Shopsmith Forums

The wound spring in the housing of the geared lever that pulls the quill back in automatically was disconnected when I took the head apart. I'm trying to get it back on and keep it on. I finally got the spring onto the retaining pin, only to have it pop back off after i had inserted the mechanism back into position.

I'm sure maintaining spring tension to keep the back of the spring slot up against the pin is key, but how do I best do this?

Are you doing this in or out of the headstock?

The entire head is disassembled right now.

My experience is that if the spring is "formed' such that the pin will automatically position itself in the hole/slot, this problem ceases.

Trick is to get it to ride against the shaft and the end curve matching the shaft diameter.

I've tried forming it to do just that, without much success. I'll have to keep trying.

Long shot, but are you sure you have it wound in the correct direction.

If he was able to take it out (and get it back in), I doubt he would be having the current problem.

This is maybe another long shot, but are you sure the spring isn't damaged where it connects to the pin? If the quill was removed and the quill feed handle was allowed to snap back by itself, the momentum can turn the spring backwards and damage the end where it connects to the pin.

The picture below shows a Quill Return Spring. Notice the curve at the inside end where it attaches to the Pinion Shaft as JPG noted above. It is that curve that helps it engage the pin on the Pinion Shaft to the keyhole of the spring. Until it is reassembled in the Headstock it is difficult to keep it together. Once engaged on the pin even a spring without that curve can work and remain in place as long as tension is kept on the spring. A little turn backwards will disengage the spring from the pin on the Pinion Shaft. Do be mindful of the proper orientation the spring when inserted into the Spring Housing as Ron noted. The spring should tighten more as the Pinion Shaft Assembly is turned extending the Quill Assembly. There should be tension on the Spring still when the Quill is retracted.

Although the Spring shown in the picture is from a Model 10ER the Quill Return Spring has remained essentially the same since the first Model 10E in 1947 through Mark series tools made today. The difference between the Model 10's and the Mark series tools is the side of the Headstock the spring is on.

Do check the inside end of the spring for damage. I had one that was cracked from the end of the keyhole to the end of the spring which would not hold on to the pin as the end would separate. If needed a replacement Spring can be purchased from Shopsmith and does come installed in the Housing. The Spring is not available separately when an OEM Spring is purchased new.

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