Reconfiguring a $200 headstock

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 1:40 pm

OK guys, I'm a total dunce when it comes to reconfiguring machines. I have no imagination and even less mechanical skill and darned little metal working experience.
Let's say one were to take "Option #1", keeping the headstock. How would one reconfigure the old one (mine's got the new double bearing and has been recently overhauled by the factory). to what purposes could one put the old head stock? Think economics, here. How could it be re-purposed to serve the functions of tools not owned or tools that could be replaced? Would such re-purposing serve to recoup the trade in value? How would it make life easier in the shop?
With all the admirable "Out Of The Box" thinkers on this forum, surely we should be able to come up with some novel and useful ways to employ such a well made machine, as the "old" headstock is.
Thanks folks.

robedney · Post by **robedney** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:18 pm

Gene Howe wrote:OK guys, I'm a total dunce when it comes to reconfiguring machines. I have no imagination and even less mechanical skill and darned little metal working experience.
Let's say one were to take "Option #1", keeping the headstock. How would one reconfigure the old one (mine's got the new double bearing and has been recently overhauled by the factory). to what purposes could one put the old head stock? Think economics, here. How could it be re-purposed to serve the functions of tools not owned or tools that could be replaced? Would such re-purposing serve to recoup the trade in value? How would it make life easier in the shop?
With all the admirable "Out Of The Box" thinkers on this forum, surely we should be able to come up with some novel and useful ways to employ such a well made machine, as the "old" headstock is.
Thanks folks.

Keep it and put it on the shelf. This upgrade to a dc motor and speed control is a good thing. However, problems will be harder to diagnose and repairs more complicated. Having a back-up, working headstock is a very good idea if you can afford it.

If and when I do this upgrade, I will do it myself with the upgrade kit. I will also pick-up the very next complete headstock I see on EBay (or another full machine:) )

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:48 pm

If I had a headstock with no job, I would consider building it into a permanently installed drill press.

If I had a functional headstock and was going to purchase Option #1, I certainly would not return the headstock for a $200.00 rebate. I also would not consider parting it out. This means that I would have to find a way to utilize it.

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:09 pm

I'm a woodworking hobbiest, not an erector-set type. The idea of putting the old headstock on as shelf in a baggy would take up space, next to the Olivetti Semi-Electric typewriter now on a shelf in a baggy.

I like the idea of a drill press station or a bandsaw station. It would be nice if SS were to fabricate a base for those who wish to store their older headstocks.

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:40 pm

dusty wrote:If I had a headstock with no job, I would consider .......

I thought you were already retired!!:p (sorry....couldn't resist)

jayhawk · Post by **jayhawk** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:46 pm

Way and Bench tubes and the associated frame parts are cheap on ebay. If one took Option #1, they could buy a frame on ebay and put their old headstock on it to make a very inexpensive second Shopsmith for their shop. Too bad the parts are so heavy. Shipping might be fairly high.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:47 pm

kalynzoo wrote:I'm a woodworking hobbyist, not an erector-set type. The idea of putting the old headstock on as shelf in a baggy would take up space, next to the Olivetti Semi-Electric typewriter now on a shelf in a baggy.
I like the idea of a drill press station or a bandsaw station. It would be nice if SS were to fabricate a base for those who wish to store their older headstock's.

I think there are going to be a lot of used headstock's on eBay where you will get a lot more than $200 especially for one that was recently reconditioned like mine. Now to find $1,900.

paulrussell · Post by **paulrussell** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:51 pm

I'm thinking that with the guts left over from a DIY upgrade, I'm 3/4 of the way toward a homebrew PowerStation, or at the very least, being able to convert my planer to stand-alone, or both.

fiatben · Post by **fiatben** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:17 pm

What about a 2nd Shopsmith with 2 headstocks as a poor man's power station for two SPTs? I haven't measured it out, but if there's room in the middle for a table, then you could have a sanding station in the middle as well.
So now I'm envisioning a Power Pro set up as a saw with a jointer on the end and the second SS with dual headstocks running the bandsaw and belt sander.

allsas · Post by **allsas** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:46 am

Purpose of a SPARE, is to be sure it works when needed.

The Spare should be a hot spare that is used frequently to verify that it is operating.

It would be very easy to make a benchtop cradle, and mount sanding disk for sanding or w/the Shopsmith Sharpening Guide for touching up tuning lathe chisels.... BUT NOT 555471 Planer/Jointer Knife Sharpener because it would not be stable enough.

Flap sanders, polishing brushes, >>>>>>? other low precision and low force applications, maybe even a grinding wheel.

Why haven't I done it,,, I robbed the hot spare to get another headstock going and it needed more than my stock of SPARE PARTS....

Shopsmith Forums

Reconfiguring a $200 headstock

Reconfiguring a $200 headstock

brainstorming

Why not a Bench Top SS for sanding, sharpening?