Today in the Shop (Lasers in the shop some where)

[reible]

The questions has been ask, can a shopsmith support a laser drill attachment. The answer is of course.

I picked up the one that is sold here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UO ... ge_o00_s00

My good news was that they had free shipping when I ordered mine. Still $40 if more then a lot of you want to spend and I don't blame you. Still others will not see any advantages and that is OK too. My money my tools.

So this is not going to be a review as I have yet to really test it out. I did how ever get it operational this evening. The construction was simple and the fact I decided to do it this way is purely the way I though it should be done and may or may not be the best way. It is operational and lets start with the testing I did.

I started with a piece of tape and drew a "X" on it where I wanted the hole to be, this would be the case with none critical hole that I would want to drill that represents a project that it not necessary to go to great lengths to get the hole at a precise location.

IMG_0483sc.jpg (78.77 KiB) Viewed 16501 times

I then place the work piece under the laser location.

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Results:

IMG_0486sc.jpg (90.42 KiB) Viewed 16501 times

Right on target!

I don't think I could have done any better having done it any other way short of setting up a fence and other jigs.

I did this several times and moved the table up and down several inches, everything at this point is stable.

Now I did drill a couple of hole in the mounting so you have to be brave enough to do that..... it might void things so I'm taking a chance as it seemed a pretty easy way to get where I wanted to be.

I will have plans on sale for $9.99 later tonight. I only need 4 people to buy them to pay for the laser. Who wants to be first?

Only kidding.

This is what it looks like:

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IMG_0490sc.jpg (92.98 KiB) Viewed 16501 times

I wanted to be able to remove this and put on a different shopsmith and I have hopes that the alignment is not too far off. I don't know when I will get to try that out, maybe a few months??

I will use it for a while and then write a review one way or the other as so far as how helpful I think it is and how well it holds up etc.

If you have questions ask away. If you own one then feel free to comment on what you have found out about yours and if you use it on a shopsmith or not.

Like it or not there are lasers in the shop somewhere.

Ed

[ERLover]

Am I having dasavu, didnt you post something similar a few days ago with the lazer??

[JPG]

Am I having dasavu, didnt you post something similar a few days ago with the lazer??

No he posted a warning this was coming in a thread that revealed the existence of the 40$ gizmo. Those pix were on a garden variety drill press, not a SS.

Re the use on multiple SS, are not the lazers 'aimable'?

[reible]

Yes there was a discussion on lasers before but no details of how to mount them on a shopsmith. That post is here:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/posti ... =9&t=17474

Ed

[reible]

Re the use on multiple SS, are not the lazers 'aimable'?

Yes, each laser has two settings. My hope is that things might work out so you can interchange them on more then one shopsmith with out having to redo the aim. I know a lot of people have only one shopsmith so that would not be a deal for them but since I have a couple it would be nice to just mount and use them on more then one machine.

Ed

[JPG]

Re the use on multiple SS, are not the lazers 'aimable'?

Yes, each laser has two settings. My hope is that things might work out so you can interchange them on more then one shopsmith with out having to redo the aim. I know a lot of people have only one shopsmith so that would not be a deal for them but since I have a couple it would be nice to just mount and use them on more then one machine.

Ed

I think it will be close.

Did you adjust it after mounting?

[oldiron]

Ed, Thanks for sharing this with us!!! I will be looking into it for one of my 10ER's...

Looks simple enough to mount with the idea you came up with!

Mike

[ERLover]

Ed, did I understand you correctly, that after you had it set to hit that point, if you raised or lowered the table it was still accurate to the drill bit point of contact?

[Ed in Tampa]

IMG_0490sc.jpg

Ed

In this picture it looks like you would have to cut off corners of the holder to clear the way tubes.
Is that what you did or is it just a perspective problem with this picture?

[reible]

Once mounted they have a piece that fits in the drill chuck to aid in the alignment. You tape over one of the lasers then adjust the other to project a line on the line on the target. You then do the other side and it is then adjusted and ready to go.

If the relationship of the quill to the tubes is as close was we think then this will show that and work between machines.

Ed

Re the use on multiple SS, are not the lazers 'aimable'?

Yes, each laser has two settings. My hope is that things might work out so you can interchange them on more then one shopsmith with out having to redo the aim. I know a lot of people have only one shopsmith so that would not be a deal for them but since I have a couple it would be nice to just mount and use them on more then one machine.

Ed

I think it will be close.

Did you adjust it after mounting?