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Alignment problem
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:51 pm
by hobbydad
The drive shaft on my 500 seems to be out of alignment, but I don't know how it could be adjusted. This is a machine that I bought used and I am just starting to use some of the SPTs. I put the jigsaw on today and saw that the drive shaft on the back of the headstock does not line up with the shaft of the jig saw (horizontally). I put the band saw on, and it is the same. I would have assumed it was an issue with the alignment of the SPTs themselves, but I also noticed an issue when I was using the drum sander with the sander insert. The drum touches the side of the hole in the insert. I had used the drum sander before and noticed that it wasn't centered, but I don't think it was as bad as it is now. It didn't touch the side of the insert hole before. I did have the headstock torn down a while ago to replace the drive sleeve and quill bearings. I attached photos of the issues. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Loren
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 1:20 am
by a1gutterman
hobbydad wrote:The drive shaft on my 500 seems to be out of alignment, but I don't know how it could be adjusted. This is a machine that I bought used and I am just starting to use some of the SPTs. I put the jigsaw on today and saw that the drive shaft on the back of the headstock does not line up with the shaft of the jig saw (horizontally). I put the band saw on, and it is the same. I would have assumed it was an issue with the alignment of the SPTs themselves, but I also noticed an issue when I was using the drum sander with the sander insert. The drum touches the side of the hole in the insert. I had used the drum sander before and noticed that it wasn't centered, but I don't think it was as bad as it is now. It didn't touch the side of the insert hole before. I did have the headstock torn down a while ago to replace the drive sleeve and quill bearings. I attached photos of the issues. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Loren
Hi Loren,
The headstock is knot adjustable. All of the SPT's and the table are what you will need to adjust. Do you have a manual? For the SPT's the adjustment is with the eccentric mounting tubes. For the horizontal adjustment, you need to swivel the tubes to get the correct alignment; for the vertical adjustment, you need to raise or lower the spt on the tubes. With the set screws in the tubes loosened, have someone that can help hold the SPT at the correct location and then tighten the set screws. I am knot sure about the table adjustment for your 500 as I have a 510 table system.
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 8:03 am
by doug45601
[quote="a1gutterman"]Hi Loren,
The headstock is knot adjustable. All of the SPT's and the table are what you will need to adjust. Do you have a manual? For the SPT's the adjustment is with the eccentric mounting tubes. For the horizontal adjustment, you need to swivel the tubes to get the correct alignment]
Well, in my opnion, some slight adjustments can be made regarding the alignment of the headstock shaft to the SPT's. That's to say that if the SPT's were all originally properly aligned before and no adjustments were made to the attachment tube legs then the original alignments should still be the same! On the other hand, if the headstock has been removed then the way-tube end fitting (the gray thingie at the end of the double way-tubes attached with set screws) may not be properly setting down in the support cradle. There are slight adjustments that can be made there also! Hence, the headstock shaft per-say is fixed and not adjustable but the way-tubes are and the headstock is mounted on the way tubes!
Never the less, the SPT's can be re-adjusted as mentioned to correct the issues of the bandsaw and jigsaw. The table adjustment for the drum sander could mean that the table itself has been loose or jared out of alignment due to being bumped while in storage. I would use a soft mallet to slightly bump it back into alignment and check the tightness of the attachment bolts on the legs. ( not to say I would beat it around, just bump it some )
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:00 am
by dusty
Once you are certain that the way tubes, the way tube tie bar and the base arm are properly installed and secured, there is nothing else to do in the way of alignment of the basic Shopsmith.
All of the remaining alignment options involve the eccentrics. I don't recall whether I bought these as an accessory or they came with each SPT but I have a pair of eccentrics for each SPT. These are installed and aligned and then remain there "for life".
BTW, aligning these without losing your temper is a two person job.
If you have never aligned the eccentrics, I suggest you install of pair of eccentrics in the Shopsmith with nothing mounted on the eccentrics and a evaluate how they move with respect to one another. Twisting the eccentrics move the SPT left/right and front/back. Varying the depth of insertion moves the SPT up/down.
Once adjusted you will be able to mount and unmount each specific SPT without further adjustment.
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:36 am
by SDSSmith
Loren,
If your Shopsmith has a vertically oriented socket head set screw in the back side of the headrest, you can use this to adjust the side to side on your alignment. The tiebar rests against the tip of this screw. By turning the screw and raising/lowering one end of the tie bar the way tubes and headstock are rotated one way or the other. Shopsmith provided this information on an instruction sheet with their older SPT's with straight legs. I will check my instruction archives for more information.
spt coupler alignment
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:07 am
by RobertTaylor
as rob has said the allen screw under the tie bar can be used for aligning the spt tools. my basement floor is not level so depending on where the shopsmith is at the time my alignment varies. instead of changing the screw as rob suggested i merely use a wooden wedge under one corner of the right side leg as that is where the floor drain is and obviously lower than the left side. it does not take much to slightly twist the shafts into alignment. a quick fix indeed.
Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 1:29 pm
by SDSSmith
SDSSmith wrote:Loren,
If your Shopsmith has a vertically oriented socket head set screw in the back side of the headrest, you can use this to adjust the side to side on your alignment. The tiebar rests against the tip of this screw. By turning the screw and raising/lowering one end of the tie bar the way tubes and headstock are rotated one way or the other. Shopsmith provided this information on an instruction sheet with their older SPT's with straight legs. I will check my instruction archives for more information.
From Additional Horizontal Adjustments, Shopsmith Cat. No. 9117, c1956.
"Adjustment Screw
On Shopsmiths with a serial number above 290367, an adjustment screw is provided in one shoulder of the headrest. This screw may be utilized to provide a slight lateral movement of the tool shaft. Be sure the screws in the tie bar which lock it to the tubular ways are loosened before the screw is adjusted, then tightened after the adjustment is made.
If your Shopsmith is below serial number 290367 (machines which do not have adjustment screw), you may accomplish the same thing by lightly filing one shoulder of the headrest, as sketed at left. USE A SMOOTH FILE, TAKE A FEW STROKES, CHECK ALIGNMENT AFTER EACH.
BEFORE FOLLOWING ANY OF THESE PROCEDURES, BE SURE YOU HAVE CAREFULLY CHECKED THE MOUNTING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SHEET PROVIDED WITH THE TOOL."
Hope this helps.
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:50 am
by hobbydad
I appreciate all of the responses. The jig saw does not have eccentric tubes, so I will either have to find a pair or try the headrest adjustment screw. I have a new table coming, so I will see if that one has the same issue for the drum sander. I would think that where the table mounts to the trunnion would be the only place where the alignment could be off. I did have to adjust the eccentric tubes for the joiner, so I am familiar with that process (and the ensuing frustration). Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Loren
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:27 pm
by billmayo
hobbydad wrote:I appreciate all of the responses. The jig saw does not have eccentric tubes, so I will either have to find a pair or try the headrest adjustment screw. I have a new table coming, so I will see if that one has the same issue for the drum sander. I would think that where the table mounts to the trunnion would be the only place where the alignment could be off. I did have to adjust the eccentric tubes for the joiner, so I am familiar with that process (and the ensuing frustration). Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Loren
I use the lower half of the jigsaw with straight legs to check the alignment of the headrest to the headstock. I make sure the headrest adjusting screw (#9) is flat with the support pad on the headrest. If not, then I place a short saw horse under the bench tubes at the headrest end so the leg is off the floor. I just loosen the bolts holding the bench tubes to the head rest. I then move the jigsaw until the hub is aligned with vertical with the headstock hub. I tighten the bolts holding the bench tubes making sure the jigsaw hub stays aligned with headstock hub. I have not seen this alignment in any manual but I do it to any Shopsmith I am setting up.
However, I find using a framing square for the headrest and bench tubes to check they are 90 degrees to each other which works most of the time so the above adjustment is normally not needed when doing the jigsaw check.
New to the forum
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2020 7:51 pm
by Bootie01
I’m working on my mark v . Hello everyone. This forum is the best. Helped me so much , to get me to where I’m at now.
