Shopsmith Inc. quality of sources

[jg300da]

Arguing with someone who fires from the hip without checking his facts is a like shooting fish in a barrel -- I've barely broken a sweat.
With all good wishes,

Hmmm, it seems his facts were not the inaccurate ones...
As for the "shooting fish in a barrell" analogy, this is how a representitive of Shopsmith speaks about his customers? Further, your presumed loyalty to your friends, while admirable, has no relevence to this thread. Perhaps being more educational than adversarial might suit you better.

[billmayo]

I will like to jump in here. Since my entire life has revolved around investigating and fixing problems, I still do this when repairing Shopsmiths. I looked at the quadrants I was replacing and found that the steel roll pin enlarged the holes in the legs of the speed control bracket causing the teeth on the quadrant to become somewhat misaligned with the worm gear. This misalignment also caused the legs to spread apart when the speed control handle becomes harder to turn thus causing more misalignment. This additional misalignment caused the quadrant teeth to bind even more on the worm gear and mangle the quadrant teeth to where the quadrant needs replacing. I see nothing wrong with the quadrant material, only a misalignment problem. Changing the quadrant material would only delay or shift the problem.

Being an engineer, I believed replacing the roll pin (the edge of the rollpin acts like a dull drill bit) with a solid surface bolt and using the hole in the quadrant (3 times more material) vs legs as a pivot point, I could eliminate most of the wear and any misalignment. I found an allen head #10-32 X 2 1/2" bolt fit the quadrant hole really good with a star washer on each side of the legs and a locking nut. Since the leg holes had enlarged, I used a center punch to close the leg holes a little and then resized the leg holes to a #10 diameter. The star washer tips fits into the center punch holes and prevents the bolt from turning. I straighten the legs back to their original position. This change has eliminated any quadrant problems for me. I find that I can make changes that are simple and cheap that makes the equipment more dependable for me.

I have done a couple dozen speed control Assemblies this way over the past 3 years. I actually check the results about once a year as I have made this and many other changes to my Shopsmiths. So far, no misalignment or extra wear on the quadrant teeth can be seen. I make do with whatever I have on any equipment I am using and only make changes to prevent future problems.

Ok. I'm not trying to start an argument here. Really! Nick: the speed changer assembly includes a worm and a worm gear. The worm on my Shopsmith is bronze. There's nothing wrong with it. The quadrant has a worm gear cast on one side of it. It is correct to call it a worm gear -- the gear meshes with the bronze worm. You were the one who told me earlier that the quadrant is cast aluminum alloy. This is a poor material and manufacturing process for a gear. Now you are admitting the quadrant is in fact ZAMAK, which is most defintely "pot metal" even though you denied that before.

Like I wrote earlier, I am not trying to degrade Shopsmith as a whole. I'm pointing out the fact that the quadrant is a piece of junk part. My evidence for this is:

* it has a worm gear cast out of aluminum alloy, ZAMAK, or "pot metal" instead of a suitable gear material
* it is easily stripped by the much harder bronze or steel worm which results in a gear set of materials incompatible for durability in use
* it makes the 17 most frequently ordered parts list

[a1gutterman]

Benjamin,

Companies are already bringing production back to the U.S. due to fuel costs. It is hard fact that this is actually happening. Good does come from bad time-to-time.

woodburner] Hi woodburner,
Like Dusty, I wood like to know a name or three. If this is truely happening, maybe "the end" is not near. When a US manufacturer moves it's operation overseas, they invest millions, if knot billions of (US) dollars in start-up costs. I find it hard to believe that they wood pack up and leave that behind due to the cost of fuel. Stranger things have happened.

[ericolson]

Jeez, guys, you've GOT to be kidding! All of this over a part to a machine! In my opinion: foolish. My goldie still has all original parts and belts. No problems whatsoever. If something breaks, we have the resource to fix it. Nothing, on any machine, will last forever, no matter what it's made of. I don't think anyone, ANYONE, can argue with the simple fact that, even if Shopsmith outsources some of its part, it's still a high quality machine that lasts forever.
One more thing: I can't stand name calling or finger pointing or other BS on forums. That's why I've been ditching so many that I used to be active on. I would sure hate to see this forum degenerate into one of the others. I like the way it is, or has been: helpful, insightful, productive, and most important: a place where, though we might never meet in person, friendships are born and maintained.
So, if you will all indulge me: please stop the negativity.

[kd6vpe]

I just lurk now to gather information. Too many disappointments in the resent past on this forum. I still love my SS and continue to expand my knowledge.

[Bruce]

Jeez, guys, you've GOT to be kidding! All of this over a part to a machine! In my opinion: foolish. My goldie still has all original parts and belts. No problems whatsoever. If something breaks, we have the resource to fix it. Nothing, on any machine, will last forever, no matter what it's made of. I don't think anyone, ANYONE, can argue with the simple fact that, even if Shopsmith outsources some of its part, it's still a high quality machine that lasts forever.
One more thing: I can't stand name calling or finger pointing or other BS on forums. That's why I've been ditching so many that I used to be active on. I would sure hate to see this forum degenerate into one of the others. I like the way it is, or has been: helpful, insightful, productive, and most important: a place where, though we might never meet in person, friendships are born and maintained.
So, if you will all indulge me: please stop the negativity.

Well said, Eric!

[ldh]

Pay close attention to what BILL MAYO has to say about repairing SS parts and making changes in the design. He flat knows what he is talking about.
ldh

[john]

I have been following this thread from the beginning and though I have strong feelings about buying "North American", I cannot believe the amount of energy that has been spent on this subject.

I AGREE with Eric!

Let's get back to enjoying our woodworking!

John