Where Does One Begin?

[dusty]

What are the initial steps that must be completed to end up with a "perfectly aligned" Shopsmith Mark V?

Can this question be answered or is it too subjective?

Is it necessary for the Mark V to be resting on a perfectly level floor and if it is not, is it necessary to do anything to make it (the Mark V) level?

Is there a single "point of reference" from which all other alignments will be determined?

Regressing just a little bit to the initial question: When making these alignments, just how accurate is "accurate enough"?

[JPG]

What are the initial steps that must be completed to end up with a "perfectly aligned" Shopsmith Mark V?

Can this question be answered or is it too subjective?

Is it necessary for the Mark V to be resting on a perfectly level floor and if it is not, is it necessary to do anything to make it (the Mark V) level?

Is there a single "point of reference" from which all other alignments will be determined?

Regressing just a little bit to the initial question: When making these alignments, just how accurate is "accurate enough"?

I'll TRY with some 'IMHO's.

Floor level - If the floor is NOT level, the SS legs will tend to compensate up to a point(no I do not know where that point is except for what follows)by flexing slightly. If the four 'feet' of the legs are not then ALL against the floor, the frame(tubes and end castings) will TEND to twist(The frame MAY hold a foot(or two) off the floor!). If the frame DOES twist, it will rotate about an axis parallel to its length(end cap to end cap). Any non-levelness causing tilt(equal at BOTH ends or sides) will not affect anything except the levelness of the table etc. Anything placed on the SS will increase these effects due to the additional weight.

1) Table flatness[shimming mounting bolts/nuts].[not to be confused with level]

2) Miter slot to blade[shaft perpendicular to slot].

3...) Rails to table(only to correct any manufacturing variations that result in inconsistencies from main table to floating and extension tables or misalignment).[rails perpendicular to miter slot AND at the correct height AND front/rear parallel AND an equal distance apart]. WHEW! Perhaps that IS more than ONE step. The sequence probably should be 1)Rails perpendicular to miter slot. 2) Rail height (across front and back). 3)Front rear distance(shimming spacers). 4)Equalizing all tables(front to rear).[More shimming]

4) Fence parallel to main table miter slot.[perpendicular to shaft]. Hopefully the previous action taken to 'equalize' the other tables will result in the fence being 'correctly aligned' when used on them! The rear rail clamp adjustment(4a).

5) Table tilt stops.

2 and 3 may be interchanged sequentially.

WHAT did I leave out? What is OUT of sequence? What is just plain WRONG? "WE" need not be mis-directing others1;)

I will leave it to others as to how accurate is accurate enough, except to say that what is reasonably attained with reasonable effort(squinting?) that does not result in defective output is 'adequate'. However the effort must be done with a good as I can get it attitude.

[charlese]

What are the initial steps that must be completed to end up with a "perfectly aligned" Shopsmith Mark V?...

Is it necessary for the Mark V to be resting on a perfectly level floor and if it is not, is it necessary to do anything to make it (the Mark V) level?

Is there a single "point of reference" from which all other alignments will be determined?

Regressing just a little bit to the initial question: When making these alignments, just how accurate is "accurate enough"?

Dusty - et al: In order to answer this quiz. I'll have to define a term - "perfectly aligned". My definition will be: "Perfectly aligned" means aligned to an accuracy that will allow the user to produce SQUARE CUTS with the saw and vertical holes with the drill press and the horizontal bore operation.

With this definition - the first question can be answered simply. Initially there is a need to align the miter slots with the saw blade. Then make the main table square to the saw blade. Next go to drilling position and insert a bent wire into the drill chuck. Make sure the bottom tip of the wire is equidistant to the main table during all 360 degrees of rotation.

You now have an aligned Shopsmith.

Next you must check and true the alignment of the miter gauge and the rip fence. But this is not necessary for alignment of the Shopsmith, just the gauge and fence.

Necessary to be on a perfectly level floor? NO! A very uneven floor may change orientation of the extension table, but such will probably not affect alignment enough to change the quality of cut.

A single point of reference? Yes! = Main table to blade.

What's accurate enough? This can be answered by checking the square of your cuts! Not necessarily the accuracy, but the SQUARENESS! Accuracy has to do with the operator, not the machine!

[dlbristol]

I am just "gonna shut up and listen"! I'd bet you guys are about as good at this as anyone. Keep this one going for a while, I for one can use the info. Thanks.

[beeg]

Initially there is a need to align the miter slots with the saw blade. Then make the main table square to the saw blade.

Excuse me for this statement I'm about to make here. But If ya do it in that order. Wood it knot throw off the miter slot alignment?

[catfaber]

Excuse me for this statement I'm about to make here. But If ya do it in that order. Wood it knot throw off the miter slot alignment?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that as long as the axis of rotation of the table is parallel to the miter slot, it shouldn't.

[JPG]

Charlese is correct. By making the miter gauge slot parallel with the blade(actually perpendicular to the shaft) the axis of rotation will be also parallel with the blade. We are dependent upon the trunion pivots being also parallel with the blade(No way to adjust it).

Charlese's second adjustment was adjusting the 0° stop of the tilt table. There is NO adjustment to 'square the table to the blade' except for the tilt stop(vertical blade to table top). Thus adjusting the miter gauge slot parallel to the blade is the only horizontal adjustment of the table to the blade.

His third step was to adjust the table in its rotated 90°(drill press mode) position(the stop bolts).

I also feel the fence parallel to the miter gauge slot, the miter gauge 90°,±45° and the table tilt are independent and may be done independently of any other adjustment(in any order).

[beeg]

Well I THOUGHT I misunderstood him. Guess what? I DID.

[robinson46176]

I just love common sense and this thread is exhibiting that...

[dusty]

I think the beginning of this procedure is with the blade. There are many (and more accurate) ways to do this but it is necessary to ascertain that the blade does not wobble.

The technical term is runout.

I am only performing a quick and dirty test to determine if I want to proceed with a total alignment of the Mark V. If the blade does not rotate in a single plane, there is no need to go further. I normally use a Wixey for this test but here I am using a newly acquired digital level.

With the level attached to the blade, take a reading. Holding the level in the same position, rotate the blade a small amount and take another reading. Do this multiple times. If the blade is NOT running true, the readings will differ. The greater the deviation the greater the problem. It would be nice, in an absolute world, to get 0.0 degree readings at every point of rotation.

I accept .2 degrees as an acceptable deviation. If blade orientation doesn't pass this test with flying colors, STOP. There is a problem that must be corrected.

The Single Point of Reference: I consider the face of the blade to be the single point of reference for all other table alignments. There might be debate on this but that is my personal viewpoint.