New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Forum for Maintenance and Repair topics. Feel free to ask questions or contribute.

Moderators: HopefulSSer, admin

Post Reply
ShoptimusPrime
Gold Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:06 am

New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by ShoptimusPrime »

Howdy Everyone,

I'm new to the shopsmith world and am jumping right in. I picked up a nice used mark v last month and have been having a great time getting to know it inside and out. Just rebuilt the headstock with all new bearings and belts. Cleaned out the motor of the last couple of decades worth of sawdust and gave it a good cleaning all around. Runs like a sewing machine now. I also picked up a bandsaw from the same vintage (81) and gave it the same tear down and cleaning. Both before and after I noticed that the bandsaw was very loud compared to the other bandsaws I've used in the past. It has new urethane tires on the wheels, and I've got a new bearing upgrade and cool blocks on the way to see if that helps out. I plan on adding the nylon bolt upgrade and re-aligning the guide arm as well. Is there anything else I should do? One thing I noticed about the bandsaw is that the cast aluminum casing acts a bit like a harmonic resonator. If I put a heavy towl on the bandsaw case while it's running it is noticeably quieter. Has anyone tried filling the voids in the casing with pourable foam? I was thinking that it would act like a sound deadening material similar to the sound mats used in car stereos (dynamat). It might also help out with dust collection as you could smooth the inside foam to reduce the places where dust can settle or guide the dust flow to a collection port. What do you think? Looking forward to hearing back from the forum.
ShoptimusPrime
Gold Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:06 am

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by ShoptimusPrime »

One more question is there a template or guide to drilling and tapping the hole for the nylon screw? Or is it ~kinda in the middle of the lug spot. Thanks.
User avatar
algale
Platinum Member
Posts: 4793
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:13 am

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by algale »

Welcome! The band saw is noisy. New bearings may help at least temporarily, but I don't think anyone has permanently silenced one. I recall someone previously posted about filling the cavities in the band saw case with material to prevent accumulation of dust. I don't recall if it was successful or not.

I don't have an answer for you on your question about drilling for the nylon screw.
Gale's Law: The bigger the woodworking project, the less the mistakes show in any photo taken far enough away to show the entire project!

User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 34610
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by JPG »

I am not sure the nylon screw is worth the effort, but centered is essentially it(centered between the pads on the opposite side).

I do hope you have become familiar with the difference between th SS bandsaw and just about all others.

I cut butcher paper to fit over the cavities so as to prevent saw dust builsup in them. Something I had done previoously with a planer. It was suggested that foam insulation(from a can) would work better. I will likely do that if the occasion arises again.

I think it would help sound deadening.
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
User avatar
reible
Platinum Member
Posts: 11283
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:08 pm
Location: Aurora, IL

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by reible »

Some noise is involved with the bandsaw, how ever some bandsaws have excessive noise. I posted three videos on you tube with my bandsaw running with out guides, with a narrow blade and with a wide blade. I don't think my bandsaw has excessive noise based on my other non shopsmith bandsaw.

A noise often expressed as a squeal has been reported a lot. I have not heard it nor does my bandsaw make it but I think that would drive me crazy, well more crazy anyway. If you are hearing that then I would do a search on the site for what others have done to "fix" the issue.

If you care to here are the three videos, they are short like 15/16 seconds each and can possibly give you an idea of what I think is normal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w35qkOG1eZE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUWJRIuPqKo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fblBc33CXqI

Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
User avatar
reible
Platinum Member
Posts: 11283
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:08 pm
Location: Aurora, IL

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by reible »

Here is a link to when I drilled and tapped for the missing screw. I personally think it is a good idea to have and it a simple mod that you can do to the older saws.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewt ... 514#p96514

Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
ShoptimusPrime
Gold Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:06 am

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by ShoptimusPrime »

Thanks for the info and insight. The butcher paper is a good idea and easy to implement. I also thought about using the foam in a can, but I think there will be too many large bubbles and not enough mass to make it effective. I understand that the saw is loud and all power tools generate noise, but any thing we can do to help minimize this is a good thing. There is a lot to learn about this tool system, it's amazing what I've been able to do with it on the last few weeks. I'll take some sound measurements before and after my fixes and see how they help with lowering the db. As soon as I can get my hands on some foam I'll post a write up of how I poured the foam and shaped it afterwards. I'm pretty sure it'll need some trimming to make everything fit afterwards.
I tought a blacksmithing class for a little over a year and have been a practicing blacksmith for almost 8. I found some interesting ways to quiet down and eliminate the ring on the anvils, hopefully I can put some of that to use here. I plan on making some lathe tools eventually.
alohacnc
Gold Member
Posts: 42
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:37 pm

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by alohacnc »

Coat the cover with rubberized auto body undercoat. Works wonders.
ShoptimusPrime
Gold Member
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:06 am

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by ShoptimusPrime »

I wanted to update this just in case anyone else did this as well. When I rebuilt the headstock, I pulled the speed control assembly and everything out of it, cleaned it and put it back together...... Without a tach I might add. When I reinstalled it I didn't set the dial correctly or adjust the slow setting. It was a little bit fast for slow, by a few hundred rpm. Luckily I found this out a couple of weeks later and correctly set the slow and fast speeds to there correct rpms. Harbor freight has a great little digital tach for pretty cheap and it works well. The bandsaw is much quieter now with the new bearings. I also played with dust collection and taped off most of the webbing with blue painters tape and it made a big difference.
User avatar
everettdavis
Platinum Member
Posts: 2162
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 11:49 am
Location: Lubbock, TX

Re: New to shopsmith and have an interesting bandsaw question

Post by everettdavis »

Bandsaw Information that you or others may find useful. I realize your initial questions you have likely resolved with the bearing replacements

If you will find and follow the red My Google Drive link under the Maintenance and Repair thread in Post titled: “Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More” under Folder “Bandsaw” you will find my effort to document the Shopsmith Bandsaw specific and patented differences that make it unique and why traditional bandsaw knowledge of other brands adjustments may not translate to it in the same way, and why that’s important.

It is an exceptional Bandsaw once you understand it.

This document is one I am very pleased to have done in the manner I approached it.

I used the original patent documents as a basis to outline how it works from the original invention’s perspective and added extensive material and photographs to enhance understanding.

The drawings alone are worth the read in my opinion.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 90#p185690

In addition there are enhancements by Shopsmith as well as third party upgrades discussed.

There’s also a illustrated parts list that I extensively redrew to enhance how the exploded parts drawing of the Bandsaw depicts how it goes together.

That is aided by the same sorts of illustrations in the first document.

I hope you find them informative. I don’t have anything more to add to the documents themselves.

Kindest Regards,

Everett L. Davis
Post Reply