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Greenie Bench Tubes - Diameter?
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 11:34 pm
by bucksaw
Are the Greenie bench tubes larger in diameter than the later Shopsmith tubes? I just purchased a set of replacement bench tubes off eBay and the diameter is to small. I measured the Greenie diameter and came up with 1-7/8" and the ones I got off ebay were 1-3/4". Did I actually get bench tubes...or were they way tubes? Length of the new tubes seems Ok at 52-3/4".
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:32 am
by mickyd
My October 1955 Greenie has 1-7/8" bench tubes and 1-3/4" way tubes.
How come you needed replacements bench tubes?
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:09 am
by nuhobby
Hi,
There have indeed been threads identifying the bigger-diameter bench tubes on the oldest Mark V's. Also, the Lift Assist is offered in two p/n's to accommodate this difference.
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:31 pm
by bucksaw
mickyd wrote:My October 1955 Greenie has 1-7/8" bench tubes and 1-3/4" way tubes.
How come you needed replacements bench tubes?
My tubes are solid rust and I was being lazy. I guess I'll just have to clean the rust off and paint them.
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:20 pm
by mickyd
bucksaw wrote:My tubes are solid rust and I was being lazy. I guess I'll just have to clean the rust off and paint them.
Mine too. Being equally as lazy, I decided to give 'em an electolysis bath. Here's the early stage of what the bathtub looks like. I'll line it with poly sheet, pour in some of my magic broth, connect my battery charger and then go to sleep. When I wake up, they'll be squeaky clean and ready for scotchbite.
Have you seen Nick's video on how he gets rid of the rust on the bench tubes the lazy mans way? He uses a potato in a PVC pipe filled with H2O. I just tried to find the video but couldn't. I'll look again or if someone knows where it is, post the link.
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Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:15 pm
by bucksaw
Now the idea of using PVC is interesting. Maybe an outer pvc pipe and an inner to reduce volumn and fill with Evapo-rust and let soak. Sounds like a lazy man solution.
Nick's potato video. I personally think the "potato" method is a not worth the effort for heavy rust.
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:32 pm
by beeg
MickyD, could you briefly explain your electrolysis bath?
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:59 pm
by mickyd
beeg wrote:MickyD, could you briefly explain your electrolysis bath?
Check out this website. It is the one I cut my teeth on. I've been using electrolysis for a couple months to restore cast iron cookware and now, it's going to be my best friend for ShopSmith restoration.
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:50 am
by beeg
Thanks MickyD. Last time a couple months ago I did knot understand how to set it up. But this time after reading it, I GOT IT. You want several rods wired together for the positive connection, then the negative connection is attached to the the piece being cleaned. 
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:01 am
by mickyd
bucksaw wrote:Now the idea of using PVC is interesting. Maybe an outer pvc pipe and an inner to reduce volumn and fill with Evapo-rust and let soak. Sounds like a lazy man solution.
Nick's potato video. I personally think the "potato" method is a not worth the effort for heavy rust.
I like your idea bucksaw. If you could seal off the bench tube ID with something (hey, maybe stick a potato in it....) and use a 2" ID PVC tube (area 1) and put the 53 inch long 1.875" OD bench tube into it (area 2), it would take about 12 fluid oz of liquid to fill the void. For all you math heads out there, (Area 1 minus Area 2) x Length = Volume
Sorry for getting techy but I just had to know the answer. Since I just HAD to figure it out, I just had to share the answer :-). After the day I had stripping paint off my SS, I had to make sure that I didn't mess up too many brain cells!!!!