RFGuy wrote:The only negative thing I will say about my 520 fence system is having to do with the stainless steel tape measure with magnetic attachment. On mine, the stainless steel tape measure is a tiny bit wider than the rail ledge on the 520 table system. What this means is that on occasion I will bump it with my hand and it lifts up throwing off the alignment that I had with the tape measure relative to the saw blade position. I wish my stainless steel tape measure was just slight narrower in width so that I couldn't accidentally catch the edge of it and lift it like this, or I wish the magnet could be a rare earth magnet kind that has more holding force.
Yes I have had issues with the rules to the point that I have had to replace them after catching and actually bending them. I guess the size was so that you had a place to grip them to lift them to take them off or to reposition them. If they stick too well you might end up bending them trying to move them????
Anyway I have no solution but I have since stopped using them for the most part. They are OK for birdhouses and the like but not close enough for more precision work, well the rules and my eye sight are finding that anyway.
On my other 520 that is set up with the saw train I never bothered to install them and ending up bending one of them to, still in the bag.....
I haven't looked around for other options but I do know that my foot long ss rule is about the same width and magnetic so I sometimes stick that on and use it. That works pretty well.
Ed
Thanks Ed. Yeah, I haven't ever used my stainless steel rules on my 520 fence. I always wondered if I had it to where it would stay put a little better if I "might" use it more. I agree on the precision, but one thought that I had was for close enough cuts the stainless rules could be used, but for more precision I could mount a DRO between the fence and the auxiliary table. So the thought being to quickly slide the fence along the rails while watching the stainless steel measure to get the rough distance then dialing in the precision with the DRO before clamping down. I like the concept for the magnetic stainless rules that Shopsmith came up with, but in the end I think it just doesn't work well unfortunately.
Somewhat related, I saw on the FB group a while back where someone didn't want to pay Shopsmith for the price of the replacement stainless steel tape measure for their 520, so they added on some angle aluminum to the 520 rails to give a flat platform where they could mount their own permanent tape measure in place of the magnetic one. I can't dedicate my 520 to saw mode only like in the picture below, but this idea does look interesting.
Huh I never had a problem with the rule on my Shopsmith. The pointer on the fence which used two sided tape failed, so I drilled two holes and used small screws to hold it. But the tape itself never gave me a problem. I will say I only use the short one, the longer one is still in the package never thought it useful.
That said I rarely actually use the tape. I was trained to use the small tape/rule/measure device to set up my machine that I used to get the original measurement. My shop teacher always taught the two different tapes or whatever would produce slightly different results. Therefore he demanded we always use the same device that produced the measure on everything that would use that measure.
RF GUY ....
Somewhat related, I saw on the FB group a while back where someone didn't want to pay Shopsmith for the price of the replacement stainless steel tape measure for their 520, so they added on some angle aluminum to the 520 rails to give a flat platform where they could mount their own permanent tape measure in place of the magnetic one. I can't dedicate my 520 to saw mode only like in the picture below, but this idea does look interesting.
This is a photo of my Shopsmith and my SS rip scale system. Welcome to use it of course - I am only adding this to correct the writer's error... my saw is not dedicated to saw mode only. You are assuming that is a single ruler when in fact it is cut at the edge of every table. It all slides together well enough that it actually looks like a single piece...
It works very well. I simply have to reassemble the accessory tables in the right order when I want to do accurate sawing on large pieces, as each extra table has a ruler that butts up to the previous ruler in only one order....
95 percent of the time I'm just using the main table where that is not an issue.
Geoff Baker
Geoff Baker 1951 10ER w variable speed electronic motor with reverse
1999 520 w PowerPro
Belt sander - strip sander - bandsaw - scrollsaw - jointer - overarm router - undertable router mounted on main SS saw table - speed increaser - speed reducer - forced air HEPA filter for headstock - 19" SS powered aluminum drum sander - index wheel system - lathe table crossslide vise system
tucsonguy wrote:
This is a photo of my Shopsmith and my SS rip scale system. Welcome to use it of course - I am only adding this to correct the writer's error... my saw is not dedicated to saw mode only. You are assuming that is a single ruler when in fact it is cut at the edge of every table. It all slides together well enough that it actually looks like a single piece...
It works very well. I simply have to reassemble the accessory tables in the right order when I want to do accurate sawing on large pieces, as each extra table has a ruler that butts up to the previous ruler in only one order....
95 percent of the time I'm just using the main table where that is not an issue.
Geoff Baker
Thanks Geoff. Boy, it sure looks like one solid piece, so I am surprised to hear you say it is sectionable. If you get a chance, could you post some more pics of it? How does the ruler hold up on those in between sections, i.e. at the cuts? Your setup is one of the best looking setups that I have seen for this. I finally gave up on using the stainless steel rulers that came with my 520 setup. It is just too easy to bump them and through off their alignment. Where did you get your rulers?
tucsonguy wrote:
This is a photo of my Shopsmith and my SS rip scale system. Welcome to use it of course - I am only adding this to correct the writer's error... my saw is not dedicated to saw mode only. You are assuming that is a single ruler when in fact it is cut at the edge of every table. It all slides together well enough that it actually looks like a single piece...
It works very well. I simply have to reassemble the accessory tables in the right order when I want to do accurate sawing on large pieces, as each extra table has a ruler that butts up to the previous ruler in only one order....
95 percent of the time I'm just using the main table where that is not an issue.
Geoff Baker
Thanks Geoff. Boy, it sure looks like one solid piece, so I am surprised to hear you say it is sectionable. If you get a chance, could you post some more pics of it? How does the ruler hold up on those in between sections, i.e. at the cuts? Your setup is one of the best looking setups that I have seen for this. I finally gave up on using the stainless steel rulers that came with my 520 setup. It is just too easy to bump them and through off their alignment. Where did you get your rulers?
Do you see a picture in Geoff's post? I sure don't see it here.
John & Mary Burger
Eagle's Lair Woodshop
Hooper, UT
jsburger wrote:
Do you see a picture in Geoff's post? I sure don't see it here.
Only pic so far is the one that I posted back on March 16th, but this was a picture he (Geoffrey) posted on Facebook. I couldn't remember the source when I posted back in March until he posted today on this thread...
This looks like a good approach to me, but I found when I used the SS version of the scale I was spending too much time zeroing the blade to the measurement or vice versa. It just doesn't work with how I use a Shopsmith. I routinely use the quill feed to make small adjustments to rip width, taking the blade out of 'zero' almost every time I change.
I have had my 510 system for decades and have tweaked it many times to make it a reliable system for me. I debated the 520 upgrade for years, but in the end I choose the “INCRA TS-LS” system upgrade and have loved it (many, many years now)! I’m an engineer and love exact designing and cutting to match, this has worked exceptionally well for me. I have also added the INCRA Miter 5000 for cross cutting and feel the same. However, I admit that I’m still contemplating the 520 upgrade, but never ever over my TS-LS system. This option/upgrade has absolutely helped improve my woodworking.
RF Guy
