Mark V 3" Caster Installation

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:50 pm

The Shopsmith Mark V 3" caster upgrade instructions says to turn the Shopsmith Mark V upside down to accomplish the 3" caster installation.

I did not turn my Shopsmith upside down. With both legs on the floor and with one Shopsmith leg open to work around, I lifted that Shopsmith leg in the middle with a longer 2X4 setting on a shorter piece of 2X4 and then stuck a short piece of 2X4 under each leg on that end. This gave me plenty of clearance to remove the caster assembly, drill holes and then, bolted the caster assembly with 3" casters installed back into the new drilled holes. No real effort was required to lift or turn the Shopsmith.

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r_mack1969 · Post by **r_mack1969** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:39 pm

I just bought a 3" castor set from a Lowe's SS demo salesman. Really easy to install. It took me about 20 minutes and it is a real upgrade over the old 2" castors! And it was a lot easier on the wallet than the Power Pro upgrade he wanted me to buy.

camerio · Post by **camerio** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:38 pm

Nicely explained and simply done, now I will go and buy myself 4 good quality 3" castors and upgrade, but I will not have the template ... is it published somewhere on this site ... ?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:13 pm

camerio wrote:Nicely explained and simply done, now I will go and buy myself 4 good quality 3" castors and upgrade, but I will not have the template ... is it published somewhere on this site ... ?

Yes, it is posted here somewhere. I have posted measurements as well.

However, this installation is somewhat dependent on the wheels that you use. The wheel assemblies may be different heights from different manufacturers - so proceed slowly - it is difficult to undrill holes..

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:09 pm

So, that's not what the reverse switch is for?

dusty wrote:it is difficult to undrill holes..

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:06 pm

Since I used brand x casters, I mounted the casters with clamps and moved the casting up/down until the SS was raised off the floor 1/4" and 1/2" and the casters had no weight on them in the down position(all the weight was on the leg). Then I marked and drilled the holes. I drilled the holes to barely clear the screws. I made the top of the drilled hole coincide with the top of the sloppy casting hole.

The casters do rest on the floor with the legs down, but no weight is on them.

IMHO the three conditions described are as intended and necessary. The cam lobes are dimensioned to provide that.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:07 pm

Gene Howe wrote:So, that's not what the reverse switch is for?

No, it is for reversing the sprained wrist that becomes so when it stalls.

skou · Post by **skou** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:29 pm

Gene, JPG, you 2 owe me a new keyboard!

I just spewed uh, "milk" all over it, through my nose.

steve

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:26 pm

dusty wrote:Yes, it is posted here somewhere. I have posted measurements as well.

However, this installation is somewhat dependent on the wheels that you use. The wheel assemblies may be different heights from different manufacturers - so proceed slowly - it is difficult to undrill holes..

The original leg holes locations can varies by as much as 1/4" between legs where the holes are drilled in the legs over the many years. Using clamps to hold the caster assembly to get the desired proper height for the caster is the best way. I averaged the different distances to make a template that everyone can use.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:27 pm

dusty wrote:Yes, it is posted here somewhere. I have posted measurements as well.

However, this installation is somewhat dependent on the wheels that you use. The wheel assemblies may be different heights from different manufacturers - so proceed slowly - it is difficult to undrill holes..

The original leg holes locations can varies by as much as 1/4" between legs where the holes are drilled in the legs over the many years. Using clamps to hold the caster assembly to get the desired proper height for the caster is the best way. I averaged the different distances to make a template that everyone can use.