Shopsmith Forums

Using an old shopsmith for years that came with a Magna 4" jointer; model 4E; serial # 10253.

The Quandrant assembly, which holds the fence in place and square to the jointer table, appears to be some kind of a pot metal (aluminum?) part. The bolt which holds the fence to the quadrant has stripped out of the quadrant and actually broke out a piece of the quadrant, making it unuseable. The bolt is in two parts, and serves to both bind the assembly to the table with one part of the bolt and ensure that the quadrant will remain at the chosen angle to the table with a different part.

I really don't see how it can be repaired without an expensive machining operation. Does anyone on the forum have a source to go to for replacement parts for these old machines? Thanks.

Current version should fit a 4E.(#42) >$50

Hndymn,

Welcome to the Shopsmith Forum.

As JPG said the

Current version should fit a 4E.(#42) >$50

It actually does fit. I had a stripped-out Quadrant on my first Model 4E Jointer I restored too. The current Model of the Shopsmith Jointer has parts and is based on that original Model 4E Jointer which came out in 1953 made for the Shopsmith Model 10E and 10ER. That being said if you have a need to replace other parts some can be individual parts while others have to be assemblies. As an example, Shopsmith changed the Jointer Cutter Head a few year ago and the knives are still the same but other parts are not.

At serial number 10253 yours is a later Model 4E Jointer and has the later Fence Lock Handle parts which are different from the early ones. In my thread titled SPT's What When and Where, linked below, you can see a picture of the two different Fence Lock Handles (Wrench) and their bolts in the post dated April 5, 2023, near the bottom of page 2. The Fence Lock Handle parts changed later in the 1950's to the one still used today. Changing the handle also required changing the other related parts which includes the special bolt and nut.

viewtopic.php?t=26072&start=10

Some other good news about the Model 4E Jointer is upgrades to the Jointer over the years, like the Feather Guard, can be added to the Model 4E with the exception of the dust chute.

For those wondering what damage happens to the Jointer Quadrant it is shown in the picture below. This can be caused by over tightening the Fence Lock stripping the Internal/External Threaded Sleeve out of the Quadrant casting.

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Over tightening can also cause the Quadrant to spread apart at the opening that goes over the Fence Bar indicated by the arrows in the picture below.

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NOTE: the Quadrant pictured above is not damaged.