This is not just a problem I have with the shopsmith, I have been running into it for a couple of instances. I bought the mark v to fix this and it is obviously operator error. All I need is to make 13/16 x 13/16 x 12" square sticks. I cannot get them to come out the same size on each end. The blade measures from the fence right, but when its over I have different size ends. 1 square and one somewhat rectangular. Am I pushing to hard or at an angle or something. Is there a wax that makes the wood slide on the table easier too?
What can I do to fix this. I need 200 sticks by wed so I can cut them to octagonal and Horiz bore them by Thursday morning.
Help?
Help, new shopsmith
Moderator: admin
This sounds like an alignment problem. I suspect you need to go back to the basic of making sure the table is square to the blade and then the fence is square to the table and blade. If you have the owner's manual, the instructions are there. If not, call Shopsmith. They may be willing to fax you that part of the instructions.
The other possibility is that the fence may be flexing. Check to see that the bolts that hold the fence to the base are snug. (This is steel bolts in aluminum, do not overtighten, they will strip.) If necessary clamp a board across the table at the back of the fence to keep it from moving.
Third possibility, are the weird measurements in the thickness of the board? In other words, is the stock the same thickness all along it's length?
The other possibility is that the fence may be flexing. Check to see that the bolts that hold the fence to the base are snug. (This is steel bolts in aluminum, do not overtighten, they will strip.) If necessary clamp a board across the table at the back of the fence to keep it from moving.
Third possibility, are the weird measurements in the thickness of the board? In other words, is the stock the same thickness all along it's length?
Jim in Bakersfield:D
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a1gutterman
- Platinum Member
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- Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:45 am
- Location: "close to" Seattle
leeb wrote:This is not just a problem I have with the shopsmith, I have been running into it for a couple of instances. I bought the mark v to fix this and it is obviously operator error. All I need is to make 13/16 x 13/16 x 12" square sticks. I cannot get them to come out the same size on each end. The blade measures from the fence right, but when its over I have different size ends. 1 square and one somewhat rectangular. Am I pushing to hard or at an angle or something. Is there a wax that makes the wood slide on the table easier too?
What can I do to fix this. I need 200 sticks by wed so I can cut them to octagonal and Horiz bore them by Thursday morning.
Help?
leeb,First off, Jim has some good thoughts and suggestions. Do check the alignment of the fence and make sure the fence is working correctly. I will talk about things that he has knot. If the operator is not careful, or maybe, being real careful due to working so close to the blade, sometimes the wood will wonder a bit. That will cause the results that you are seeing. As I do knot know how wide the board is that you are cutting your sticks from, I can knot be too detailed]edit: [/I]
Oh! I almost forgot the other part of your question: Yes, there is a wax to help the wood slide across the table easier. Use paste wax only. Many here on the forum swear by Johnson's Paste Wax. ShopSmith sells another brand that I am sure is good also.
Tim
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Hi
I do not what model you have but I have the 520 and sometimes the stock will drift away from the blade at the rear of the table when making a cut. A quick check would be to place the rip fence on the opposite side of the blade and see if this corrects the problem.
You may also want to try the feather board to hold the stock against the fence at the infeed side of the blade close to the blade but not in a position where you will pinch the stock against the blade and cause a kickback.
I recently cut some 3/8 by 3/8 strips for glass stops in some doors and they came out OK but I did have to use the feather board.
One other thing, all wood has built in internal stresses and sometimes this can the stock to pull into the blade as a result of the stresses being relieved when cutting.
Good luck
Bill
PS if you have a planer or a drum sander you may want to consider cuting the parts a little oversized and then mill or sand to the proper dimension and allow a little extra on the length to allow for snipe. Rememnber when you do get them square and then cut your octagonal pieces you may run into a similar problem.
I do not what model you have but I have the 520 and sometimes the stock will drift away from the blade at the rear of the table when making a cut. A quick check would be to place the rip fence on the opposite side of the blade and see if this corrects the problem.
You may also want to try the feather board to hold the stock against the fence at the infeed side of the blade close to the blade but not in a position where you will pinch the stock against the blade and cause a kickback.
I recently cut some 3/8 by 3/8 strips for glass stops in some doors and they came out OK but I did have to use the feather board.
One other thing, all wood has built in internal stresses and sometimes this can the stock to pull into the blade as a result of the stresses being relieved when cutting.
Good luck
Bill
PS if you have a planer or a drum sander you may want to consider cuting the parts a little oversized and then mill or sand to the proper dimension and allow a little extra on the length to allow for snipe. Rememnber when you do get them square and then cut your octagonal pieces you may run into a similar problem.
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Ed in Tampa
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 5834
- Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
- Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida
leeb wrote:This is not just a problem I have with the shopsmith, I have been running into it for a couple of instances. I bought the mark v to fix this and it is obviously operator error. All I need is to make 13/16 x 13/16 x 12" square sticks. I cannot get them to come out the same size on each end. The blade measures from the fence right, but when its over I have different size ends. 1 square and one somewhat rectangular. Am I pushing to hard or at an angle or something. Is there a wax that makes the wood slide on the table easier too?
What can I do to fix this. I need 200 sticks by wed so I can cut them to octagonal and Horiz bore them by Thursday morning.
Help?
Build a jig to hold them onto the saw table. Use either a feather board or solid wood to hold them down on the table and against the fence. Make it so you don't have to add any pressure other than simply pushing them past the blade. Then fine tune them until you get a perfect cut and begin production of the the 200 you need. Using the jig will eliminate all variables including different holdown pressures you may be using that is throwing the cut off.
Ed
