Shopsmith Forums

I recently obtained a 1980s Mark V and have taken down the headstock to replace the bearings, including the Emerson motor bearings. When I pulled the motor shaft out of the housing there was only 1 bearing (front of motor); everything I'd come across in my research indicated that there should be 2 bearings, so I figured that the rear bearing had come off the shaft and was still in the rear of the motor.

The motor was completely packed with sawdust so I didn't think much of the oily sawdust that I picked away from what turned out to be a bushing. Yes, I know now that I picked away the bushing wick! I did read the other posts here about this topic but still have a few questions that I'd greatly appreciate answers to:

1. It seems that felt is the proper material for this. Since I can't get an original, formed insert for this, does the size of the felt pieces I cut up to pack in there matter?
2. Is there a particular form of felt I should use? I was told by one person at a motor repair shop that I could use anything from felt fabric to felt knuckle seals.
3. Am I correct in assuming that I completely pack the space between the rear of the bushing and the plastic cover on the rear of the motor?
4. For the space in front of the bushing, do I pack full the semi-conical cover so that the felt is in contact with the shaft (if I understand correctly there needs to be contact with the shaft to wick the oil into the bushing)?

Thanks so much for any advice you can share, and if there's a thread specifically addressing these points that I missed please direct me there!

Thank you, Ron; I appreciate the reply! I'd actually watched that video with high hopes. Unfortunately, it looks like his Emerson has a bearing at the rear, not a bushing. Do you happen to know where his full video DVDs can be purchased? He mentions that he has to leave a lot out in his YouTube videos, and he's apparently fully retired now and not selling parts, etc., any longer...

Mweaver wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 11:06 pm Thank you, Ron; I appreciate the reply! I'd actually watched that video with high hopes. Unfortunately, it looks like his Emerson has a bearing at the rear, not a bushing. Do you happen to know where his full video DVDs can be purchased? He mentions that he has to leave a lot out in his YouTube videos, and he's apparently fully retired now and not selling parts, etc., any longer...

Since he retired he has posted the full length videos that he used to sell, for free on his youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/jacobvb10/videos

Thanks!