Shopsmith Forums

i have a 1981 MK V that I gut about a year ago. I has a single bearing quill. I noticed there was what I believe to be a lot of slop or wobble in the quill shaft. Very noticible with a drill mounted. I don't have a runout gauge so I can'measure the deflection. I replaced the quill bearing and drive & ring assy. Little or no improvement. I removed the drive sleeve assy and the bearings (NTN) look to be in very good shape. No rust or signs of wear. They rotate freely and only make 1 or 2 rotations when I spin them. When the drive sleeve assy is in the headstock (poly-v belt removed), there is no obvious wobble. I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Joe

A single bearing quill shaft will 'wobble' when NOT inserted into the drive sleeve.

You may have a bent shaft?

joet wrote: Sun Feb 19, 2023 2:47 pm Very noticible with a drill mounted.

Welcome to the forum. One suggestion is to visually check runout with your chuck and bit at both accessory shafts. The lower to confirm that the chuck and bit themselves are not contributing excessively. The upper may help to confirm a drive sleeve problem Vs a quill problem. I recently experienced a high-runout drive sleeve shaft issue, so while this seems highly unlikely it is possible. A bent quill shaft is much more common, though more likely on two bearing quills. I don't have experience with this particular quill, but you might be able to check the shaft itself by rolling it on a flat surface.

- David

joet,

Since you have already replaced the Quill Bearing and the Drive & Ring Assembly, I would check the Quill's Spindle to see if it is bent as JPG has suggested. David suggested checking the Drill Chuck and bit to make sure that is not the problem. Maybe try more than one drill bit as they can get bent. If you find the Spindle in the Quill Assembly is bent, you may want to consider upgrading the Quill. To replace that Spindle, you would have to find a used one which could have a problem too.

Thanks for all the replies. I tried the chuck w/drill bit in the upper accessory shaft and it doesn't have any play at all. This would suggest that the drive sleeve bearings are in good shape, correct? It wiggles with a woodturning chuck as well. The farther away you get from the headstock, the more pronounced the play/wiggle is. When I wiggle the shaft and I can hear and feel something moving in the headstock in the area of the drive sleeve/drive & ring assy. I'll pull the shaft out and see if its bent. I just might spring for a new quill assy. if there aren't any other suggestions.

Thanks,

Take the chuck off and check the wobble of the shaft by its self , you may find the wobble comes from the chuck .JMO

joet wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 12:24 pm When I wiggle the shaft and I can hear and feel something moving in the headstock in the area of the drive sleeve/drive & ring assy.

I don't understand that symptom, especially considering that you just replaced the Drive and Ring. Did the new one go on all the way, and therefore would be straight? Should seat to about 3/16" from the inner bearing. Everything else seems to check good, therefore pointing to a bent quill shaft/spindle to my thinking.

A two bearing quill would likely eliminate both the runout and the above symptom. Even if something else is wrong...

- David

I installed the Drive & Ring until it snapped into place and checked that it fit snugly. I'll check the shaft next. Maybe this play I'm feeling is normal for this vintage quill assy. I can feel the play ever so slightly even without a chuck on the spindle. I wish I could measure it precisely.
Thanks,

joet wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:53 am ... Maybe this play I'm feeling is normal for this vintage quill assy. I can feel the play ever so slightly even without a chuck on the spindle.

My 1958 greenie with a single bearing has no discernible play in the spindle, so I doubt if age is the problem.

Good to hear that there shouldn't be any play in the shaft. I took drive sleeve assy out and holding it firm between blocks of wood. I inserted the quill shaft and could feel the accessory end of the drive sleeve shaft move when I put side to side pressure on the shaft. I'm going to replace the drive sleeve bearings next.