Tilting the 520 the other way…

[camerio]

I have a 520 up to date, but I have always ask myself this question.
I find the double tilt kit too expansive and I never see anyone selling this package. And still no distributor in Canada….
But I see often on offer parts for sale and do you think that buying the tilting end and putting it to the end that lock that it would work for being able to tilt it the other way, making it a router table …. I know that you need something to also change as far as the table supports not ready to be turn around and working up and down…
Did someone ever tried this?

[chapmanruss]

camerio,

I have seen posts of owner's trying to make Double Tilt Ends out of the conventional Base and Arm Bench Ends successfully.

It is not just the Double Tilt Bench Ends that are needed to do under table routing and shaping. The Table Posts included for the Double Tilt Upgrade have the gear teeth on both sides so the Table can be reversed.

Because the Double Tilt upgrade is something newer it is less likely to be sold on the used market. The conventional Bench Ends are for sale often and some have likely been replaced by the Double Tilt Upgrade on Mark V's.

A couple of considerations for you. If you don't do a lot of Routing or Shaping on you Mark V 520, I wouldn't add the Double Tilt Upgrade. The Conventional Headstock is slow for doing Routing and Shaping. Over table Routing and Shaping can be done on your Mark V 520. Even with a Power Pro Headstock the speed is still slow for Routing and shaping. You could consider a Router Table as an alternative.

[camerio]

Thank you Ross, you gave me enough and I appreciate it. Consideration like the speed for routing is enough to seriously not go that way.

[tdorey]

With double tilt you also loose the ability to keep attachment tools on your SS when converting. For me I like leaving the bandsaw on the machine all the time. Even the belt sander.

[chapmanruss]

tdorey is correct with the following,

With double tilt you also loose the ability to keep attachment tools on your SS when converting.

Many Shopsmith users like having the Jointer mounted for use when using the Table Saw function.

If you want to do under table Routing or Shaping there is another option, but it now has to be found on the used market. The Speed Increaser runs at up to 10,000 RPMs almost doubling the Conventional Headstock speed. Prior to getting the Power Pro upgrade I used it for under table Routing but as I said before it is still slow for Routing and Shaping. Below is my Speed Increaser on my Mark V 520.

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Speed Increaser on my 520.jpg (101.73 KiB) Viewed 12626 times