Shopsmith Forums

I can't find a replacement cover return spring for the factory jointer guard cover. Anyone have any suggestions? Is there another one thst can be modified a little to work? Is the origibal the same as the new featherboard type that shopsmith still has available. My recent jointer find is missing the spring.

Shopsmith only sells the Jointer Feather Guard Return Spring part number 514196 which I believe is different than the Spring in the older Cutter Guards. You would have to go to the used market to find one. I don't recall ever seeing just a Return Spring for sale. You could get a complete used Cutter Guard as a replacement. Any of the 5 Cutter Guard versions going back to 1953 when the first 4" Jointer was made would work. There was a safety upgrade made for the non-Feather Guards that added a locking nut to the post to keep it from being removed from the Jointer. I don't recall if it included a new spring, but it appears that is no longer available.

This could be a good time to consider upgrading to the Jointer Feather Guard as opposed to replacing the spring. Do know that if you use your Jointer to do Rabbits, having the Jointer Feather Guard instead of the other Cutter Guards that simply lift off means an extra step to do the Rabbits. The Jointer Feather Guard has to be unbolted and the post removed to use the Jointer for Rabbits.

Matt50,

Upon further investigation the Jointer Feather Guard Return Spring part number 514196, shown below, may actually be the same as the Spring used in older Cutter Guards.

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The hook end of the Spring goes into the Torque Washer and the diamond shaped end goes into the slot of the Guard casting as shown below.

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When disassembling the Cutter Guard use care as some of the Mounting Studs are threaded for the Knob while other Mounting Studs have a knurled end the knob pushes onto. I suggest gently trying to unscrew the Knob first, for the threaded version, before trying to pry it off, for the knurled version.