SM4 Spindle moulder

[Sussex cabinet maker]

hello everyone, thank you for all your responses. all extremely helpful and its good to hear its not just be being an idiot!

So after some investigation i've found that the small hole in the bottom of the casting by the pulleys does lock the shaft, but very badly. I jammed a bradawl in and although it did help tighten the locking nut down, its totally bent my bradawl and is not going to be a long term solution.

The overall machine is perfect for what i'm currently needing it for other than it being a nightmare to set up, so investing some money into a modification on the top seems to be the only option. I like the idea of a grub screw thats welded into place, I just need to find an engineer that could carry out the work. One other option i've thought of is getting the thread on the shaft cut in to a lower point, so the locking nut could sit lower, and flat spots could be added for a second spanner.

Lastly i've heard rumour that the shafts can be changed out on these machines quite easily, which again has been mentions in this thread, I will investigate this as it's currently 1 1/4 and it would be handy to be able to change over to 30mm but I guess that down if mine can be changed, and if I can source a 30mm one.

thanks again for all the help!!

 

[Sussex cabinet maker]

Some spindle moulders - my own included- have a hole towards the base of the spindle shaft. You pass an appropriately sized rod through this to hold the shaft still. And yes, you have to make doubly sure to remove this before switching the machine on.

When working with spindles it is always important to incorporate an "idiot run" into your routine to check for such stupid mistakes, before switching on.

Our SOP is to isolate the machine, and spin the shaft by hand to insure that 1 - the cutter isn't binding on the guards and fence, 2 - that its not jammed/locked

 

[Sgian Dubh]

So after some investigation i've found that the small hole in the bottom of the casting by the pulleys does lock the shaft, but very badly. I jammed a bradawl in and although it did help tighten the locking nut down, its totally bent my bradawl and is not going to be a long term solution.

How small is that hole in the casting? I'd say that typically a hole of that type would be something in the region of 5 - 9 mm which would mean there's a hole in the bottom end of the spindle that's maybe 0.5 mm smaller than the hole in the casting. It doesn't make sense (normally) that the only thing that would pass through the hole in the casting and into the spindle is only 2 - 3 mm which is about the diameter of a typical bradawl. Slainte.

 

[Against_The_Grain]

So after some investigation i've found that the small hole in the bottom of the casting by the pulleys does lock the shaft, but very badly. I jammed a bradawl in and although it did help tighten the locking nut down, its totally bent my bradawl and is not going to be a long term solution.

As I mentioned in a previous post, you need something the exact diameter of the hole otherwise you will just damage the machine, if I recall it’s a 8mm hole so a length of 8mm bright mild steel will fit perfectly for a couple of quid, though make sure to measure the hole for yourself to ensure you get the correct size.

Lastly i've heard rumour that the shafts can be changed out on these machines quite easily, which again has been mentions in this thread, I will investigate this as it's currently 1 1/4 and it would be handy to be able to change over to 30mm but I guess that down if mine can be changed, and if I can source a 30mm one.

Yes, you undo the drawbar from underneath the pulley and the shaft should just pop out, this is why you should never run a Sedgwick spindle moulder in reverse as they can unthread and come loose during cutting, which again is another one of Sedgwicks design flaws.

I think you will struggle to find a shaft because they very rarely are separated from the machine, if Sedgwick will supply you with one it will likely cost you several hundred pounds as they are very expensive for spare parts, it would likely be cheaper to buy a spindle moulder already fitted with a 30mm shaft.

Unless you have a friend with a lathe that can make you a new shaft of course.

 

[deema]

I found a picture online which shows the stubby and router spindles. I’d give Sedgwick a call on Monday, they are always happy to help, but they arnt afraid to charge for parts.
Your existing spindle can be turned down to 30mm, but you will need new spacers with a 30mm bore. 1 1/4” is better than 30mm, it’s more ridged. Tooling is readily available and secondhand usually costs a lot less than 30mm. Anyone with a lathe can make the modifications to add a tapped hole for a screw. You can do it on a pillar drill with a bit if setup.

 

[deema]

I’m a big fan of Sedgwick machines, simple, proper castings, last multiple lifetimes and made of cast iron. They update them by tiny increments, which is a big benefit, a lot of the parts remain the same meaning sparse for older machines are available. They are ideal for small commercial shops and hobby, they rely on ‘old ways’ of setting machines, but, are accurate and easy to refurbish and don’t wear out, or lose their accuracy because they are made out of tissue thin plate steel and aluminium.