Shopsmith Forums

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/itemfind.htm?item=503815&Submit=Find+Item

According to Dave, this part is not available. It is the wire clip that slips into a groove on the caster piston. It retains the piston.

[ATTACH]15857[/ATTACH]

A bit crude, but I think it'll do. The original(on the left) is 0.072 and I made the one from 0.078 piano wire(hobby shop). The next smaller size was smaller than 0.072, but I think it would be better. For sure it will bend easier.

He said the only way to get this part is to purchase an entire caster set!:(

I really did not like hearing that! I hope it is not an indicator of things to come!

He said since they do not repair them any more, they had no way to get the clips.
They are now available see # 33 below

JPG40504 wrote:http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/itemfind.htm?item=503815&Submit=Find+Item

According to Dave, this part is not available. It is the wire clip that slips into a groove on the caster piston. It retains the piston.

[ATTACH]15857[/ATTACH]

A bit crude, but I think it'll do. The original(on the left) is 0.072 and I made the one from 0.078 piano wire(hobby shop). The next smaller size was smaller than 0.072, but I think it would be better. For sure it will bend easier.

He said the only way to get this part is to purchase an entire caster set!:(

I really did not like hearing that! I hope it is not an indicator of things to come!

He said since they do not repair them any more, they had no way to get the clips.

The corporate attitude is what irritates me. If the part is no longer available, don't list it as an item for sale.

If the part is available in a caster set that I could purchase (just to get the part), then Shopsmith must have an inventory of old, out dated assemblies that they are willing to sell but no longer support.

They bought this part in the past from someone. If they are no longer stocking the part, maybe they would be willing to give us the original vendor and part number. Call it customer service.

OKAY - rant is over. It accomplished nothing but I feel better.

Someone makes it. The trick is finding that someone without knowing the exact name for the part.

Would a hair pin cotter work?

http://www.lynchpinexporter.com/hair_pin_cotter.html

or maybe these:

http://www.thread-rite.com/bee_leitzke/hairpin_clips.htm

or these:

http://www.fastenermart.com/html/520120000000.html

dusty wrote:The corporate attitude is what irritates me. If the part is no longer available, don't list it as an item for sale.

If the part is available in a caster set that I could purchase (just to get the part), then Shopsmith must have an inventory of old, out dated assemblies that they are willing to sell but no longer support.

They bought this part in the past from someone. If they are no longer stocking the part, maybe they would be willing to give us the original vendor and part number. Call it customer service.

OKAY - rant is over. It accomplished nothing but I feel better.

Someone makes it. The trick is finding that someone without knowing the exact name for the part.

Would a hair pin cotter work?

http://www.lynchpinexporter.com/hair_pin_cotter.html

or maybe these:

http://www.thread-rite.com/bee_leitzke/hairpin_clips.htm

or these:

http://www.fastenermart.com/html/520120000000.html

Well we agree on the rant!;)

I tried the hairpin vlip, and it comes close, but tends to 'interfere'(it hits things). It would do as a last resort(My wire bending proved unsuccessful).

Truth be told it is unlikely that that part would break and I needed one only because a used one came without it. They might rust, but would probably still be usable.

Hard for me to believe, but the only way this msakes sense, is for SS to have farmed the entire production sequence of the caster sets out to a vendor.

A factor may be that I asked for 5 just to have some 'on hand'.

[quote="JPG40504"]Well we agree on the rant!]

It would not surprise me at all if Shopsmith farmed the entire caster assemble to an outside facility. I would even accept a theory that the facility is there in Ohio (as so many are).

The needed clip, however, is a purchased item. As already stated, the trick is to find from whom.

dusty wrote:It would not surprise me at all if Shopsmith farmed the entire caster assemble to an outside facility. I would even accept a theory that the facility is there in Ohio (as so many are).

The needed clip, however, is a purchased item. As already stated, the trick is to find from whom.

I e-mailed our 'resident fastener quality control expert' last week and I assume since he has only responded with an 'I will look' response that it is not easy to find. Got a miniature version with a box of misc. parts. Question is, when was it made and by whom, and do they still make them.

BTW Piano wire does not bend easily - especially tight bends.

One thing to remember, many of the small manufacturers that made parts for Shopsmith went out of business over the past few years.

That part looks a lot like some of the automotive trim clips & had experience with a number of years back. I wonder if a body shop supply place would have a catalog containing something compatible.
I suppose if you simply can't get them at all, buying a used caster set on ebay would get them & other spare parts as well.

trainguytom wrote:That part looks a lot like some of the automotive trim clips & had experience with a number of years back. I wonder if a body shop supply place would have a catalog containing something compatible.
I suppose if you simply can't get them at all, buying a used caster set on ebay would get them & other spare parts as well.

Guess why/where I got the set being made complete. It was too good to 'disperse' to the spare parts bin.

Fastenal has a PDF of their hairpin clips and I think that one of these will work.
Bill V