Shopsmith Forums

For those who read my earlier posts about the band saw, I apologize in advance for any redundancy, but being a true newbie, I realize this is where I should have started.

Fifteen days ago I became the latest beau of a diamond in the rough, "Lady Green," a greenie, s/n 292284. She is a few years older than I am, having been brought into existence in March of 1955 (versus my own birth in June of '57). And even though she was covered in dust from disuse for the past several years, it was love at first sight, especially when I saw her wearing a band saw on the backend! So, even though the guy was only asking $450, I told my sad tale of unemployment coupled with my aspirations of making my way in the world by manipulating wood, and he agreed to $400.

I came back the next day with my dad's pickup, driving in a slight rain, and with the help of another guy who just happened to be standing around, we put Lady Green in the back of the truck, laid her over for the ride, put the little stuff and band saw up in the cab, covered her headstock with a garbage bag and headed home. Weather favored her as it quit raining just as I left his shop and remained dry until after I got back home.

I once had a Shopsmith. As best I remember this was about 1996 and it came with almost everything, including the band saw, jointer, and belt sander. I spent my last $1300 that time and I loved that machine. But I was young and foolish. I didn't care about maintenance, only where the on/off switch was and how to hook things up to it. Life changes and I ended up selling all my woodworking stuff, even though it hurt. I've missed having an SS ever since.

But no more!! I now am getting to know this new lady in my life. However, I fear this will be a lengthy courtship (renovation) before we actually begin making beautiful music together (ahhh, the sound of wood being cut).

I will (or at least it is my intention to) post pics and updates as I progress. In part, because I have been inspired by the work, words and pics of many of you. Unfortunately I was already reading the forum and watching videos before I got my camera out, so even the first shots show the back cover off the headstock and the band saw opened up. Still these were before anything serious happened.

So where am I now? Tonight I built a cradle for the headstock, inspired by the one in Engler's Sawdust Sessions and reviving a goldie and now my headstock is on a worktable. However, my camera's battery went dead, so no pictures until tomorrow (later today?).

Known issues: the quill does not spring return after being extended. Everything seems a bit stiff even though the unit turns on, runs through the speed range and does not sound rough, and everything I can turn feels fairly smooth.

The speed control seems to sit at an angle to the body. And the threaded part of the locking mechanism on the table height lock has been bent. The bench tubes are rusty and the way tubes need a good polishing.

Observations made: it is definitely an early one, having the sandcast heaadstock without an access hole behind the nameplate. However, the belts have been replaced at some point with the lower belt stamped "Shopsmith" and the upper belt stamped "Goodyear." I question if the upper belt is correct.

But, overall, I'm pretty please, and I'm looking forward to this dating every evening as we get to know each other and I fix everything that's wrong with her. (Don't you wish you could do that with your spouse?)

I know I will have lots of questions, but that is ok because I know you guys will have lots of answers.

Let the journey begin................

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Best of luck with your "Green Lady" and your courtship.
I will be working on mine at the same time.
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=5240
So maybe we'll be making similar journeys at the same time.

I hope to see more of your 'courtship' in pictures. It might help me on my journey too.

I'm looking at all this aluminum from which most of the paint flecked off during the dark ages, and looking at how bright and shiny the handle are after just a couple of minutes with a wire wheel in a drill, and I'm wondering why I should repaint the aluminum if I'm not into a full-blown restoration as much as bringing the machine up to as-new performance and then trying to wear it out all over again?

Any comments?

I really like the brushed aluminum look!!

fiatben wrote:I'm looking at all this aluminum from which most of the paint flecked off during the dark ages, and looking at how bright and shiny the handle are after just a couple of minutes with a wire wheel in a drill, and I'm wondering why I should repaint the aluminum if I'm not into a full-blown restoration as much as bringing the machine up to as-new performance and then trying to wear it out all over again?

Any comments?

Whatever boats yer float!

Well, I could talk for hours about the hours I spent, but here are some things I'd like to discuss with you guys.

First, a comment; if a person is going to really go thru the headstock anyway, it seems to me that the easiest way (especially on an old sand casting like mine without the access hole behind the logo) is to just go ahead and drop the motor in its pan. It is so easy; loosen the belt (put unit on highest speed), take the retaining nut off the switch and push it into the headstock, remove the motor pan screws and lift off the headstock. Now I can flip the headstock over and access everything without all that blind reaching thru a little handhole.

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The flat for the set screw on the speed changer assembly is so chewed up. Can I just grind this back close to flat or is there a critical tolerance here?

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When I tried to remove the quill, it would only extend out so far and then stop. I knew I had loosened/removed everything that I was aware of. Looking up into the housing, I could see a lot of built-up sawdust. Sure enough, I started turning the feed and brushing the teeth with a nylon brush and out popped the quill.

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I knew the headstock locking mechanism wasn't operating smoothly. Obviously these wedges are way beyond replacement stage. There isn't anyway to just grind these back to flat is there?

On a related note, how do you remove the little pin that seems to be holding the headstock lock handle onto the threaded rod that turns the wedges? It is the only thing left in the headstock casting and I want to take everything off before I start cleaning and refinishing.

Correction, it is almost the only thing left in the headstock. When I pulled the drive shaft there is still one bearing inside the headstock.
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It turns smooth and I don't see any reason to pull this out. If I do have to pull it, is it a press fit back in?

Oh, so many questions, but these are the big ones tonight.

Thanks guys

Ive always taken a medium rasp to my locking wedges and filed them flat and removed the mushrooming and they were as good as new.... but Im a cheap-skate too

It is a good idea to leave the pin holding headstock lock to the rod(it is very difficult to get out/replace.

The speed control shaft needs to be filed round. There is no 'flat', but a bored depression.(shallow hole)

The bearing is a tight fit in the headstock. It will be easier to remove later if it needs replacement, if you take it out now and reinsert it.

The lock wedge can be filed, but that one is quite worn. The part that is curved, started out flat.

Notice the word filed. Filing is more gentle than grinding and leaves a smoother surface. You can file a cylinder and keep it round.

Nice pix!

Hi,

For the headstock lock rod, if you do want replace both wedges, you'll need to either hacksaw the rod out and buy a new assembly, or use a properly-sized punch and drive the little pin out of the handle. I've usually had good luck driving the pin out, but I did one lately that was much more stubborn.

For that remaining bearing -- thats' a strange one. It looks like a rubber-seal bearing but the OEM part is metal-shielded. While it can be a tight fit in the headstock (varying with temperatures of bearing and casting), it should be much tighter (press-fit) to the drive-sleeve shaft itself.

I'm busy stripping a Goldie, and I am removing all the pins as well.

I don't have any small pin punches, so I am making my own. I find an appropriately size nail and grind / file off the point. Hey presto - instant cheap pin punch. Sure it isn't hard and doesn't last too well, but it is only for this one project. If the end deforms, just regrind / refile and it's good for another few pins.