Drill Press Vise for a Mark V model 500

[Culprit]

Because there is no slot in the model 500 table, you need something like what you get with the Rockler Miter Slot Hardware Kit (item # 26993). While these are designed for a 3/4" wide miter slot, they are of a relatively soft alloy and you can easily sand or file them to fit the narrower Shopsmith miter slot.

+1. Except I used the 12" disk sander because that was before I had the belt sander.

[saminmn]

Shopsmith uses it's version of T-nuts to "clamp" the vise in place on the 505/510/520 tables. Because there is no slot in the model 500 table, you need something like what you get with the Rockler Miter Slot Hardware Kit (item # 26993). While these are designed for a 3/4" wide miter slot, they are of a relatively soft alloy and you can easily sand or file them to fit the narrower Shopsmith miter slot.

I sanded one of these on the belts sander in a couple of minutes and am sorry I didn't buy a couple of sets when I was at the Rockler store recently. They are $7.99 a pair. See -- http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page ... te=ROCKLER

These have all kinds of possibilities for securing jigs to any Shopsmith table, although you might need longer stove bolts for some applications.

Thanks, I bought a set a couple of months ago...well they were discounted far enough that I was thinking I could not buy the nobs at Ace for the price! Anyway, I have not re-purposed the nobs yet. Guess I'll sand them down for the SS miter track.

I think most metal grinding type sanding is with 150 AO??? I have coarser grit SS belts, but not sure they are for metal.

[dusty]

I just went to the vice page and YES they now say:

Note: For Mark 7 and Mark V Models 505, 510 and 520 only.

I also see that they now provide a couple of sliding t-nuts.

Unless they did some other changes the worst case is you have a couple of extra parts to throw in a box somewhere.

I personally think the ad is in error, perhaps a note that says the t-nuts only work on these models etc. Or maybe it just easier to send customers off to another place to buy a vice.

Ed

Without the t-nuts, the vice is limited in application on the Mark V, Models 505, 510 and 520. The accessory clamp is clumsy to use and does not attach well to the table because of the structural ribs on the under side of the table. On the flip side. it works great on my work bench.

If Shopsmith was giving bonus gifts for suggestions, I would suggest that the main table needs to be redesigned to facilitate bolting this vice and the Incra gear to the table. The Extension table could use some prepositioned holes as well.

[wa2crk]

Hi Gang;
I mistyped in my earlier post. The Craftsman vise is only 2 1/2 " jaws. I use it because of the heavier weight to prevent slipping. I recently made a pair of "V" notch jaws for it and they do the job very well. The "V" notch jaws were made from some scrap oak and are held on to the vise faces with double sided tape.
Bill V

[JPG]

The only reason the vise will not 'work' with a M5 or 500 is if one insists upon using the t nuts/miter bar slot.

While I recognize this as a useful 'feature', using them is not mandatory.

The sides(or ends) can be referenced from the rip fence or the miter gauge.

If it needs to be absolutely stationary do as Ed suggested(add a base and clamp that).

I find the best drill press vise for my needs is one I picked up at HF a couple decades ago that is 6" wide and weighs close to 30 pounds(cast iron it is). It slides when coerced to do so, but remains quite steady when not. It has sufficient flat base area(s) so clamping is usually possible as is.


So do not let the lack of t slots alter yer decision(IMHO).

[marcp1956]

Thanks. I have gain some understanding - I think I will order the SS drill press vise when it goes on sale.

[hjlssfor1]

Thanks, I bought a set a couple of months ago...well they were discounted far enough that I was thinking I could not buy the nobs at Ace for the price! Anyway, I have not re-purposed the nobs yet. Guess I'll sand them down for the SS miter track.

I think most metal grinding type sanding is with 150 AO??? I have coarser grit SS belts, but not sure they are for metal.

I would welcome advice as to how to sand down a bar to fit into the SS main table miter track. I have a Rockler metal miter bar that I would like to use for a crosscut sled, but the Rockler bar is a bit too wide for the SS miter slot. So far I have used the shaper fence with a drum sander, and I have removed some material from the bar, but I am not confident that I am removing a uniform amount all the way across that face (which I must do to insure that the two faces of the bar will be parallel).

Would the belt sander be a better tool to use?

Whatever tool is used, how do I know the two faces are parallel? If I can somehow use my 510 rip fence in the process, I should have parallel faces, correct? Could the belt sander table somehow help?

Thanks for any help. Hank Lischer

[saminmn]

I would welcome advice as to how to sand down a bar to fit into the SS main table miter track. I have a Rockler metal miter bar that I would like to use for a crosscut sled, but the Rockler bar is a bit too wide for the SS miter slot. So far I have used the shaper fence with a drum sander, and I have removed some material from the bar, but I am not confident that I am removing a uniform amount all the way across that face (which I must do to insure that the two faces of the bar will be parallel).

Would the belt sander be a better tool to use?

Whatever tool is used, how do I know the two faces are parallel? If I can somehow use my 510 rip fence in the process, I should have parallel faces, correct? Could the belt sander table somehow help?

Thanks for any help. Hank Lischer

Sorry I don't have the experience to help you. I was kind of hoping someone would at least tell me whether I was headed down the right track:o

BTW I would think your approach would work. If it was me, I would be milling just a bit at a time till I got it down to the needed width.

[holsgo]

how far out from your final dimension are you? Sanding metal is a long hot process.
If you have a ways to go try this..Clamp the bar in a bench vise. Run your angle grinder over the edge you are removing. If you don't have that use a dremel or similiar grinder. There are very long coarse files available from HF. Use this to span the whole of the bar and file to dimension. Finish with a fine file. This said, practice first as you can take it off but only a welder and milling machine will be able to correct any mistakes.

[SDSSmith]

I think I would try the conical sander for this to maintain parallelism.