New Mark V 500 owner needs help

caappold · Post by **caappold** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:23 pm

I recently purchased a 500 from a listing on craigslist. I already have a lot of hours on it but am getting to the point where rough cuts aren't "cutting" it anymore. I am also cutting larger pieces. I have the extension table but for the life of me cannot get it to be flat with the cutting table.The slope is high on the far outside edge of the extension. How do I remedy this? I would also like to know if there is a way to link the table and the extension together similar to how the 510 and 520 do. Money is very tight around here so paying triple what I paid the SS to get the upgrade is out of the question. Is there a homebrew way to connect the tables?

Thank you all for your help in advance.

-C

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:27 pm

Welcome to the forum.

See if this post helps.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=6233

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:39 am

Have you aligned the main work table to the main spindle?(miter gauge slot and tilt stop 90 degrees to the saw blade/sanding disk)

Do not make any 'adjustments' to the extension table until after you have done so. You may then discover they are either not necessary or too small to be concerned with!

That alignment is more critical with 510/520 systems because of the need for the tubes to align. With a 500, only the front fence mount becomes critical. Minor twisting or height variations are not as troublesome. JMHO!

caappold · Post by **caappold** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 1:47 pm

Thanks for the replies.

The link helped with leveling the extension. Now to just get the two table together.

The main table and the spindle are alinged. And it works very well when cutting smaller pieces but now that I am trying to cut my edge glued panels that are 39"x19" that extension table being just a little high or low seems to affecting if I can hold the piece to the little bit of table that is flat.

I was hoping that someone had added some angle iron to the two table to hold them together or something like that. I will play around with what I've got and post anything that I find that fixes the problem.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:44 pm

caappold wrote:Thanks for the replies.

The link helped with leveling the extension. Now to just get the two table together.

The main table and the spindle are alinged. And it works very well when cutting smaller pieces but now that I am trying to cut my edge glued panels that are 39"x19" that extension table being just a little high or low seems to affecting if I can hold the piece to the little bit of table that is flat.

I was hoping that someone had added some angle iron to the two table to hold them together or something like that. I will play around with what I've got and post anything that I find that fixes the problem.

If I understand correctly. Your complaint is the height of the extension table.

The extension table is height adjustable. I loosen the adjuster, and use a straight edge to adjust the height of the extension table to the height of the main table.

The adjuster for the extension table looks like a handle on the end of the SS try turning one way or the other to loosen. Once the table is loosened from the hold down, just raise or lower until the straight edge is flat on both tables. Finish off by tightening the extension table in the hold down.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:49 pm

caappold wrote:Thanks for the replies.

The link helped with leveling the extension. Now to just get the two table together.

The main table and the spindle are alinged. And it works very well when cutting smaller pieces but now that I am trying to cut my edge glued panels that are 39"x19" that extension table being just a little high or low seems to affecting if I can hold the piece to the little bit of table that is flat.

I was hoping that someone had added some angle iron to the two table to hold them together or something like that. I will play around with what I've got and post anything that I find that fixes the problem.

Why do feel the need to 'tie them together'? Are they moving relative to each other? Are you not adjusting the height by raising/lowering the mounting tubes in their 'socket'?

Maybe a Pix would help understanding.

johnmccrossen · Post by **johnmccrossen** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:03 pm

FYI, Here is a link showing an old Shopsmith manual. Page 7 shows the alignment procedure for aligning the main table to the extension table using a carpenter square on the front edges of the two tables. You can use the fence on the extension table once the tables are leveled and aligned. Accurate cutting of large panels can be difficult with the old machine but can be done. Good luck, John McCrossen

http://songofthegreatlakes.com/ssm5manual.htm

caappold · Post by **caappold** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:59 am

terrydowning wrote:If I understand correctly. Your complaint is the height of the extension table.

The extension table is height adjustable. I loosen the adjuster, and use a straight edge to adjust the height of the extension table to the height of the main table.

The adjuster for the extension table looks like a handle on the end of the SS try turning one way or the other to loosen. Once the table is loosened from the hold down, just raise or lower until the straight edge is flat on both tables. Finish off by tightening the extension table in the hold down.

This is not the problem. I can adjust the height of the table just fine.

Why do feel the need to 'tie them together'? Are they moving relative to each other? Are you not adjusting the height by raising/lowering the mounting tubes in their 'socket'?

I am interested in linking them so that I could have the two tables aligned quickly and be able to do so repeatedly. Basically for the same reasons that SS designed them to link together in newer models.

FYI, Here is a link showing an old Shopsmith manual. Page 7 shows the alignment procedure for aligning the main table to the extension table using a carpenter square on the front edges of the two tables. You can use the fence on the extension table once the tables are leveled and aligned. Accurate cutting of large panels can be difficult with the old machine but can be done. Good luck, John McCrossen

This helps too, just not exactly what I am looking for. Fig. 10 got me to where I need to be but I was hoping that there was a way to line up the main table and then just kind of snap the extension into place.

I would like to rip an 18" wide piece and then cross cut it 36" long. With out the two tables being pretty damn perfect I cannot use the fence on the extension. I make a LOT of pieces this size and I love the fact the SS changes into a billion tools but the constant aligning and realigning gets tedious. If they could link together, I could align the main table and then the extension would be set without having to align that as well.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:45 pm

FWIW the first step I would do when 'attaching' the extension table on a 510 or 520 would be the same as with an 'older' model - set the table height, then insert the tubes. JMHO The tubes are holders, not positioners.

"With out the two tables being pretty damn perfect I cannot use the fence on the extension."

I do not understand how joining the two tables will help that nor am I sure I understand just what prevents you using it? If the extension table IS aligned properly, the fence IS accurate as the main table. Adjusting the height will not affect that! If using the fence as a reference, the workpiece need not set on the extension table at all, but it can help support it vertically(then its height becomes relevant).

"I would like to rip an 18" wide piece and then cross cut it 36" long."

I have to make assumptions here! Are you having to remove the extension table since the fence is in the way when making the 36" cut? Why not just remove the fence. It can easily be repositioned if you mark the table. Alternatively you could set it up for a 36" cut with the fence, then insert a 18" board against the fence, then use the edge of that board as a fence for the 18" cut.

I am not sure either how this tool that converts into a billion tools is any different from a cabinet saw other than its table size as far as your stated needs are concerned.

P.S. If repeatable height of the extension table is your goal/problem, consider a couple of stop collars on the entension table tubes. You should have a pair on the tailstock tubes where they are used to insure the tailstock and drive centers align vertically repeatitively.

caappold · Post by **caappold** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 2:15 pm

If the table were connected then I would have to align them to each other after I switch to drill press mode or lathe mode etc... I think that maybe I am misunderstanding what exactly the tubes do on the newer models. Maybe I am expecting too much out of an older tool.

It's not the height that is the problem. I can adjust the height. My problem has nothing to do with the height of the tables. Stop collars were not included with the used model that I bought so they can't help me and I am sure that they cannot help with my problem.

Maybe I am asking the wrong question. If you needed to cut a 36"x18" rectangle from edge glued cedar boards that measure anywhere from 38-40"x19-20" on a Mark V 500, how would you do so? Every table saw I have used before this was as simple as setting the miter gauge to 90 to the blade and slicing half of the excess from each side for the cross cuts. Then setting the fence, ripping half of the excess from one side. Run it throught the joiner then rip the other side to final dimensions. I cannot do the miter gauge because the track is too short and for the life of me cannot get the fence on the extension to line up with the blade. I do have a SS joiner. Could I use that to remove the excess?

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Edit: I missed a step. I fixed my orignal post.