Shopsmith Forums

Well after having bad weather for the last 4-5 weeks during the weekend I finally had a perfect day for making some sawdust on Sunday. But my Mark V developed a high pitched squeal while using the table saw. It sounded like metal to metal. I took off the front cover and proceeded to run it to see if I could determine where the sound was coming from. Really couldn't determine the location. Obviously lower speeds would make the squeal stop and the squeal would not start immediately but would come back after running it for about 10 seconds. Assumed that it could be a bearing so I took the headstock off and in the next couple of days I will take the drive train apart to see if I can determine the culprit. I will probably go ahead and change out bearings and belts as I think that they are all original on my 1984 model. Is there anything else that I need to check while I have it apart or is bad bearing the most like culprit?

Also are the bearings fairly standard so I can pick them up locally or should I just order them with the belts from Shopsmith??

Thanks,

Alan

aloibl wrote:Well after having bad weather for the last 4-5 weeks during the weekend I finally had a perfect day for making some sawdust on Sunday. But my Mark V developed a high pitched squeal while using the table saw. It sounded like metal to metal. I took off the front cover and proceeded to run it to see if I could determine where the sound was coming from. Really couldn't determine the location. Obviously lower speeds would make the squeal stop and the squeal would not start immediately but would come back after running it for about 10 seconds. Assumed that it could be a bearing so I took the headstock off and in the next couple of days I will take the drive train apart to see if I can determine the culprit. I will probably go ahead and change out bearings and belts as I think that they are all original on my 1984 model. Is there anything else that I need to check while I have it apart or is bad bearing the most like culprit?

Also are the bearings fairly standard so I can pick them up locally or should I just order them with the belts from Shopsmith??

Thanks,

Alan

It might be bearings but it could be belt squeal. Remove the quill and run it to eliminate the quill bearings. Remove the drive belt and run the motor to eliminate the motor bearings and drive belt squeal. At this point everything sort of free wheels. You should be able to feel a bad bearing. Could it just be cold or does it get cold in Texas.

It is not the quill. I just put in a brand new one in. I already pulled it back out and it seems fine. It definitely could be belt squeal but it still sounded more like metal on metal. But I could have been wrong. Changing the belts anyway. I will go ahead and pull the drive train out just to double check it along with running the motor without the belt to see if it is making the noise. The temperature was about 60 degrees. Not cold enough, I wouldn't think, to change the normal operating paramaters of the headstock.

Thanks,

Unit was lubed not very long ago and I don't have a lot of hours on the unit since I lubed it last. But I will check that both sheaves are moving properly once I get the belt off.


Thanks,

Do not over look the motor bearings! Although the speed of the motor doesn't vary much, the load does and the force on the long output shaft. If the motor bearing tends to drag/catch/... you might be able to feel it by turning the shaft with yer pinkies.

FWIW the output shaft bearing is usually 'the one' to go first.

All the ball bearings are available from various sources, but ss does not sell all of them anyway. More to the point they do not sell motor bearings.

Is it likely to be the bearing that has the button and yoke at the end of the porkchop?

prmindartmouth wrote:Is it likely to be the bearing that has the button and yoke at the end of the porkchop?

Quite possible! You do NOT want it to 'fail'.

Adjust to FAST. Squirt a lot of oil in control sheave snout hole. Raise to vertical and let all that will seep into the bearing do so (as long as possible).

My 1986 model does that also. In my case, it is belt squeal caused by the speed control sheave not sliding on the shaft due to lack of lubrication. The sheave sticks and the belt gets loose. As someone else mentioned, get in there and lubricate the shaft by the speed control dial (i.e. the one you reach when you pull the SS cover off).

For some reason, my '86 model is very prone to doing this (about once a year). I should schedule a tear down to pull it all apart and thoroughly clean the shaft in that area. Or buy a new PowerPro! Ah, ha - another reason to get one!

Well took it apart and both bearings on the drive assembly need to be replaced. I am going to go ahead and order and replace the motor drive belt. The poly-V belt looks in good condition. And even though I had recently oiled both sheaves they both need to be taken apart cleaned, and oiled properly before putting it back together. Also going to pull the motor and completely clean everything up since I didn't do a complete cleanup after I first bought this unit last January. Thanks for the responses!