Not Just a Coincidence

[BigSky]

On my 6 inch steel ruler.

[garys]

I don't have that problem. I left out the larger 510/520 bumper and use the thin 500 bumper instead. It keeps the table from banging against the headstock, but having the thin one allows me to make small adjustments. I don't want the longer bumper limiting my adjustments.

[DLB]

The left face of the saw blade is about 1/62" to the left of table insert center line.

Where do you find the tape measure with those graduation marks?

I think that comment was made in jest. As in 1/62 as opposed to 1/64 (or 1/32). I'm sure it was a typo. Dusty could clarify which he meant, but since we now agree that the bumpers vary that is not going to be a critical measurement or repeatable from machine to machine.

- David

[dusty]

The left face of the saw blade is about 1/62" to the left of table insert center line.

Where do you find the tape measure with those graduation marks?

I think that comment was made in jest. As in 1/62 as opposed to 1/64 (or 1/32). I'm sure it was a typo. Dusty could clarify which he meant, but since we now agree that the bumpers vary that is not going to be a critical measurement or repeatable from machine to machine.

- David

Not in jest, must be a defective 4 key in my keyboard.

[JPG]

What effect does the gap between the bumper and the headstock shown in the first pix(second page) have upon these conclusions?

[JPG]

I don't have that problem. I left out the larger 510/520 bumper and use the thin 500 bumper instead. It keeps the table from banging against the headstock, but having the thin one allows me to make small adjustments. I don't want the longer bumper limiting my adjustments.

You move the carriage to make small adjustments?

Yer quill stuck?

Rip fence stuck?

[dusty]

I don't have that problem. I left out the larger 510/520 bumper and use the thin 500 bumper instead. It keeps the table from banging against the headstock, but having the thin one allows me to make small adjustments. I don't want the longer bumper limiting my adjustments.

You move the carriage to make small adjustments?

Yer quill stuck?

Rip fence stuck?

When in table saw mode I very seldom use the quill to move the blade. I prefer, for no specific reason, to have the quill fully retracted when sawing. I use the rip fence to tweek measurements. The magnetic tape provides the level of precision that I usual need at the table saw.

[DLB]

I use the quill for fine adjustments or corrections. My first three decades or so using a SS I didn't know about the rubber thing, so my approach was to generally extend the quill a bit (~3/16" ish) before positioning the headstock and table. Then I could make minor adjustments in either direction using the quill. Remember this is a pre-500 fence, not ideal for tiny corrections. Old habits die hard, I still do it the same way despite the improvements in equipment. That's why I don't use the bumper, not compatible with my quill 'preset' approach because it presumes the quill in the position that Dusty uses and therefore one can make small adjustments in only one direction. (And then only if the bumper results in a position that allows it.) For the bumpers at the low end of the range discussed in this thread, you'd be extremely limited in making any correction with the quill because the quill is retracted and the blade is very near the right edge of the slot.

I'm not answering for Gary, just expressing one view of how the proper bumper limits one from making small adjustments.

The down side of not using the bumper, I guess, is that I probably also can't reliably use the direct reading scale.

- David