Shopsmith Forums

Guys, I am new to this posting stuff. All you experienced ones, please help me out. I just picked up a 1973/74 Model 500. Has some rust but runs. Should the quill assembly retract on its own? (Hopefully I am using the correct terminology) In other words, if I use the drill press, I must use slight force in causing the bit to drill and then use slight force to cause the bit to retract. Is this normal?

Mine got the same way. I pulled it all apart and cleaned all the parts. When I put it back together, it retracted again by itself. You could have dust buildup causing the problem, or you could have a broken or misadjusted retracting spring.

rickdehaan61 wrote:Guys, I am new to this posting stuff. All you experienced ones, please help me out. I just picked up a 1973/74 Model 500. Has some rust but runs. Should the quill assembly retract on its own? (Hopefully I am using the correct terminology) In other words, if I use the drill press, I must use slight force in causing the bit to drill and then use slight force to cause the bit to retract. Is this normal?

Yes it should retract 'automatically'.

However before you use it much, read the post at the top of this thread and perform some maintenance operations. You know nothing of the history of that machine maintenance wise. You will be more satisfied with it if it is performing correctly.

Correcting the quill retraction(or lack of it) can be found in one of the sawdust sessions.

rickdehaan61 wrote:Guys, I am new to this posting stuff. All you experienced ones, please help me out. I just picked up a 1973/74 Model 500. Has some rust but runs. Should the quill assembly retract on its own? (Hopefully I am using the correct terminology) In other words, if I use the drill press, I must use slight force in causing the bit to drill and then use slight force to cause the bit to retract. Is this normal?

Yes it should retract 'automatically'.

However before you use it much, read the post at the top of this forum(Maintenance and repair) and perform some maintenance operations. You know nothing of the history of that machine maintenance wise. You will be more satisfied with it if it is performing correctly.

Correcting the quill retraction(or lack of it) can be found in one of the sawdust sessions.

Thanks guys for the words of wisdom! I will look into performing more maintenance on the machine. I want it running smoothly.

What does everyone use for lubrication for the quill to keep it moving nicely in the housing? I have been using Johnsons wax but it doesn't seem to last very long. Would some type of dry graphite work better???

I tried dried or spray graphite on mine and it worked for a bit but not long. I didn't fully disassemble it though, just sprayed it on the grooves with it fully extended and moved it back and forth a bunch.

wannabewoodworker wrote:What does everyone use for lubrication for the quill to keep it moving nicely in the housing? I have been using Johnsons wax but it doesn't seem to last very long. Would some type of dry graphite work better???

A bit messy, but if you try it, rub in in to the smooth part of the quill shaft. The rack teeth is not the part dragging.(unless quill feed bearings are dry or teeth are packed with crud)

However more tension is IMHO a longer lasting 'solution'.

I bought a '55 Greenie last year and the quill on it acted exactly like you describe. Turned out that it was simply so impacted with sawdust that it could barely move. Once I brushed all the crud out of the teeth, it moved very smoothly. And once I replaced the quill bearing it turned smooth too!

JPG40504 wrote:A bit messy, but if you try it, rub in in to the smooth part of the quill shaft. The rack teeth is not the part dragging.(unless quill feed bearings are dry or teeth are packed with crud)

However more tension is IMHO a longer lasting 'solution'.

I cannot tension the quill return spring anymore than it already is physically will not turn any further so it is as tight as it will go without breaking the spring. It moves nicely after waxing it but it doesn't stay that way for long. I did oil the inner quill where it slides into the drive assembly. I may try cleaning all the oil off of it and waxing that instead of oiling it.