[quote="dustywoodworker"]If you complete the alignment procedures as outlined in the operators manual - you are ready to go. Make sawdust and be merry.
If you must move your machine around, "check" for proper alignment (which you will probably still have) and then make still more saw dust.
If you have difficulty performing a successful alignment, verify the way tubes are level (side-to-side and tube-to-tube) and then complete the alignment procedure. If you still have difficulty completing the alignment 1) you are doing something wrong or 2) you have a problem that requires some serious troubleshooting.
You are using a machine that will not let you down. The Shopsmith is "good"]
You know Dusty - that just plain makes a lot of sense. I tend to overcomplicate things. Your advice is - try it and if it works, good to go, if it it isn't working so good, then adjust further. LIKE IT!
Thanks,
Hal
Level Machine setup?
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dusty
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Level Machine Setup (Part 2)
Shortly after sending my previous post I found myself out in the shop having been sent there by SHMBO to cleanup; we have company coming over tonight. I could not resist; I put a square on the table and pushed it up against the blade. Near perfect, just as I thought it would be.
We had moved everything around a day or two ago to make room for some work on the car.
Nobody was home so I decided to make one more verification test before I started cleanup. Put one end of the SS up on a 2x4. With an axe handle for a lever, I lifted the left end of the SS up and blocked it there. Checked for square (table to blade); its good. Cut a piece of scrap 2x4, using the miter gauge. Checked it for square - both directions. Its still good. I should be satisfied at this point but one more test came to mind. Pull the 2x4 out from under one leg; the SS is now in a 3 point stance. One more cut on the 2x4 and I'll cleanup like I was told to do.
The test for square is not absolutely perfect; I see a little light along the edge of the square. It seems like it might be racked just a little. Pulled the 2x4 and just as I was completing the cut a car pulled into the driveway. She is home and I've been caught like a deer in the headlights; I stand there with a freshly cut 2x4 in one hand and the square in the other. Go ahead, check it; I'm already caught so I might as well know the results.
The Shopsmith is back in its normal working position and is none-the-worse-for-wear.
I stand on my previous statements. Its a Shopsmith, it is good. Move it around if you need to and if your project needs to be dead on, check alignment before you start. Go make saw dust.
Incidently, I still wouldn't push it around using the table. Grab the way bars if you must give it a tug.
We had moved everything around a day or two ago to make room for some work on the car.
Nobody was home so I decided to make one more verification test before I started cleanup. Put one end of the SS up on a 2x4. With an axe handle for a lever, I lifted the left end of the SS up and blocked it there. Checked for square (table to blade); its good. Cut a piece of scrap 2x4, using the miter gauge. Checked it for square - both directions. Its still good. I should be satisfied at this point but one more test came to mind. Pull the 2x4 out from under one leg; the SS is now in a 3 point stance. One more cut on the 2x4 and I'll cleanup like I was told to do.
The test for square is not absolutely perfect; I see a little light along the edge of the square. It seems like it might be racked just a little. Pulled the 2x4 and just as I was completing the cut a car pulled into the driveway. She is home and I've been caught like a deer in the headlights; I stand there with a freshly cut 2x4 in one hand and the square in the other. Go ahead, check it; I'm already caught so I might as well know the results.
The Shopsmith is back in its normal working position and is none-the-worse-for-wear.
I stand on my previous statements. Its a Shopsmith, it is good. Move it around if you need to and if your project needs to be dead on, check alignment before you start. Go make saw dust.
Incidently, I still wouldn't push it around using the table. Grab the way bars if you must give it a tug.
Hi,
I have a post about this issue in a general way at:
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showpos ... ostcount=7
I think the "level" idea might be better thought of as "flat".
One other observation I have is one that I found on the used 510 I got. When I got it back together the headrest handle took no effort to use... in fact you could lift on the tubes and feel it lifting off its resting spot. The tie bar must set solidly on both shoulders of the headrest. I don't know if that is ever mentioned in the alignment sections anymore but it should be. If it not tight then when you set the machine up in other spots then twisting can happen and that effects alignment.
We haven't been talking about this but....
On shopsmiths with serial numbers above 290367 (not sure if this is on current models or not) have an adjustment screw on one shoulder of the headrest. This can be used to make fine adjustments to square the headrest... earlier models you have to file the shoulders to get the adjustment..... anyway once you have the parts square make sure the bolts holding the bench tubes are tight....
The full insturctions are given in the bulletin about "additional horizontal adjustments". I have a copy but I don't know if that is a common piece of information anymore. This was from back in the day when shopsmith sent out bulletins (502754).
Ed
I have a post about this issue in a general way at:
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showpos ... ostcount=7
I think the "level" idea might be better thought of as "flat".
One other observation I have is one that I found on the used 510 I got. When I got it back together the headrest handle took no effort to use... in fact you could lift on the tubes and feel it lifting off its resting spot. The tie bar must set solidly on both shoulders of the headrest. I don't know if that is ever mentioned in the alignment sections anymore but it should be. If it not tight then when you set the machine up in other spots then twisting can happen and that effects alignment.
We haven't been talking about this but....
On shopsmiths with serial numbers above 290367 (not sure if this is on current models or not) have an adjustment screw on one shoulder of the headrest. This can be used to make fine adjustments to square the headrest... earlier models you have to file the shoulders to get the adjustment..... anyway once you have the parts square make sure the bolts holding the bench tubes are tight....
The full insturctions are given in the bulletin about "additional horizontal adjustments". I have a copy but I don't know if that is a common piece of information anymore. This was from back in the day when shopsmith sent out bulletins (502754).
Ed
[quote="dustywoodworker"]Shortly after sending my previous post I found myself out in the shop having been sent there by SHMBO to cleanup]
Dusty,
Thank you so much! That extreme testing sure gives me confidence to invest the time on the alignment. Please tell SHMBO that you were on a humanitarian mission esing the pyschological pains of a fellow woodworker / Shopsmith owner. I'm truly grateful.
I found it interesting as I went through the leveling process last night, I started to better understand the forces at play which might throw the alignment off. I had to shim one leg over 3/4" and another about 5/8". Now onto the alignment and then "making sawdust".
(BTW - I couldnt' figure out what the acronym stood for. My wife figured it out.
)
Thanks again,
Hal
Dusty,
Thank you so much! That extreme testing sure gives me confidence to invest the time on the alignment. Please tell SHMBO that you were on a humanitarian mission esing the pyschological pains of a fellow woodworker / Shopsmith owner. I'm truly grateful.
I found it interesting as I went through the leveling process last night, I started to better understand the forces at play which might throw the alignment off. I had to shim one leg over 3/4" and another about 5/8". Now onto the alignment and then "making sawdust".
(BTW - I couldnt' figure out what the acronym stood for. My wife figured it out.
)Thanks again,
Hal
Ed,
Thanks for the reference to your earlier post. It's good to know that other serious woodworker's have to move their SS around.
Take care,
Hal
I can relate to that a lot better. After all, all measurements including angles are only relative to some other fixed point/plane. So it seems to me that as long as things are perpendicular / or parallel as called for, it should work out without having to be level.I think the "level" idea might be better thought of as "flat".
Thanks for the reference to your earlier post. It's good to know that other serious woodworker's have to move their SS around.
Take care,
Hal