Shopsmith Forums

I use my shopsmith primarily as a wood lathe. I find it impossible to turn large pieces even long pieces because the quill does not turn true enough. Small bowls only 3 inches deep are fine but if I get even 6 inches out from the faceplate then it wobbles. Drill bits will only spin true at high speeds. I have replaced my quill. Does anyone else have this problem? I ordered the speed reducer hoping it will give me a new and stronger focal point? Am I on the right track? Any other solutions? Thanks ggurgiolo@verizon.net

Hi Glenn Bob! I see you have been having that issue for quite some time, at least the last 6 months. Although I have no answers for you, I do have some questions.

You have installed a new quill, so I suppose it is a two bearing quill. Have you always used a faceplate? If you do, do you keep using the same (unchanged) attachment to the faceplate throughout the turning? Have you ever tried the drive center to rough out a workpiece? If so - is there still a vibration issue?

I cannot think of a reason for the vibrations after once roughing out the workpiece, unless the location of the faceplate has been changed or the headstock is not locked onto the way tubes. Could it be that your headstock locks are not engaged equally on both way tubes? I guess it also may be possible that your way tubes are loose or cracked, but that is a very wild guess.

I'd like to help, but at this time just cannot come up with a good answer.

Charlese raises a good question. When all this wobbling and vibration is taking place, WHAT IS MOVING? Are the tubes(both way and bench) tightened securely? As he said, is the headstock locked to BOTH way tubes. Are the legs tight?

i.e. LOOK for anything that is moving(barely observable even). If you find something 'loose', secure it! FEEL for anything that is vibrating - ditto!

ggurgiolo wrote:I use my shopsmith primarily as a wood lathe. I find it impossible to turn large pieces even long pieces because the quill does not turn true enough. Small bowls only 3 inches deep are fine but if I get even 6 inches out from the faceplate then it wobbles. Drill bits will only spin true at high speeds. I have replaced my quill. Does anyone else have this problem? I ordered the speed reducer hoping it will give me a new and stronger focal point? Am I on the right track? Any other solutions? Thanks ggurgiolo@verizon.net

I am in same prob as you right now I am trying to turn 12' diameter bowl and event w/300lbs of wt it bounces all over shop - shopsmith is 6 to 8 weeks behind on speed reducers emay is out and I like you am trying to get one as they reduce speed to 100 RPM which would enable you to turn large objects
Tom Key
butch173@comcast.net

Hi GGurgiolo! - Sounds to me like you need to do a bit of trimming on your bowl block. My suggestion is to remove the block - identify the turning center and draw radius lines out from that center. Mark the radii about 13 inches or so from the center then saw off the wood that is outside of those marks. Now you will have a blank that is fairly closed to being round and it should be a lot more stable when turned, even at 700 RPM.

Glenn,

I would first check to see if my spur drive, and tail stock line up. This is the point to point, vertical and horizontal, lineup that is easily adjusted at the tailstock end by the set screws. It is also easily knocked out of alignment, and should be checked often before turning any piece.

Just extend your quill, lock in place, and push your headstock down to the tail stock, allowing you to make the point to point adjustment.

If you do not have this properly lined up, you will not be able to drill straight, and any turning will cause wobble.
For large turning objects, you will need the speed reducer.

Good Luck!
FlashbacPT
John

charlese wrote:Hi GGurgiolo! - Sounds to me like you need to do a bit of trimming on your bowl block. My suggestion is to remove the block - identify the turning center and draw radius lines out from that center. Mark the radii about 13 inches or so from the center then saw off the wood that is outside of those marks. Now you will have a blank that is fairly closed to being round and it should be a lot more stable when turned, even at 700 RPM.

If he is turning bowls greater than 6" deep, what does he use to cut a blank thicker than 6"???


If turning stock this size, a speed reducer would help(imbalance effects reduced) but the drill bit runout has me confused (unless the headstock bore has become loose(too big or out of round). Does the quill shaft appear to move???? Can you move(wobble) it by hand?? If so, the speed reducer would help( new faceplace attachment with new bearing and housing which secures to way tubes).

P.S. The speed reducer REALLY should be used with stock this size. In addition to reducing the speed, it reduces the stress on the quill shaft and housing bore. It MAY be that turning large stock has created this current problem(premature/excessive wear of the quill etc.).

JPG40504 wrote:If he is turning bowls greater than 6" deep, what does he use to cut a blank thicker than 6"???

I believe it is still possible, in this machine age, to use a hand saw, or a froe and mallet, or a splitting maul, or even wedges and a sledge. If one had to resort to machinery, how about a chain saw.

The best choice of tools depends on how the workpiece has been cut from the tree, (how the grain runs), splitting works best with the grain and sawing works best cross grain.

Bow type buck saws work good for this type of trimming (cross grain), so do the old standbys - a one or two man tree cross cut saw. A curved, pull type pruning saw would also work pretty well, both cross and with the grain.

I would prefer a froe or axe to trim the edges of a block of wood. Similar to slicing off some kindling from a large piece of firewood.

Of course one would have to figure out his own cutting block (maybe a cross section of a tree) and clamping system, if needed. (maybe a pipe clamp or two)

Glenn,

I had similar problems with my 500 when the right end was unsupported. I replaced the single-bearing quill (that definitely had slop) with a two-bearing quill, but still had some wobble and vibration when turning hollow forms. I found that there was some looseness between my Barracuda2 chuck and the adapter; I put a rubber washer and teflon pipe tape on the adapter which has eliminated most of the vibration.

Roy

ggurgiolo wrote:I use my shopsmith primarily as a wood lathe. I find it impossible to turn large pieces even long pieces because the quill does not turn true enough. Small bowls only 3 inches deep are fine but if I get even 6 inches out from the faceplate then it wobbles. Drill bits will only spin true at high speeds. I have replaced my quill. Does anyone else have this problem? I ordered the speed reducer hoping it will give me a new and stronger focal point? Am I on the right track? Any other solutions? Thanks ggurgiolo@verizon.net