Mark 7 Premium Caster Mounting

[everettdavis]

I am glad you were persistent and got the problem identified and resolved.

That's good news!

Kindest Regards,

Everett

[chapmanruss]

After reading through this thread I am surprised it took the force you explained to seat the casters fully in. This should be brought to Shopsmith's attention.

[JPG]

Thanks again for your continuing thoughts and possible solutions. Without going through all the checks I have done, following some of your suggestions, it turns out that the pistons were not fully inserted in the housing.

Here is what I had to do: I placed the assembly in my vice and used my full body weight to see if I could push the casters further into the housing. (I had previously oiled as per instructions.) After some significant effort, including tipping my workbench from the exertion, three of the casters seated more fully. The fourth caster would not budge. So with the assembly in the vice, I jerry-rigged wood on the bottom of the caster and the matching top of the assembly and placed a screw clamp on each piece of wood. I then screwed the clamp tighter and tighter, hearing the wood crack, but finally the caster seated. After reassembling, it works great! Thanks for your help. Without your suggestions and questions, I would still not be able to go on to the next parts of the installation. I assume that I will be back with more questions. I certainly am going to talk with customer service about this issue.

I think the brass? ring that serves as a retaining spring has a tendency to be too big and make insertion difficult. They also can become deformed. Gentle persuasion (forming) the shape can help that.

If one must resort to that which you did to get them fully inserted, they most surely were deformed.(bent)

[dusty]

I am not totally convinced that the brass rings were the issue but I can confirm that they are not always fully compressed.

20181225_044141.jpg (1.37 MiB) Viewed 6033 times

These both inserted but the one on the bottom left required a rubber mallet.

20181225_050502.jpg (923.6 KiB) Viewed 6033 times

The one on the right was insertable, the others required a bit more effort.

I also noted that of the eight casters that I have four that been greased and the other four were dry. These all came from the same vendor in two different orders but were co-mingled when I removed them from the boxes. Which are which, I know not.

[JPG]

Yes they usually slide in once started unless they get jammed(ring gets out of it's groove?).

[dusty]

I understand that there is a metal drilling guide available from Shopmith for this task. Does anyone know the part number and price.

I am unable to locate that information. Seems like it should right with the upgrade it info but isn't.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I think this is what you are looking for, Dusty.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17601

But even armed with the part number, I can’t find it listed at shopsmith.com.

[dusty]

I think this is what you are looking for, Dusty.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17601

But even armed with the part number, I can’t find it listed at shopsmith.com.

Nor can I! I'll just do what I should have -- maker my own.

Thanks for the answer tanyhow.

[chapmanruss]

The Metal Drilling Template & Drill Bit come with the Premium Caster Upgrade, so I don't know if they make them available separately. Not finding the Metal Drilling Template in a search would indicate that is the case.

[dusty]

The Metal Drilling Template & Drill Bit come with the Premium Caster Upgrade, so I don't know if they make them available separately. Not finding the Metal Drilling Template in a search would indicate that is the case.

I know that they offered the guide at one time because I debated ordering one but did not. I felt the price was too high for something I could make AND there was a lot of negative discussion about the Shopsmith templates.

The reward for being too tight is now I have to make another (this time for someone else).

I have casters mounted so I'll just have to take one set apart and take measurements to verify what I have documented here in another thread.

I have some doubt because when I compare the angle of the legs to the floor (on three different sets of legs) I get slightly different measurements.