Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

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edma194
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Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by edma194 »

I recently installed an aluminum table (used) on my bandsaw that had an iron table. The leveling screw sticks up from the table when the table is leveled. The table came with an old dirty bandsaw, don't know if that screw is the original part. Anyone had this happen? Maybe PO put some other screw in there. Could it be a change in bandsaws where a longer screw was needed? Am I supposed to be raising the table with extra washers, each bolt has one regular washer and the two on the back side also have a shim washer that were installed on the aluminum table already (not quite the right size but I have more shims to get it right). I don't want to raise and take cutting height away. The part appears to be 516571, just labeled as 'screw' in the parts list.
Ed from Rhode Island

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edma194
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by edma194 »

I have Carter guides. And I was able to adjust them enough to get the screw down to table level. It looks like a long set screw, maybe 1-1/2". I might be able to pick up a 1-1/4" one tomorrow.

BTW: Carter Guides are a problem. They work but they won't lock down on the round mounting post with that tiny set screw. I put thread locker on the screw and the post, that didn't help. Now I have red thread locker on it and it still can move.
Ed from Rhode Island

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DLB
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by DLB »

edma194 wrote: Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:06 pm I have Carter guides. And I was able to adjust them enough to get the screw down to table level. It looks like a long set screw, maybe 1-1/2". I might be able to pick up a 1-1/4" one tomorrow.
I measured one that fits at 1-1/4".

- David
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by RFGuy »

edma194 wrote: Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:06 pm I have Carter guides. And I was able to adjust them enough to get the screw down to table level. It looks like a long set screw, maybe 1-1/2". I might be able to pick up a 1-1/4" one tomorrow.

BTW: Carter Guides are a problem. They work but they won't lock down on the round mounting post with that tiny set screw. I put thread locker on the screw and the post, that didn't help. Now I have red thread locker on it and it still can move.
Ed,

I don't have this problem with my Carter Guides. Have you tried reaching out to them for assistance? I have found them to be very helpful in the past. One of the bearings weren't rolling as smoothly as I would like when I purchased mine. I contacted them and in a couple of minutes they had their engineer on the phone with me and he agreed with my assessment and sent out replacement bearings. I find their customer service to be highly customer centric & focused. I would try calling them.
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chapmanruss
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by chapmanruss »

Ed,

The current Bandsaw Parts List has it as Sockethead Screw 5/16"-18x1" Part Number 516571 reference number 91 as seen at the following link.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/manuals/845541.pdf
Russ

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Mark V 520
All SPT's & 2 Power Stations
Model 10ER S/N R64000 first one I restored on bench w/ metal ends & retractable casters.
Has Speed Changer, 4E Jointer, Jig Saw with lamp, a complete set of original accessories & much more.
Model 10E's S/N's 1076 & 1077 oldest ones I have restored. Mark 2 S/N 85959 restored. Others to be restored.
edma194
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by edma194 »

chapmanruss wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:06 pm Ed,

The current Bandsaw Parts List has it as Sockethead Screw 5/16"-18x1" Part Number 516571 reference number 91 as seen at the following link.
Thanks Russ. I don't have a manual for a bandsaw with aluminum table. The online service parts list didn't provide that detail. This one appears to be 1-1/4" as David has found but in the current position the guide bearings are pushing on the blade. The saw is old, I have to check the alignment of the guide mounts. I have a 1/2" blade on it now but I don't think I've had anything bigger than 1/4" since I put the Carter guides on. Could the tension adjustment cause the blade position to shift that much? With the blocks you can adjust them off center in the mounting blocks so they touch the blade at what ever position it's in.

David, I'll call Carter about this. The guides have to mount on a smooth round post and that tiny setscrew won't hold it's position. Very annoying to deal with.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
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chapmanruss
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by chapmanruss »

Ed,

The Bandsaw Manual is one that is currently available in PDF form for free here on the Shopsmith website. See link below. Scroll down and you will find the Manual, Parts List with exploded drawings, Circle Cutter and Table Extension PDF's.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/productmanuals.htm

The link in my last post was directly to the Parts List and Drawings only. Although it is for the current Bandsaw most parts are interchangeable. One area to note is there is a difference in the Trunnion mounting bolts/screws for the old Cast Iron Table vs the newer Aluminum Table and the Trunnions themselves are slightly different. The Bushings the Mounting bolts/screws go through are different between the older and current Bandsaws and require the correct Mounting Hardware including the correct bolts/screws. The old Bushings are pressed in and have notches the special bolts used. The spacing for mounting the Cast Iron and Aluminum Tables to the Trunnions is the same so the Aluminum Table will mount on the old Cast Iron Trunnions without having to change any additional parts. I mention this because anyone looking at the Drawings and Parts List from the current Bandsaw may see parts that do not match what they may have on an older Bandsaw.

Ed,

You asked,
Could the tension adjustment cause the blade position to shift that much?
The Tension Adjustment will only take out the natural curve the blade may have and straighten it between the upper and lower wheels. The guides can move it off that straight path between the upper and lower wheels if not aligned to the blades path.

I have only used the original guides on the Bandsaws I have owned so I can't really comment on the Carter guides and how they work.
Russ

Mark V completely upgraded to Mark 7
Mark V 520
All SPT's & 2 Power Stations
Model 10ER S/N R64000 first one I restored on bench w/ metal ends & retractable casters.
Has Speed Changer, 4E Jointer, Jig Saw with lamp, a complete set of original accessories & much more.
Model 10E's S/N's 1076 & 1077 oldest ones I have restored. Mark 2 S/N 85959 restored. Others to be restored.
edma194
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by edma194 »

RFGuy wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 8:20 am
Ed,

I don't have this problem with my Carter Guides. Have you tried reaching out to them for assistance? I have found them to be very helpful in the past. One of the bearings weren't rolling as smoothly as I would like when I purchased mine. I contacted them and in a couple of minutes they had their engineer on the phone with me and he agreed with my assessment and sent out replacement bearings. I find their customer service to be highly customer centric & focused. I would try calling them.
I contacted Carter about the two issues, the set screw not holding tight, and using a 1/8" blade. The support engineer said he hadn't heard of the problem with the set screw slipping before but somehow had notes saying the set screw should have a cup point and some may have been sent out with a flat tip. Mine does have a cup tip though, I thing it needs a knurled cup screw or just a point.

Carter doesn't specify 1/8" blades for the roller guides. They just can't be adjusted far enough back in the holders. Each bearing is actually a double stack, not a grooved bearing. They are press fit onto a cap screw and it looks like just a single bearing thickness would do the the job. I didn't think separating the bearing pairs was a good idea so I found some other bearings to use and press fit them on #10-32 cap screws. It just works out with bearing block holders all the way back. If I can find a 1/16" blade, I might have to remove the rear washer to have enough get the bearing far enough back. These inexpensive and readily available bearings did the job. The bore is .1875" and OD is 1/2". These will press fit tightly on a #10 screw. If they fail somehow they cost little to replace. I don't think the original bearings they provide are any different.

Now that I have the single stack of bearings in and using it with a 1/8" blade I am extremely satisfied with the performance. Considering the low cost of the components I think Carter should consider including a single stack set of bearings as an option for smaller blades.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
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jsburger
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by jsburger »

This is the guide Carter sells for using narrow blades in the SS Band Saw.

https://carterproducts.com/shopsmith-shs1
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edma194
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Re: Bandsaw table leveling screw too long

Post by edma194 »

jsburger wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 2:33 pm This is the guide Carter sells for using narrow blades in the SS Band Saw.

https://carterproducts.com/shopsmith-shs1
That guide works with thin stock of the kind usually cut with a jigsaw or scroll saw. There's no lower guide block to use with that blade guide, I don't know if anyone has tried it on a Shopsmith bandsaw. It is designed to work only on thin stock.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
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