Shopsmith Forums

I have a new-to-me SS 510 converted to 520. After de-rusting an reassembling the saw set up, I found the blade to be misaligned with the riving knife. It seems to me that the knurled aluminum ring is reversed and preventing the arbor from the correct position. Can someone confirm that idea from the pictures? Are there problems or cautions about simply reversing the part on the shaft?

The collar is indeed reversed.

Be aware there are two different knurled collars. Yours appears to be the shorter version(your quill should NOT be a two bearing version).

Proper assembly includes pulling the shaft outward so the internal end of the collar removes in/out bearing play.

The collar set screw fastens to a second tapered flat.

JPG - The machine was made in 1998 so I thought it had the two bearing quill.

JPG wrote: Thu Jul 31, 2025 3:00 pm Be aware there are two different knurled collars. Yours appears to be the shorter version(your quill should NOT be a two bearing version).

It is difficult to pull the shaft outward while fastening the set screw. After trying, there is visible though pretty small in/out play of the shaft if i pull on the end. Any tricks or tools to maintain the outward force while tightening the collar, or is it just a four handed job? or could the in/out play be elswhere? Are there dimensions available to distinguish between to the two different collars?

One hand simultaneously pulls outward on the shaft while pushing the collar inward.(different fingers, different task.
Second hand operates the SS tool kit.

Pulling on the shaft bears a shoulder on the quill shaft against the inner race of the bearing and the collar bears against the outboard side of the inner race. Total elimination of shaft in/out play not likely.

Now this does require the outer race of the bearing to also be tight. It bears against a shoulder in the casting and a retaining ring on the outer end.

Perhaps the retaining ring is missing or loose (after all somebody has been there before!).

IIRC some of the different versions of two-bearing quill use different collars. I don't know of a definitive source giving dimensions. The easiest way to determine if you have a two-bearing quill is to remove it from the headstock and inspect it. You can use a light or a probe (long version SS tool box works) to see it there is an inner bearing. Easiest way to see which version is if you can read the bearing PN for either bearing. The latest version has larger bearings than its predecessor.

In my experience excessive free play of the shaft/spindle is always caused by a bad outer bearing. The inner bearing on a two bearing quill is a slip fit in the barrel (outer race) so it doesn't help with axial loads. Excessive is in the eye of the beholder, or in my case the ear. If I can hear a rattle when I apply an in/out force to the spindle I think that is excessive. I've measured it and this seems to be somewhere near 0.010" of freeplay.

To my eye, your collar appears to be correct for the latest version of two-bearing quill. For better accuracy, I measured the bearing seat portion at 1.00" diameter and 0.28" extending out from the body. This is the portion where the red arrow is pointing in your first picture. The outer bearing in this type quill is a 6203 series, 40mm outside diameter.

- David

My best measurements are nearly identical: 1 in diameter and 0.26 in. I cannot hear a noise on in/out motion but as best i can measure the in/out is 0.008 in. with a feeler gauge between the table and the end of the shaft. I was not able to get a good measurement at the collar- housing interface. I guess I will keep an eye on it and run until the play is increased. Thanks for responses!

0.008"



IGNORE IT!