Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

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edma194
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Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by edma194 »

Just finished assembly of my new Super Sawsmith 2000, the first one of it's kind. I had been looking for extension tables for my Sawsmith 2000 Ultra. In Sawsmith lingo those are like Shopsmith floating tables. The saw I acquired a few years back came with to extension tables. It was configured with 48" fence rails, the rails hold the extension tables up and the main table and 2 extension tables are all that will fit on those rails. The saw had come originally with 72" rails but for reasons lost to history the PO cut them into 40" and 32" pieces. The used market is the only source for Sawsmith parts since Shopsmith hasn't made these since the 90s. I wasn't having much luck finding extension tables. There were occasional hits for entire Sawsmiths, and if they weren't very far away I would have wanted one just for extra parts. Then I realized I could use a Sawsmith 2000 main table to extend my table space. The main table is actually made from 2 extension tables that have a couple of projections to link them together.

But why take just the main table off a working saw? Two whole Sawsmiths could be connected together by the fence rails, that would increase the table space greatly, the tables would be strongly supported, and I had enough fence rail to do it with. Within days of this notion occurring to me I received an incredibly generous offer from forum member Binder, he wanted his father's Sawsmith to go to a good home where it would be appreciated. He wasn't far away and I soon adopted his Sawsmith. There were no extension tables with it, and it had a 510 style fence and rails, not the Excalibur fence and rails, but I had plenty of those already.

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This saw is now big! The tables are 76" wide and 31" deep. The rails extend an extra 6" on either side so I can move the fence out to the extreme edges of the table. I have the saw backed up against my 510 right now. You can see there is clearance of the headstock of the 510 so I can configure that to be an outfeed table. Without moving the saw I have room to rip an 8' long board. I think with the aid of a couple of roller stands I can easily break up a 4'x8' sheet of plywood on this now.

The saw is sitting on bespoke dolly. My first saw came on a high quality steel rail dolly but getting one big enough for both of these wasn't in the picture. I layered up some 1/2" plywood to make the base, reinforced it with a couple of pieces of heavy aluminum angle that weren't doing anything else, and then mounted a set of these type caster/leveling feet that I believe I first heard about here on the forum: https://www.amazon.com/Skelang-Leveling ... C80&sr=8-3

These caster/levelers are heavy duty, much better than locking casters. However, you can't use the plastic knobs by hand to raise a heavy load. To get on and off the rollers I lever up one end of the dolly and place a piece of 4x4 underneath to hold it while I raise or lower the feet. This machine should rarely have to move so it won't be an issue, for something you want to move around more often you might want to look at alternative solutions.

The toughest part of all this was aligning the two saws so they could be connected by the fence rails. The rails are a very heavy extrusion that attach to the tables with bolts and little metal clips. Even though Binder's saw did not come with these clips I had extras because I had to make some for the first saw when I couldn't find the originals. Then I found the originals and now had another set ready to go. The rails are self aligning though, they have to be positioned so that the top of the rail falls 1/32" below the bottom of the miter slots to keep the fence riding just over the table surface. On top of that I wasn't attaching 88" long rails to the front and back of the saw, I had to align 48" and 40" rails to meet up and still allow the fence to slide across the joint. Despite a patience that has worn very thin over the years I was able to slowly get it all into alignment, table tops square a parallel, rails properly aligned with the tables, and just a slight click as the fence passed over the joint. But doing this clued me in what has to be done still. As you can see in the picture below there is a black strip of metal attached to the aluminum extrusions. That's a piece 1/8"x1" steel, and I have to replace the cut pieces with full length replacements. I'm trying this out using 6061 aluminum. There will be no joint for the fence to roll over after that.


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Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
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JPG
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by JPG »

Drool Drool Pant Pant
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╟JPG ╢
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
edma194
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by edma194 »

Here is a link to the Sawsmith 2000 manual. The front cover shows the 4 different models that were available. The Standard and Pro models both used a 510 type fence and tubes. The Pro Model came with 2 extension tables, the Standard Model had none. You can see in the image that empty sections between the fence tubes are expected. The Deluxe and Ultra models used an Excalibur fence on it's own custom aluminum extrusion rails. The Deluxe came with 48" rails and 1 extension table, the Ultra came with 2 extension tables and 72" rails. Please note that the image on the front of the manual is not proportionately accurate and that different rail lengths were been advertised.

The main tables are 27" wide and 31" deep, the extension tables are 10.75" wide. The main tables are flush with the sides of their cabinets, but the cabinets have bolt heads projecting further so the tables tops couldn't be placed in contact with each other side to side. I put a piece of 1/2" aluminum channel between the tops so there would be no open gap there. In the picture below I highlighted that channel in blue as well as the joint between the extension and main tables on either side.

Both saws are fully functional. I currently have a regular insert on the left hand saw. I will usually work on the left side of the saw. I put the dado insert on the right hand saw, but it and my other regular insert have some corrosion and need some restoration. The regular insert is just in worse shape.

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In addition to new full length slide strips on the rails mentioned above I am working on some pieces to tie the protruding ends of the rails together, and maybe some support struts for them as well. After getting everything set up with that 1/2" channel in the middle I realized that might have been a good place for another miter track. I'm going to contact Shopsmith and see if they will sell me a 31" length of their miter track.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
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Posts: 1875
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by edma194 »

Ripping 9" wide pieces from a 4X8 sheet of plywood on the Super Sawsmith 2000. The 510 main table is in use as an outfeed table. I could have used some roller stands on the infeed side but with the blade all the way at its rear position it wasn't really necessary for 1/2" plywood. Heavier stuff would have needed it to get the cut started. The angle makes it look like that sheet is 12' long, but it's just regular old 8'.

ripping.jpg
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Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
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nuhobby
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by nuhobby »

Wow! Just Wow!!!
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chapmanruss
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by chapmanruss »

That is one SUPER SawSmith. Enjoy
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.
AEA
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by AEA »

Really, Really NICE!
edma194
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Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by edma194 »

Cross cutting 2x12s on the Super Sawsmith 2000. I'm constructing a stairway and cutting boards for framing headers. Soon I'll be cutting stair treads and risers. These are 12 foot boards. There's a roller stand holding up this board hanging off the end. I'm cutting 42" pieces for headers. The long table allows the fence to be more than 48" from the blade. The last picture shows how the sliding blade can travel just enough to cut through a standard 2x12 (1-1/2" X 11-1/4" actual).
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Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
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JPG
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Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Re: Introducing the Super Sawsmith 2000! Or is it the Sawsmith 4000?

Post by JPG »

Sliding blade is a great feature for this application(the workpiece is 'stationary').
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
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