Kreg Miter gauge on the 510 saw table
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- dusty
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calver wrote:Sounds like you got a good reply from Incra. Shopsmith should get with it by offering an optional table by milling their tables to fit 3/4 inch.
Dave C.
Why? Maybe Delta, Powermatic and others should consider milling tables with miter slots that fit Shopsmith Miter Bars. Ridiculous thought, isn't it?
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
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Dusty
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Tony, the more I cogitated on this, the angrier I got. They had no problem milling a bar for me. So, I fired off an email to Kreg's customer service and reminded them of that and kinda chewed on them a little.
You'd think that in this economy, they'd be more than happy to accommodate you.
You'd think that in this economy, they'd be more than happy to accommodate you.
Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton
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- dusty
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pkni wrote:Tony, the more I cogitated on this, the angrier I got. They had no problem milling a bar for me. So, I fired off an email to Kreg's customer service and reminded them of that and kinda chewed on them a little.
You'd think that in this economy, they'd be more than happy to accommodate you.
Would it not be simpler to take an over sized bar to a machine shop and ask them to remill it to the size you want?
Let me warn you though, machine time is not cheap. I had a tube turned down to a smaller diameter for my adjustable out feed table. Cost me $35 and all he did was chuck it in a lathe, set a diameter reading, turned it on and back off and handed me the finished product. Took about 5 minutes.
He put a micrometer on it too; checking his machine I guess. The micrometer read the same as the dial indicator on the lathe.
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Dusty
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- JPG
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Consistency, compatibility with a product stream that exceeds 1/2 century AND precedes the so called johnny come lately "standard". Why they did NOT make it an even .750" I do not know. The .730" is about 18.5 mm so that is not an explanation. I also do not know how many other size 'miter bars' there were then. It is conceivable the bars were 'trued up' 3/4' bar stock. Just enough was milled/ground off to make them true(straight).calver wrote:Dusty,
Just how much does Shopsmith gain by not using 3/4 inch miter slots?
Regards,
Dave C.
SS has always had its loyal followers AND its detractors. These detractors are some of the same folks you are requesting a SS version from. Gene's response was reasonable, but surprising. I wonder what the fallout was after the management found out about it.

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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'/ 10E[/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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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'/ 10E[/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
- dusty
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I am not certain that they actually "gain" anything by being the odd man out but that is really not the question today.calver wrote:Dusty,
Just how much does Shopsmith gain by not using 3/4 inch miter slots?
Regards,
Dave C.
The dimensions of the Shopsmith miter track was set some time back in the late 1940s or early 1950s. If they were to change the miter track now, all existing devices that utilize the bar/track would be incompatible. The new device would not fit the old equipment.
When your brand new Shopsmith Mark V 530 arrives and none of your existing accessories fit because of a change in miter track dimensions, are you going to be pleased? I think not.
I believe this is more the reason than what Shopsmith gains by having an odd size miter. What would they loose by changing to a new pseudo standard miter bar dimension.
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
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Dusty
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Incra-Positive Experience
I bought a generic Miter Express Incra, planning the machining route- or drawfiling it myself. Right about that time, SS started showing Incra products. I called Taylor Designs(Incra) and asked to buy two or three SS compatible bars and they accomodated my request at a reasonable price. I have Kreg and Incra stuff, and workmanship is comparable. Kreg is based in my home state so I would like to stay with them, but they don't appear to be flexible.
An Incra Miter Express is one of the smartest things I have done for my Shopsmith. The cut height loss is a small price- it pairs two companies with reputations for precision. I get that amazing accuracy- BUT-NO GUARD. However, with the clamping features, I feel very safe(still very respectful toward the high injury potential of a tablesaw). My standard tablesaw had an Incra 2000-it went on the Shopsmith and a V27 went on the Ridgid 3650(which, by the way is a great contractors' saw).
I favor vendors who take care of those of us who are "specialists." We are specialists because when we get comfortable with our beloved machines, we can do so many things other good powertool woodworkers would never think of accomplishing. Incra had already proved their worth to me, but gained more loyalty when they included the "Specialists" in their customer base.Mike T.
An Incra Miter Express is one of the smartest things I have done for my Shopsmith. The cut height loss is a small price- it pairs two companies with reputations for precision. I get that amazing accuracy- BUT-NO GUARD. However, with the clamping features, I feel very safe(still very respectful toward the high injury potential of a tablesaw). My standard tablesaw had an Incra 2000-it went on the Shopsmith and a V27 went on the Ridgid 3650(which, by the way is a great contractors' saw).
I favor vendors who take care of those of us who are "specialists." We are specialists because when we get comfortable with our beloved machines, we can do so many things other good powertool woodworkers would never think of accomplishing. Incra had already proved their worth to me, but gained more loyalty when they included the "Specialists" in their customer base.Mike T.
1983 Mark V- beltsander, jigsaw, Stripsander,jointer, bandsaw-double carriage and tables with molders and drums, Over Arm Pin Routers(Freestanding x 2)Second Mark V.

- a1gutterman
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Hi Dave,calver wrote:Dusty,
Just how much does Shopsmith gain by not using 3/4 inch miter slots?
Regards,
Dave C.
Please consider this: SS can knot change the miter slots on all of the tables that are "out there" now. If they were to change it on all new tables, none of the accessories that are "out there" now, intended to work in that track, will work in that track. Every one buying a new table, or a new 530, will also have to buy new accessories (or modify the ones they have). The only thing that SS can do, assuming they were to change the miter slot, is to offer both systems. That will double the tooling, double the inventory, double the expense. I do knot believe that they could afford to do that.
I have found that everything that I need to fit into that track, to use my Mark V to do, can be obtained. In other words, there is nothing that I have found wanting in my SS, due to the miter slot being different. Is there something specific that you want to do with your SS, that you can knot, due to the miter slot being different? If so, post your problem here and "we" will try to solve it for you. Otherwise, what difference does it really make?
It sounds like you do knot like having to have two sets of everything; one set for the SS and one set for "all the other saws". But that is exactly what you are asking SS to do. SS has been using that miter bar slot size for over 60 years. Can those other manufacturers say that? Are you also "hitting" on those companies to change their miter slots to match the SS one?
It is knot about what SS has to gain. I do knot believe they gain a thing. But, they wood lose a lot to make such a change. And so wood owners of all those existing SS's. Just my take on this..feel free to feel differently.
Tim
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Dusty,dusty wrote: The dimensions of the Shopsmith miter track was set some time back in the late 1940s or early 1950s. If they were to change the miter track now, all existing devices that utilize the bar/track would be incompatible. The new device would not fit the old equipment.
Other than the miter bar, what "existing devices that utilize the bar/track" would be incompatible. Also, the 510 miter bar does not fit the 500 without modification. It appears that SS modified the track and bar already and it seemed to work out with users.
In some ways ShopSmith is like Apple Computer. They keep most everything in-house (except Apple doesn't worry that much about backward compatibility).
I don't have a particular problem with the bar/track as they are, but if they were changed it could open up the availability of other manufacturer's devices.
Dick
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