A while ago I acquired a greenie tube and leg set from my father-in-law along with his Mark VII, and I'd been musing on what to do with it. This past weekend I picked up a small carpenter's bench, and it occurred to me that the Shopsmith carriage could be useful. I'd like to see what you've built with Shopsmith parts that isn't a Shopsmith.

StevenAyres wrote:A while ago I acquired a greenie tube and leg set from my father-in-law along with his Mark VII, and I'd been musing on what to do with it. This past weekend I picked up a small carpenter's bench, and it occurred to me that the Shopsmith carriage could be useful. I'd like to see what you've built with Shopsmith parts that isn't a Shopsmith.

Steven,

Cool idea...I like it. How hard is it to adjust the height? Wondering if it would be useful to install a carriage in the middle to have a crank for adjusting the height, but then the carriage might not be strong enough since you have a beefy top.

RFGuy wrote:How hard is it to adjust the height? Wondering if it would be useful to install a carriage in the middle to have a crank for adjusting the height, but then the carriage might not be strong enough since you have a beefy top.

Raising the height is a matter of a little up on one side, a little more on the other, definitely not one-touch, but the table isn't as heavy as it looks. I considered the center-carriage idea with the side-table tubes, which would probably work pretty well if placed at the table's balance point. But I decided that the additional pair of tubes and carriage would eliminate most of the under-table space, and I'm thinking a set of tool drawers there will be handy.

I was also much attracted to the idea of setting it up for flipping the table vertical, which could be useful for some of the things I do. But the best way I could see to get there would be two table carriages rather than the side-table tubes, and that would significantly reduce the span between table supports.

StevenAyres wrote:

RFGuy wrote:How hard is it to adjust the height? Wondering if it would be useful to install a carriage in the middle to have a crank for adjusting the height, but then the carriage might not be strong enough since you have a beefy top.

Raising the height is a matter of a little up on one side, a little more on the other, definitely not one-touch, but the table isn't as heavy as it looks. I considered the center-carriage idea with the side-table tubes, which would probably work pretty well if placed at the table's balance point. But I decided that the additional pair of tubes and carriage would eliminate most of the under-table space, and I'm thinking a set of tool drawers there will be handy.

I was also much attracted to the idea of setting it up for flipping the table vertical, which could be useful for some of the things I do. But the best way I could see to get there would be two table carriages rather than the side-table tubes, and that would significantly reduce the span between table supports.

Interesting idea to flip it vertical for some workbench functions. How do you do that? Do the end support tubes easily disconnect from the table top? Or do you have to raise both sides to max height to get the fixed end tubes out so that they other can rotate up?

Steven,

I think you might have just resolved my dilemma for a work bench. I have all of the required parts with the single exception of tubes.

I've got to give this some serious consideration.

Here is a project from a number of years ago. I call it my "push-me pull-me double drill-press" (Dr. Dolittle). I've not done much of anything to it since I built it. I did put an SS caster set on it. I use it regularly, often with a different setup on each side.


This one is a router table I'm slowly working on. I also have an SS caster set for it. I think I only have one extra set left now. I need to get back on this project and finish it up. I do have a couple of bench router tables that "function" but neither would win any prizes.
I have a lot of things I am slowly working on, sometimes I even finish one of them...



.

Just because it is SS parts does not mean it HAS to have a tilt table!

Adding a carriage would also require adding the way tubes as well.

BTW adding the way tubes greatly improves strength/rigidity etc..

RFGuy wrote:Interesting idea to flip it vertical for some workbench functions. How do you do that?

As I said, I thought about it, but didn't do it.

dusty wrote:Steven,

I think you might have just resolved my dilemma for a work bench. I have all of the required parts with the single exception of tubes.

I've got to give this some serious consideration.

You have done just that. I now have my Shorty converted to an adjustable height work bench and the cabinet full of miscellaneous parts rebuilt as a standard configuration Mark V Model 520. Thanks for the push.

Looks good! How well does the center-lift idea work?