5 Foot Connector Tubes

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DLB
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Location: Joshua Texas

5 Foot Connector Tubes

Post by DLB »

I picked up a pair of long (5 foot) ShopSmith connector tubes from a guy selling many 510 accessories locally on CL. The tubes were straight and inexpensive so I added them to 'my cart' along with several other items. I'm already impressed. I almost always keep my 520 main table tied to an extension table with base for improved stability with standard connector tubes. The downside has always been that when adjusting table height the accessory table binds making the operation kind of finicky. With the long tubes and an accessory table on each end there is no binding, I just loosen both handle/locks on the accessory tables and I can raise and lower the whole assembly with the carriage table height adjustment. It is a much better feel and I'm not as concerned about impacting table alignment.

- David
RFGuy
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Re: 5 Foot Connector Tubes

Post by RFGuy »

I agree. I like the 5' connector tubes better. Unfortunately in my small shop it is kind of a pain to keep them in use. IF I had a big enough shop and more than one Shopsmith machine, I think I would keep one setup permanently for tablesaw operation and use the 5' connector tubes in it all the time. That is where they excel, I think. However, in a smaller shop, I find myself reaching for the shorter ones more frequently because they are simply more practical day-to-day even though the longer ones work better.
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dusty
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Re: 5 Foot Connector Tubes

Post by dusty »

It is good that this works for you but I must have something that is not right. I can setup as you have described and offten do but the extension tables drag when I attempt to change depth of cut.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
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DLB
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Re: 5 Foot Connector Tubes

Post by DLB »

dusty wrote: Sat Nov 06, 2021 12:15 pm It is good that this works for you but I must have something that is not right. I can setup as you have described and offten do but the extension tables drag when I attempt to change depth of cut.
I used an alignment method that is fairly new to me and not per the manual to align both extension tables. That is a possible factor. IIRC it came from a Sawdust Session. It's very quick and easy. Basically you use connector tubes rather than straight edges as the alignment standard. Slightly loosen the adjustment nuts connecting the extension table to the base so the table is floating free of the base and is only held to the main table via rails and connector tubes. Snug the top on bottom nuts on each stud evenly, then tighten evenly.

This method works well on the 520/M7. I'm somewhat skeptical how well it would work on a 510. One reason is that a good outcome is dependent on aligning the rail to the table with those 'alignment jigs' that set the relationship between table surface and rail, and which to my knowledge is a 520 thing.

- David
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