaker, hmm. strange. reset it try it again. same thing. tried a different outlet on a different circuit. same result, Crap! here i am with this old machine that i've hauled from NJ to Florida and fought to keep space for along the way. So now what? how much time and money is this going to cost, and is it worth it for me at this point? okay, you're a smart guy, look at troubleshooting basics. it's not the electric in the shop, so open it up and look. I removed the drive belt, and plug it in and turn it on. Motor is purring like a kitten. Ok. not the powerplant itself, that's good. remove the headstock from the unit, take it apart. inside is really quite clean, so i am looking at a lube job and maybe replace a part or two. then in researching i find a S/n chart for mfg year. it turns out that i have a 1954 model. Okay, so it's a true classis, and the issue isn't the motor. Score! take it apart, fix some things, lube it up and get using it!! Only thing i have actually found Wrong is the "worm control shaft" is bent and wants to bind as changing speed. so we're ordering the part, and starting on a journey to get this unit cleaned up, lubed up and humming!! I am looking for ward to learning a bunch about how to best care for and use this unit!!

I actually had an extension cord on it to start with, that was the first thing i eliminated. I hit the motor with air as best i could, she spins wonderfully

I can't read the motor label well, but it appears to be an Emerson. I don't think it is original, it is probably 1-1/8HP. Original would have been 3/4 HP. There were several brands, but I don't think Emerson was one of them. This is a good thing.

Most of the old Marks do not have the lubrication holes, which would be in the Control Sheave (idler shaft) and Floating Sheave (motor shaft). If either sheave has been replaced, then it probably has the oil hole. Lubrication of the sheaves so they slide easily on their shafts is important whether they have the hole or not. The sliding action is for speed control. I]'ve never had the "A" headstock like yours, I don't know if the holes are useful without an access hole in the headstock itself.

A bent worm control shaft is unusual, it is not the weak link in the speed control chain. I would carefully check the rest of the speed control. Mainly that's the condition of the quadrant (pork chop) and whether it swings true to the worm gear. (Maybe can't do that until you have a straight one.) The arms on the speed control bracket are sometimes bent and/or the holes in them worn over-sized. The Bill Mayo headstock improvement is always a good choice for resolving problems and ruggedizing the speed control, see first post in this thread for the pdf: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16113

It's relatively unlikely that anything said so far is the cause for the circuit breaker trip. There is another recent thread with A LOT of ideas on this: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27844 The OP hasn't really said what he has tried or what, if anything, helped. I would check belts and bearings first. Belt dressing is good stuff, and all shafts should turn pretty freely.

- David

It looks nice and clean inside which is pretty good for a tool over 67 years old. It was made in August 1954. Since you have it partly apart maybe get into it a bit more. Remove the Quill Assembly by removing the set screw on the top of the headstock. It is originally covered with putty or lead but I would hope after this much time that has been removed although the lead plug can be stuck back in place. With the Quill out turn the spindle to see the condition of the bearings. Since you have to replace a part in the Speed Control remove it from the headstock. Be careful not to lose any of the small parts. Yours should have the high speed lock that attaches under the switch. With the Speed Control removed next remove the Idler Shaft Assembly. Again you can check the condition of the bearing in the Idler Shaft Assembly and the bearings in the Drive Sleeve. If any of the bearings are not turning smooth and freely they should be replaced. Bad bearings will add drag to the works and may be the cause of the breaker tripping. Before reinstalling these parts back in the headstock make sure to lubricate the sheaves on the Idler Assembly and the splines of the Quill's Spindle. You will also want to lubricate the pulley sheave on the motor shaft.

I am surprised to see the tinnerman clips on the motor pan sides. It appears the belt cover still has the tapped holes.