Foot starter smoking and sparking

[amishboy]

I have a 36 ford darley model 51. I am having an issue with my starter pedal smoking when I engage it. I have had it off and on a few times fiddled with it but it doesn't seem like something that should be taken apart I don't know for sure this is all just new to me. I realize that smoking and sparking probably means that it is arcing I just don't understand how or why.