Table Saw Guard

mountain4don · Post by **mountain4don** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:22 pm

I have a Grey ShopSmith that my father had for a long time, and I am trying to figure out how the table saw guard attaches to the table. It is a grey, cast aluminum cover that appears to fit over the saw blade when it is running, and is attached to a L shaped slot in a shiny metal plate and slides over it on a bolt that fits through the slot on the metal plate. The metal plate is bent on the end and has two L shaped slots on the end like they would receive the heads of two bolts on the back of the saw table somehow. But there are no bolt holes on the back of the table I have. I think the ShopSmith was built around 1981. Am I missing pieces to mount the saw guard? Or did the Shopsmith's from that era not have a saw guard and this came from something else?

mountain4don · Post by **mountain4don** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:42 pm

Here are some pictures that I took of the saw guard:

[ATTACH]17742[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]17743[/ATTACH]

And the rear of the table with the bottom of the sawguard:

[ATTACH]17744[/ATTACH]

So, what is missing to attach the saw guard to the table?

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:50 pm

The lower saw guard from Shopsmith of that era. Here's a photo of the part on ebay -- 380446999159

mountain4don · Post by **mountain4don** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:43 am

pennview wrote:The lower saw guard from Shopsmith of that era. Here's a photo of the part on ebay -- 380446999159

Does this one fit my Mark 5? The descriptions on the eBay listing seem to be talking about and picture some other model like maybe a Mark VII?

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:10 am

The one pictured on e-bay fits both the Mark VII and Mark V. Enlarge the view of the instruction sheet and you'll see that. In addition, it's the same model I got when I purchased my Mark V in 1980. In my view, this model is much easier to deal with than all of those plastic contraptions that have replaced this type.

mountain4don · Post by **mountain4don** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:47 am

Thanks for the info. Is anybody on here bidding on that saw guard? Or is there any other place that people sell ShopSmith tools? I don't see a "swap and trade" button on this site. I also have a ShopSmith from about 1985 that has the other "plastic stuff" on the lower saw guard. And it is pretty flimsy, but works if I am careful with it. But since my father ran this one for a long time before he died, I would like to get it fully functional also. I am just missing a few pieces of things I couldn't find in his shop when I cleaned some of it out. He also had a half dismantled "Greeny" that I finally had to throw away when I moved. But I used some of the parts off of it to fix this one.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:54 am

mountain4don wrote:Thanks for the info. Is anybody on here bidding on that saw guard? Or is there any other place that people sell ShopSmith tools? I don't see a "swap and trade" button on this site. I also have a ShopSmith from about 1985 that has the other "plastic stuff" on the lower saw guard. And it is pretty flimsy, but works if I am careful with it. But since my father ran this one for a long time before he died, I would like to get it fully functional also. I am just missing a few pieces of things I couldn't find in his shop when I cleaned some of it out. He also had a half dismantled "Greeny" that I finally had to throw away when I moved. But I used some of the parts off of it to fix this one.

Sponsor does not want that!

Blasphemy!

Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do!:(

mountain4don · Post by **mountain4don** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:01 pm

JPG40504 wrote:Sponsor does not want that!

Blasphemy!

Sometimes ya just gotta do what ya gotta do!:(

Sponsor doesn't want us to purchase parts for ancient machines (30 years old) from eBay? I couldn't find this part directly from ShopSmith? Or are you speaking about throwing away a 45 year old ShopSmith that was missing a bunch of parts and was partially dismantled and my father found on the side of the road in someone's trash 15 years ago? I am sorry but I didn't know anything about this "collector" thread back when I didn't have internet (last year). And my 1985 ShopSmith I bought about 10 years ago for $150 that came with a bandsaw and planer.

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:45 pm

Just another perspective on the old guard. When I got my first machine, new in 1976 it came with that guard. I tried to use it but the metal top covers the blade and you can not see the workpiece. I didn't like that. Result was I stopped using it.

A good guard is one that you will use. When the "plastic" guard was introduced I upgraded. That new plastic guard is one that I use so from my perspective that makes it a better solution.

So my vote would be to look for the upgrade on ebay or if you have deep pockets shopsmith still sells them.

Ed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:46 pm

mountain4don wrote:Sponsor doesn't want us to purchase parts for ancient machines (30 years old) from eBay? I couldn't find this part directly from ShopSmith? Or are you speaking about throwing away a 45 year old ShopSmith that was missing a bunch of parts and was partially dismantled and my father found on the side of the road in someone's trash 15 years ago? I am sorry but I didn't know anything about this "collector" thread back when I didn't have internet (last year). And my 1985 ShopSmith I bought about 10 years ago for $150 that came with a bandsaw and planer.

Sponsor prefers e-bay activity to same on their forum. They are not responsible for any 'problems' that occur from activity external to the forum. However they are exposed to any legal issues if they did allow it on the forum.

Read my last sentence - I do understand yer need to dispose. I also realize you were not then 'connected' so disposal via e-bay or craigslist was not a realistic option.

My reference to 'blasphemy' was tongue in cheek.

Sorry! It was not my intention to get ya riled up!

Throwing away SS parts is a sad scene for those of us residing here. Like I said, ya gotta do what ya gotta do(good or bad).

P.S. 30 yrs old is not 'ancient'! At least not in this realm!

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