Shopsmith Forums

Hi All
I got my SS 510 back in 1986. Did some woodworking for a few years and lost interest and got busy with other things.

my grandfather was a master carpenter and I learned a lot from him.
I grow up using his Delta table saw with jointer ( my brother has it).

I am retired now. I was a designer and computer tech for many years.

I have been looking over the SS forums the last month or two and checking Youtube - getting ideas.

I got my SS 510 all turned up again after I got a used SS bandsaw.
It is all aligned again.
How I did it. Years ago a had a 1" x 24" rod machined to fit into the lathe position and had a 1/2" x 2" x 12" long bar, machined it to fit the 1" rod, true 90 degree angle.

first I align the table to the rod. set the tilt for the table for the horizontal axis. Then I use the bar on the rod to set the miter slot.
And last level the front to back of the table with a level. And set the miter gauge to the rod.
Good to cut again.

I can check table and miter gauge any time I want. It is fast to got it back in alignment again.

I have a granite surface to check the rod and bar to make sure they are flat and true. The granite surface is a cut out for a sink. I use it to check for flatness for other things, too.

I have made several jigs so far - cross cut sled, taper jig, sliding inside gauge, kerf maker, dado sled, ripping jig for the bandsaw and others jigs

I have learn a lot for this forum. You just have to look and ask

thanks a lot SS forum

Welcome to the forum. Interesting approach to alignment.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome indeed!

We like pix.

Hint Hint That alignment giz wiz is a good place to start. hint hint

first picture is the 1" rod in the lathe position
note one is bored to 5/8" dia and the other end lathe cup

picture #2 - showing the rod aligning the table top
now I can set the table top to 0

picture #3 - miter gauge aligning with the rod
now align the miter gauge to 0

picture #4 - showing how the rod aligns with the lathe cup

picture #5 - added the bar to the rod

pictures #6 & 7 -showing the bar aligned it the miter slot


hope you like them

An interesting approach!

I assume the quill/tailstock centers are aligned to begin with.

As usual this is sequence dependent and that is correct in your first post. Not sure what front/back leveling provides for anything but drill press mode.

I am concerned how much 'play' there is with the 'miter gauge slot' bar which must easily slip on to the rod. That is used for the most critical adjustment of all from a safety standpoint. That and the narrowness of the bar.

Used properly I see it as a very useful tool. I would add a step to verify the bar is square to the rod.

Thank you for sharing and the pix. Led flashlight providing the 'illumination'?

lyall wrote:first picture is the 1" rod in the lathe position
note one is bored to 5/8" dia and the other end lathe cup

picture #2 - showing the rod aligning the table top
now I can set the table top to 0

picture #3 - miter gauge aligning with the rod
now align the miter gauge to 0

picture #4 - showing how the rod aligns with the lathe cup

picture #5 - added the bar to the rod

pictures #6 & 7 -showing the bar aligned it the miter slot


hope you like them

I am very skeptical.

Let us start by accepting as fact that your jig is dead on accurate.

I accept a table to blade alignment (miter track to blade) with a tolerance of .005". I do not see where in your procedure that you have confirmed the parallelism of the blade to the miter track.

Using your jig as the method of proof, you need to ascertain that the 1" steel rod is perfectly in line with the drive shaft (axis of rotation of the blade). I do not see where or how you have done that.

Judging from the center line drawn on the table insert and the kerf that has been cut in the table insert, I believe that you have gotten this done but the procedure (as here stated) does not prove that.

JPG
Yes, the guill and tailstock are aligned first before starting the alignment.

Dusty
The rod and bar were machined by a machinist, not me.
I have a granite slab that I can check the flatness for the rod and bar.

Yes, I do have a pencil line on my table top insert for the alignment of the blade. To check that I can lower the table top and slide the bar to the pencil line. I can also use a straight edge on the pencil line and check for parallel of the bar the full length of the bar. And yes it does align.

Yes it might not 100%, but I works for me.
It is fast to check.

Hi, Lyall!! Welcome back to wodworking and also to this Forum!

Let me be the first to say I love your idea of the rod and the bar. Your method will probably work at least as good, or maybe even better than those shown in the Shopsmith manual.

Don't have any grasp at all on the knowledges you picked up from your Grandfather, but for sure, you have an essential grasp on how Mark V alignment should work out. I certainly have no criticisms of your methodology. If it works for you (which it apparently does) keep it and use it as needed.

Thank you for posting your photos. The 1st post had my head confused, until I saw your photos. Others my use your idea(s).

P.S. I can understand the posted concerns about true alignment of the tail stock, but if that is done first, I see no problem.

It is a great idea if it works but like Dusty I'm a little skeptical also.
If there is any movement in the plate to bar it can't align the table to the saw blade.

In other words the only movement the plate can have with the bar is to slide on the bar. If it moves the slightest to right or left, top or bottom, front to back, up or down on the bar that is in horizontal position it would thow off any alignment.

I would think the plate to have no movement it would have to be considerably thicker where the bar passes through it, to insure no lateral movement.

However if 1/2 inch thick plate is enough to prevent any movement other than slidding on to the bar it should be a great idea.