Shopsmith Forums

mickyd wrote:Based on part geometry, drilling from the backside would be tricky.......

Plan of action is.....drill through the center of the button and remainder of part with a small pilot hole being real cautious when I get to the mounting hole countersunk surface. I'll put a center punch dimple on the countersunk surface for the drill to locate on and continue through the part. Then come in through the backside with a slightly larger bit stopping when I get to the beginning of the button hole . Then insert an appropriate sized dowel pin to butt up against the back of the button and then smash the beejeezes out of in with a 12 lb sledgehammer (or a small ball peen hammer, which ever is closer). If all successful, JB Weld to hide the evidence, slap on a coat of primer, hammered paint, badda-bing, badda bang, Houston, we have a functional miter gage indicator!!

Sound like a plan??

Stroke of luck / twist of fate, whatever you want to call it. I'll call it a miracle that occurred while putting the center punch dimple on the indicator button. I use a spring loaded punch and in order to get a pronounced dimple, I usually click it 4 or 5 times. I did that and noticed that the button moved slightly inward. The post a few back showed where it was to start. I had previously rapped this thing MANY times both during and after the Kroil bath using a hard plastic mallet and couldn't get it to budge. Happened to me with a pickle jar one time&#8230]
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Here's the setup I used to get the hole drilled into the button. The walnut pieces were a generous donation by our own mrcabinetmaker...thanks again Mark .
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From there, the gears started rolling away from the original plan of drilling completely through the part and coming back in with the dowel to tunk the button out. Instead, with judaspre1982’s post still in my mind about tapping into the button and using a screw to pull it out, I instead opted for Ed in Tampa’s favorite tool……a #1 screw extractor.
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Using a T-handle, I applied a torque that was less than the unpublished, undocumented, unknown maximum manufacturers recommended torque. I know it was less because the extractor didn’t snap. The button started to turn. It was real tight but it was turning. I was concerned about the extractor. I then pulled on and turned the extractor at the same time pair of vise grip and the button with the spring came out.
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Next step was to get the thing looking like an indicator again. That will be another post.

mickyd wrote:Here's the miter gage indicator restoration progress getting it from what I thought would be throw away to pretty respectable.
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I first used a belt sander (upside down on my lap) with an 80 grit belt to reshape the piece the best I could. The belt cut very fast so I used caution.
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Then went through progress grit sanding using a finishing sander (again on my lap upside down) using 150, 220, 400, and finally 600 grit. From there, over to the 8" polisher with first spiral sewn wheel / black compound, then loose cotton / brown compound, and finally loose flannel / white compound. The Caswell Plating website is a great resource for all you need to know about polishing if your interested.
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Here it is in all it's glory. Not too shabby considering what it looked like to begin with.
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