Shopsmith Forums

ok.. I am new here. I inherited a 70's era SS. I used it when it was new as a teenager and am looking forward to enjoying it again.

My main question is about power. It seems like it just has no "umph". My dad may have replaced the motor (not sure). Even with a professionally sharpened saw blade it doesn't seem to be able to make it thru a board. The motor seems slow to get up to speed but eventually gets there but soon after beginning to cut it slows down then blows circuit breaker.

Likely culprits?

I assume it is a Mark V based on the date. I would say you need to check a couple of things. First, with the machine unplugged, can you easily turn the sanding disk or is there resistance? If there is resistance, then the problem is internal. Saying that,my first inclination would be to make absolutely sure you have the machine plugged into a dedicated 20 AMP outlet. Many times, the problem is simply not enough power in the outlet. THe Mark V uses almost everything there is on a 20 AMP circuit under normal conditions, if the bearings are getting dry or the machine has not been lubricated recently, the problem is even worse. Remember that the outlet in your shop could be on a circuit with up to 15 other outlets that could be anywhere in the house unless you know it is a dedicated circuit to the garage/shop. I have a newer home that has only 1 outlet (on a shared circuit) in the garage and not enough capacity left in the panel to add what I need to run the shop. I am trying to find an electrician to add the power capacity without charging me BOTH arms and BOTH legs.

70's era machine that hasn't been used in a while is begging for a complete overhaul guaranteed. I just bought a Mark VII and it needed every bearing replaced, cleaning, lube and oil all parts, adjust etc. I just finished tearing down and cleaning the scroll saw. I did the jointer last weekend. All are working like new and I won't have to worry about any of the bearings for quite a while now.

I would tear it completely apart and check all of the bearings if they turn freely and don't stop quickly they need to be replaced or if they turn very hard or feel gritty and grinding they need to be replaced. This will also give you the opportunity to clean it real good and re-lube all parts as well as check for any other hidden issues. It will be time well spent and will give you the confidence to use the machine worry free for a long time.

a few answers and a few more questions

I have 20 amp circuits in the shop. I opened up the case and cleaned everything and all seems to be turning smoothly.

Do you guys mean open up/clean the motor? I'll leave that to the pros at a motor shop, I think.

Thanks for the responses, this is cool.

chilipeppernc wrote:a few answers and a few more questions

I have 20 amp circuits in the shop. I opened up the case and cleaned everything and all seems to be turning smoothly.

Do you guys mean open up/clean the motor? I'll leave that to the pros at a motor shop, I think.

Thanks for the responses, this is cool.

no yu should not have to open the motor unless the bearings in it are no good. Sluggishness would be caused by only a few things. Bad bearings, belt slippage, speed control issue, motor bad/going bad, electrical supply circuit. There may be more than that but that is what I could think of of the top of my head.

Just before my switch died (a few seconds before) my machine was very slow to start, you might also want to check the switch.

Many, many factors can enter into a discussion about a sluggish Shopsmith (one that bogs down under load). But if inadequate power, poor condition of power cord, pitted contacts on the power switch, loose connection anywhere in the power distribution line or a failing motor - the symptoms will be prevalent without cutting a single board.

Plug it in, turn it on and listen as it comes up to speed. You might also plug a small desk lamp into the same outlet and watch that light as the Shopsmith comes up to speed.

I significant dimming of that light or a significant wait for run speed are clear indicators of a power deficiency.

If you are in doubt about the general condition of your Shopsmith (bearings, belts, etc) all bets are off. But if you believe the Mark V to be in reasonable condition, I believe my comments can be taken at face value.

Following are some notes that I recorded a while back that may be of interest.

[ATTACH]8156[/ATTACH]

chilipeppernc wrote:ok.. I am new here. I inherited a 70's era SS. I used it when it was new as a teenager and am looking forward to enjoying it again.

My main question is about power. It seems like it just has no "umph". My dad may have replaced the motor (not sure). Even with a professionally sharpened saw blade it doesn't seem to be able to make it thru a board. The motor seems slow to get up to speed but eventually gets there but soon after beginning to cut it slows down then blows circuit breaker.

Likely culprits?

Welcome, chilipeppernc! Along with all of the good thoughts and advice that you already have been given, think about this: There may be nothing wrong with your Mark V. The Mark V is a good all around piece of equipment, but it is knot perfect for every job. If you have experience with table saws, especially tablesaws with any size to them, the SS may be disappointing. It is perfectly adequate for the job, but you may have to take a little more time to make cuts that you can make faster on other tablesaws. If you have the room and the funds for a full size tablesaw, then by all means, you can expect it to perform better then the Mark V]correct[/I] blade for the job.

Don't overlook alignment. If the table is not square to the blade there can be a pinching (of the blade) effect going on when ripping that will slow the blade. If this happens to a great enough degree, it can cause kick back.

You didn't say. Is your problem more with ripping than cross. If yes, are you using an appropriate blade.