Shopsmith Forums

Look for the access notch.

The picture below shows the back side of a Speed Control Handle. On the right side of the Handle you can see the notch to access the set screw. This is one set screw your 5/16" Allen Wrench aka the Shopsmith Toolbox does not fit.

_ .
On the Speed Control Assembly shown below the arrow indicates the dimple on the shaft where the set screw of the Speed Control Handle should seat.

_

"This is one set screw your 5/16" Allen Wrench aka the Shopsmith Toolbox does not fit."
That explains everything! Thanks Russ.

I noticed an interesting problem with my new headstock. I start my bowls by tracing around a 5 gallon bucket, so the bowls are pretty big. With the old, jury-rigged pulley, I had no trouble roughing in these big blanks. With the new headstock, the piece spins way too fast to start shaping. The whole machine literally leaves the ground on the slowest setting. Judging by the price, Shopsmith seems pretty proud of their speed reducer. I think I am going to go back to the Greenie to do the rough cutting on 4 or 5 bowls, then switch back to the Goldie for the higher speed work. Far from ideal, but at least it is doable.

Lowest speed will be around 700 RPM. Possibly the speed dial is off. I don't know if it's worth getting a tachometer for this but there are phone apps that do the job. I just tried a demo version of one that is really just an adjustable strobe light. Works as well as they used to on distributor ignitions.

I know someone who had a segmented bowl explode on his Shopsmith at slow speed. I got a PowerPro upgrade because I wanted to turn bowls. I also obtained a used Speed Reducer at a good price so I can make things rotate at ridiculously slow speeds in combination with the PowerPro.

Try balancing the rough blanks to minimize the bouncing.