dannos
Greetings,
It's working great but, last week I ordered the "Fence Featherboard" from Shopsmith. Saturday while installing, the small (2) metal pieces w/studs that slide into the top grove of the fence are slightly too wide and won't slide into position. I thought about trying to grind them down with something but didn't have a grinder. (Another future Shopsmith purchase) ;)
So, I ended up forcing them into position on the fence by hammering them down the groove with a scrap piece of wood/hammer.
They work great, but are basically permanently set at that position on the 510 fence. Could it be my fence was somehow damaged prior? I purchased this 1993 510 model a few months back and have been restoring, lubing, cleaning and vacuuming since.
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Dan
a1gutterman
Hi dannos,
I too just purchased my first fence featherboard. I had not yet assembled it, but after reading your post I went down to the shop and tried to run the unassembled "T" nuts down the fence track. I say tried because, like you, I discovered that they would not easily slide down the track! After close inspection, I discovered sawdust in the track (I have never used this track for anything before) and cleaned it all out. Now I can slide them all the way back and forth by hand, but they are still very tight. I am going to wax the track and the nuts and see how that works. Not tonight though.;)
dannos
Tim,
Thanks for the input and idea, I will check the inside edges of the track and see. I felt bad hammering/wedging them in there like that but, I really was anxious to get some mirror edging done. I may be upgrading to the 520 soon which I'm betting these were "really" designed for, although they show to fit the 510.
By the way, in combintation with the regular table mounted featherboards these fence mounted ones worked great!
reible
FYI I went out and checked mine on my old 510 fence and they free fall... no binding at all. You might want to check the fit on the table miter slots, if they fit there then it has to be something with the fence... if on the other hand they don't fit there either then the parts that came with your feather boards might be oversized??? You are talking the 555783 item right?
Ed
dannos
Ed,
Yes sir, I'm talking about the "Rip Fence-Mounted Featherboard" (555783).
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_ripfencefeatherboard.htm
I noticed you can order the "Sliding T-Nuts" separately, they show their dimensions as 1-7/8"x3/4".
After reading Tim's post last night, I checked the groove in the top of my fence, I ran a paper clip along the groove but there didn't appear to be a build up of saw dust. I may force them back out, and scrub and wax the fence but it appears to be pretty clean already.
Thanks for the input, I appreciate any further input and suggestions.
Dan
charlese
Danos: I too run a 510. Only got a couple of those SS T-nuts a couple of weeks ago with my OPR.
Today I tried to slide those T-nuts into my rip fence slot. No go - would have had to force them just like you. Measured the nuts and the fence top track and found the reason. The nuts "T" measures 29/32" -- the fence slot is 1/64" smaller! These nuts fit beautifully into the saw table as the bottom of that slot is 59/64"
So - if you were to file (not grind) a small amount of metal (about half of 1/64") off of both sides of the wide part of the "T-nuts" seems they would fit your rip fence and would still work in the saw table slots if you ever need them there. The reason I suggest a small amount off of both sides is so there is a maximum amount of metal to hold in all future uses.
dannos
Hello Chuck,
Sounds like that would be the smartest thing for me to do (file off both sides), if I can beat the blasted things back out :)
I wonder why they advertise them for the 510 Fence, when I'm sure they're really for the 520. But I'm new to all this, learning more each time I use this machine.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Dan
dusty
WAIT- Cancel the Firing Squad We have the wrong perpetrator.
I have just slid both old and new t-nuts through the t-slots on both my 510 fence and the new 520 fence. No force required. No filing required.
There is something else wrong with this picture. Is there more than one model of 510 fence??
___________________
Making Sawdust Safely
dusty
RESUME THE EXECUTION
I put a caliper on the t-nuts and they measure .875" (7/8". The t-slot measures .905"; just a tad under 29/32".
I would be making a call to Shopsmith. They (their supplier) may have a production line problem (unless they market two different t-nuts).
dannos
Dusty,
I've kinda wondered the same thing, and since I bought it used several months ago, who knows what it "use" to be. But I've verified several times via the serial #, it's a 1993 510.
My fence seems to resemble exactly internet photos I've seen of the 510 fence.
I thought that perhaps the previous owner could have stacked something on the fence, or worse used it as a jack-stand or something, but now I've gotten several replies with owners experiencing the same thing. ( I haven't taken the time to contact Shopsmith, but I should just to cure my curiousity).
It should be a fairly easy fix, just kind of a let down to get a new part in, then it dosen't fit "correctly".
It works GREAT though, just kind of stationary for now!! :)
Dan
dusty
You seem to be zeroing in on the fence. If I have followed this thread correctly, the t-nuts are NOT the same as mine. Someone reported them to be 29/32". Just a tad larger than mine; therefore, somewhat "OVERSIZE" for my fences.
___________________
Making Sawdust Safely
charlese
dustywoodworker wroteRESUME THE EXECUTION
I put a caliper on the t-nuts and they measure .875" (7/8". The t-slot measures .905"]
Since my T nuts measure 29/32" instead of 7/8" like yours, they just won't fit on the fence! Sounds like just a couple of passes with a file will cure the problem. When I got my OPR - T nuts were not included in the package. Called SS and they shipped two T nuts right away! I assume they are new. I looks like these nuts are molded. Some how there are differences in molds.
HOPE SHOPSMITH READS THIS THREAD! This is almost reminiscent of the over-sized washers that came in the Planner/Jointer Knife Sharpening Jig!
dannos
Greetings and thanks for everyones input and assistance. I'm taking my Shopsmith invoice paperwork to the office in the morning and calling them. I'll advise/post the end result/fix.
Thanks,
Dan
dannos
Greetings,
Spoke to "Gale" with Shopsmith customer service this morning. She is going to check on this for me, but states that the sliding T-nuts should fit the 500/510/520 models. She said they've recieved no other reports of this occurence to their office.
She's supposed to get back to me. Well see what happens!
Dan
dannos
Greetings,
After closer inspection, I observed that the "head" of the bolt on the bottom portion of the t-nut was to blame. It was worse on one t-nut than the other. I filed it down, cleaned both the fence and t-nuts and all are sliding now 😃
I am still awaiting a call back response from Shopsmith. Hope this helps someone else who runs into this problem.
Dan
dannos
As a side note: Shopsmith customer support did call me back, and their "Quality Control" person is checking into these T-nuts. Very nice people up there! As stated earlier, they advised have not had any other reports/calls with this dilema.
Dan
dusty
There is more than one t-nut. The differences are obvious when one knows what to look for.
The ones that I have are #555916 and they do not come with the stud shown in your photos. Instead, there are three threaded holes to accept whatever you might want to install into them (knobs, setscrews, etc.)
The ones that I believe you have are #514491. I can't tell from your photos but it appears the studs are part of the t-nut. I conclude from the photos that the t-nut fit the t-slot. The protruding stud (head) was the cause of your problem. The studs may not be part of the t-nut but rather used with the t-nuts.
Once again it is shown that in order to draw accurate conclusions you must have "the facts, all the facts and just the facts". I think Sergeant Friday said that first.
__________________
Making Sawdust Safely
charlese
You are absolutely correct, Dusty! You found two of them! Thanks for your research!
Dan - looks like your problem is solved, but mine isn't. At least I don't have anything stuck. Guess I should call Gale with my story! Nice pix, Dan. Did the studs come with your T-Nuts, or were they yours?
Here are copies from the on-line SS Repair Parts Catalog:
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Item Number 555916
555916 Sliding T-Nuts (4)
Sliding T-Nuts hold fixtures to worktable surface or our T-Slot Track. Nuts slide into T-slot Track, or MARK V worktable, Rip Fence or accessory slots. Each features a 3/8-16 threaded center hole and two 1/4-20 threaded outer holes to accept (555906) Star Knobs or Small (555901) Knobs.
Price $9.19
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Item Number 514491
514491 Miter Slot T-Nut
Sliding T-Nuts hold fixtures and featherboards to machine table surfaces
These special 1-7/8" x 3/4" Nuts slip into the special T-Slots on the tables and rip fences of your Shopsmith MARK V (Model 510 or 520), Bandsaw or MARK V Router Table. The two outside holes are threaded to accept standard 1/4"-20 bolts or knobs with threaded studs.
Price $3.11
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Had to check out my invoice for the nuts - - I got 514491 for my OPR table. These fit the saw table, but not the 510 miter fence. I think both nuts have a 3/8" X 16 hole in the center. Mine (514491) have all three holes w/ threads.
I'm a little confused by the narratives for the T-nuts - The 555916 narrative doesn't specifically say they will fit the 510 rip fence - The 514491 narrative says those will fit both 510 and 520 rip fences. Are both nuts are supposed to be the same, but they came from different manufacturers? Or is there a difference in the 510 rip fence and others?
The 555916 TEE NUT is supposed to fit both the table and the fence. But look at the difference in cost! The SS web site says both T-nuts are available.
My T-nuts will not fit the 510 rip fence - but will fit the bandsaw rip fence and the bandsaw table. Go figure!
If I wanted these nuts to fit the 510 rip fence, a couple of passes with a mill file will make a fix.
dusty
The two types of t-nuts are NOT identical. The physical dimensions are the same (length, width, thickness) but the center hole on 514491 is counterbored on the under surface). The counterbore is very shallow; only about 1/32" deep. Not even (IMO) deep enough to facilitate the thinkness of a flat head on a bolt.
Both part numbers are the same width, 7/8" (not 29/32").
These (514491) were purchased without the last few weeks.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_slidingnuts.htm
I have had the others (555916) for a long time (years). See the illustration in the Accessory Catalog.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/np_jigsfixturesC.htm
What is 555911?
a1gutterman
The "T" nuts that came with my featherboard came with the studs already in place.
