Adjustable leg height for Mark V

chrisxu · Post by **chrisxu** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:56 pm

I would welcome a drawing/plan to raise/place my shopsmith on a platform(s) so the center point of the Quill is @ elbow height. In my case 48 above the floor.

Chrisxu@morrisbb.net

berry · Post by **berry** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:14 pm

basaltboy wrote:I, too, have found the table saw to be too high for my tastes. 6-8" higher than the Craftsman saw I was using. I bough a pair of legs off Ebay and cut them down (6") and am much happier with the height except for lathe work. The casters still attach to the short legs and I have taken to simply lifting each end and setting the it on a 4x4 when I intend to spend a long time at the lathe. I am toying with a design for easily adjustable height legs but still haven't got it figured yet.
--pat

Can you post some pics and give us a little detail about how you shortened the legs, please? Thanks.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:45 pm

chrisxu wrote:I would welcome a drawing/plan to raise/place my shopsmith on a platform(s) so the center point of the Quill is @ elbow height. In my case 48 above the floor.

Chrisxu@morrisbb.net

You might want to check out the July/August issue of The Home Shop Machinist. In this issue the author details the risers that he installed on his Mark V. The article includes dimensional details for the riser.

What he did was cut each of the original legs and then install an insert of the appropriate size for the desired increase in elevation.

mgdesigns · Post by **mgdesigns** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:21 am

Here's an idea - make the legs pivot inward and outward to adjust the height of the way tubes by making a longer or shorter overall footprint. This old thing needs to be re-thunk - again. Ergonomics was not even a word in the 1950's, so we need to be innovative here.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:34 am

mgdesigns wrote:Here's an idea - make the legs pivot inward and outward to adjust the height of the way tubes by making a longer or shorter overall footprint. This old thing needs to be re-thunk - again. Ergonomics was not even a word in the 1950's, so we need to be innovative here.

Do not get too 'innovative' re pulling the legs in to increase the height. That increases the 'top heavyness' while simultaneously decreasing the foot print(less stability).

Going out/down be OK!:rolleyes:

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:35 am

You know, it always amazes me how these discussions evolve and so seldom is there a wood working solution.

If the Mark V is not at the right height, just take the two legs off and set it on the floor in your shop. Now it is too low. To solve that, use your wood working talent to built "something" of the right height for it to sit on.

While you are designing this "something", don't forget storage AND don't overlook the lift assist. The lift assist uses some of the space below the bench tubes.

Yes, I know. It is now too low to be used for turning. I believe that this problem was also a challenge to the original designer and what we have today is a compromise. Now we have to do something about that. Either use it as it is or 'change it' to fit our most pressing needs.

There shall never be a solution that is right for everyone.

tdubnik · Post by **tdubnik** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:55 am

If you build your own, it shouldn't be too difficult to make the height adjustable. Hereis an example of a commercial model and if you Google "adjustable height table or workbench" you will find many others.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:17 am

tdubnik wrote:If you build your own, it shouldn't be too difficult to make the height adjustable. Hereis an example of a commercial model and if you Google "adjustable height table or workbench" you will find many others.

For those prices, one could get three(or more) used SS and set up each one for whatever height/operation was needed(eliminates need to 'jack' it up and down also:rolleyes:). All that is needed is space for three(or more) bicycles!:D

MikeG · Post by **MikeG** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:11 pm

I agree the tables are too expensive, but how about building a lift table for support? I have used commercial lift tables that have a lot of stability. A search for lift tables turned up plans for motorcycle lift tables. Here is and example of one. These require metal working, but if they will hold a Harley the design should be able to be adjusted to hold a SS at any height you might want. Just food for thought.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:48 pm

tdubnik wrote:If you build your own, it shouldn't be too difficult to make the height adjustable. Hereis an example of a commercial model and if you Google "adjustable height table or workbench" you will find many others.

This looks like it could be adapted to what we are discussing with very little effort BUT the price is prohibitive (at least for me). However, what we are talking about requires a rather short range of motion. This might reduce cost:rolleyes:.

Another one of these tables, set up on the outfeed side of the Mark V, could be used as a height adjustable outfeed table:D.

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