Same Prob. with Speed Control as jr...

[wood2turn]

Hey nick...You seem to be "THE MAN" on these things.

Since I've changed the belt and Control Sheave on my machine, (man the screeching noise was unbearable :eek: ,and I found a crack in it), I'm having the same problem as jr...was in the previous post. (I didn't want to add to anything and possibly highjack his post). I've called SS for help and even after oiling the control just does not go up and down easily. I mean it takes 2 hands to get it to rotate through the speeds. But all the speeds are there. I thought maybe this was due to a new belt and Sheave assembly?
I've actually stopped using it except for turning. I would have thought the speed control should have been equally smooth...maybe a little tighter than with a worn belt but smooth. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't stick, it just takes a lot of effort to change the speeds.

Did I miss something maybe? Man I've all but given up and started looking for individual machines! But I like my SS a lot. Can you help? PLEASE!?

TIA,
Wood2turn

[dusty]

If you haven't already done so, check this thread. It seems to deal with your problem:

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=431

If this one doesn't address your problem, you might also look at this thread:

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=144

Sure hope this helps. I know what it is like to be without my Shopsmith.

[reible]

I'm not Nick but until he posts.......

When the speed control is hard to turn it might be the sheaves sticking and that has been addressed.

What I have found is that it is often the part called the quadrant assembly or speed control assembly. If you have a manual or catalog or what to go online and look at it, it is the hidden stuff behind the speed dial. What happens is that "foreign" material (saw dust) gets the rack gear and it needs to be cleaned and lubricated. The rack gear might also have some burrs on it which can be filed off in some cases while in others you may need to replace parts.

If you can hurry up and look at it and figure out if the parts need replacing the sale is still on until 4/30/07. The speed control assembly is part number 504198 ($45.89) sale $36.71 and the Quadrant Assembly is part number 504221 ($18.63) sale $14.90. Not only does the sale end but on May 1 the new price increase happen....

Ed

[rcartmetal]

Just another possibility, did you clean out the insides thoroughly when you did the belts and sheave? If not, it would be really easy to dislodge resident debris which could then get into the area Ed it writing about.

[charlese]

I think you said you have recently replaced your control sheave assembly. That's the upper one. And then it got hard to adjust speed. Maybe your problem is as Ed said - in the Speed control assembly. Hope you get a look at that soon. Before the end of the Month.

Here is another possibility. The short key in the Control Sheave Assembly may not be properly seated. If you remove the belt and find the Control sheave slides back and forth freely. That's not your problem, but it is worth the look. If it is rough - or only slides hard - then disassemble it to check the placement of the key. It has a curved tip one one end - this curved (bent) tip has to fit into the recess in the shaft.

[Nick]

Spike, Ed, Chuck, and Dusty all have some good advice, but what it boils down to is this -- there could be a number of things affecting you speed control. Most of them fall under the heading of dust and debris on one part or another, a few have to do with the way you assembled the machine when replacing the control sheave, some that haven't been mentioned include gauls (deep scratches with raised sides) on the shaft or the key and a control sheave that's been bored too tight. The latter is the least likely, but it's a possibility.

My suggestion is that first you disconnect the quadrant arm from the control sheave and try turning the speed dial. That will tell you whether the problen is the speed dial assembly or the idler shaft assembly. If the speed dial is hard to turn when disconnected, remove the speed dial, ring gear, and quadrant and clean them thoroughly. Inspect for wear and damage. Replace parts if necessary and put it all back together. If the speed dial is easy to turn, then your problem is the idler shaft assembly. Remove the idler shaft along with its two sheaves, disassemble, clean, file and polish away any gauls you may find on the shaft or the key, check the fit of the control sheave, replace parts if necessary, and reassemble making sure the control sheave slides easily along its shaft. Then reinstall the assembly in the headstock.

Sounds like a lot to do, but it shouldn't take you more than a month or two to accomplish all this.

With all good wishes,