Shopsmith Forums

I have been trying to use my speed reducer but it wobbles when the block of wood is not perfectly round. I have unit tightened on the waytubes and tightened on the head unit. I watched Nicks video on using it and his did not seem to wobble at all on that rather large burl. I also use the spindle turning foot stock with the free turning end piece, can't think of the name now.

Is there some adjustment, I did not find any reference in the manual that came with it. My turned pieces will come out slightly oval and when I take it off the speed reducer it has to be rounded again.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

First suggestion would be to run it against a live center until rounded enough to balance it.
Second would be to call Shopsmith and see if the product is defective.

Hi,

Sorry if this sounds like I'm stating the obvious but sometimes it helps getting past some potential issue and working on the problem faster.

First wood being what it is, organic in nature it is not a very uniform work piece. The point that might be the physical center may not be the point where the center of gravity is. Sometimes it isn't even close. So if you try to chuck to that physical center the rotation will show the errors of your ways by wobbling about.

It is also a good idea to at least get the workpiece into a hexagon (6 sides) or better yet an octagon (8 sides) or even better a circle before you attempt to mount and turn it.

I have seen several ways of attempting to find the center of gravity but it depends on what the stock's shape and might be a bit difficult to do anyway. For a bowl blank I've seen a piece of angle aluminum set with legs down and point up. The blank is is set on top and you attempt to balance it. Once you are very close you mark a line on the blank where the two sides of the angle are. Then rotate the blank and do it again and then rotate again. You then connect the two points from each of the markings across the face of the workpiece... They will either make a point or a small triangle, the point or the center of the triangle will be very close to the actual center. This a very old method so I'm sure a few others here have better ways nowadays.

I'm guess you also know you need to start at the slowest speed which will be about 100 rpm with the speed reducer. You need to make sure you are not sitting on the casters, you are on a reasonable flat surface, that all locks are locked.

Ed

chettrick wrote:I have been trying to use my speed reducer but it wobbles when the block of wood is not perfectly round. I have unit tightened on the waytubes and tightened on the head unit. I watched Nicks video on using it and his did not seem to wobble at all on that rather large burl. I also use the spindle turning foot stock with the free turning end piece, can't think of the name now.

Is there some adjustment, I did not find any reference in the manual that came with it. My turned pieces will come out slightly oval and when I take it off the speed reducer it has to be rounded again.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.