Bandsaw - what do I have...

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:05 pm

I need some help better identifying my Shopsmith bandsaw. It was a craigslist "deal" a while back that I was planning on use with my 10er.

The bandsaw has the aluminum table, not the old cast iron one. It came with a fence, but without a miter gauge. I assumed my existing miter would work, but that's not the case. Looking closer, I see the aluminum table has a T-slot for the miter track. I'm not familiar with this, as the 10er doesn't have any T-slots. Also, the fence has a T-slot along the top.

[ATTACH]12547[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]12546[/ATTACH]

So, my questions are these:

Is this fence from a Mark V version of Shopsmith or is it unique to this version of the bandsaw?

If part of the Mark V, could I (should I) mount a Mark V table to the 10er?

Is the T-slot a standard size?

Thanks in advance!
(and WOW, that was quite the process getting pics added to a post...)

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:20 pm

Underdog wrote:I need some help better identifying my Shopsmith bandsaw. It was a craigslist "deal" a while back that I was planning on use with my 10er.

The bandsaw has the aluminum table, not the old cast iron one. It came with a fence, but without a miter gauge. I assumed my existing miter would work, but that's not the case. Looking closer, I see the aluminum table has a T-slot for the miter track. I'm not familiar with this, as the 10er doesn't have any T-slots. Also, the fence has a T-slot along the top.

[ATTACH]12547[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]12546[/ATTACH]

So, my questions are these:

Is this fence from a Mark V version of Shopsmith or is it unique to this version of the bandsaw?

If part of the Mark V, could I (should I) mount a Mark V table to the 10er?

Is the T-slot a standard size?

Thanks in advance!
(and WOW, that was quite the process getting pics added to a post...)

The fence is the standard Shopsmith bandsaw fence for bandsaws with the aluminum table. As far as miter slots go. Your 10ER is not the standard 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide, but it is close. It is at least 3/4" wide by not as deep as the standard. Now the Mark V and all of the miter slots on the special purpose tools like the bandsaw are slightly narrower than 3/4". So accessories designed for the standard miter slot do not work. And, since your 10ER miter bar is also 3/4" wide, it will not fit in the bandsaw miter slot. Lastly you cannot mount a Mark V work table directly to a 10er without some significant modifications.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:27 pm

Underdog wrote:I need some help better identifying my Shopsmith bandsaw. It was a craigslist "deal" a while back that I was planning on use with my 10er.

The bandsaw has the aluminum table, not the old cast iron one. It came with a fence, but without a miter gauge. I assumed my existing miter would work, but that's not the case. Looking closer, I see the aluminum table has a T-slot for the miter track. I'm not familiar with this, as the 10er doesn't have any T-slots. Also, the fence has a T-slot along the top.

[ATTACH]12547[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]12546[/ATTACH]

So, my questions are these:

Is this fence from a Mark V version of Shopsmith or is it unique to this version of the bandsaw?

If part of the Mark V, could I (should I) mount a Mark V table to the 10er?

Is the T-slot a standard size?

Thanks in advance!
(and WOW, that was quite the process getting pics added to a post...)

You have a Mark 5/V/VII/7 vintage bandsaw. The miter gauge slot is normal for those. The fence is the upgraded version for the bandsaw. It resembles a 510, but has a different front clamp.

The bandsaw does not come with a miter gauge. The assumption is that you will already have one for the SS.

As you have 'discovered' the miter gauge bar for a model 10 is different(3/4") from the later models.

The t slot is the same as on 505 - 520 tables(as is the slot on the top of the fence).

Getting it mounted/coupled to a model 10 is not easy(but possible).

The older cast iron table will also have the MarkX narrower slot.

Not sure how or why mounting a MarkX table to the model 10 would help.

Spt mounts and coupler hubs were produced for the model 10, but they are scarce and therefore expensive.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:35 pm

Gotta ask! What is the white coupler attached to?

[ATTACH]12548[/ATTACH]

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:46 pm

So, if I picked up a Mark V miter I could use that with this bandsaw, right?

--Not sure how or why mounting a MarkX table to the model 10 would help.--

I was thinking one set of fence/miter would be better than having separate ones for the 10er and the bandsaw.

--Spt mounts and coupler hubs were produced for the model 10, but they are scarce and therefore expensive--

True. Fortunately between MKCTools in Texas and eBay there are alternatives.

Right now I've got the bandsaw mounted to a custom mount made by MKCTools. It works great, unless I want to put the jointer headrest on. Then I can't use it. I have an idea to fix this, but I don't weld. I think my bracket would allow me to use all the SPTs and the jointer headrest all at once, I just need someone who can weld to talk me through my idea.

Also, the bandsaw is run off a custom part that I also got from MKCTools. It consists of a bored out pulley on the headstock, under the pulley is a hollowed out "drive shaft" that sits over the existing shaft, on which I can mount the drive spline for the plastic power coupler (hopefully that makes sense).

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:05 pm

JPG40504 wrote:You have a Mark 5/V/VII/7 vintage bandsaw. The miter gauge slot is normal for those. The fence is the upgraded version for the bandsaw. It resembles a 510, but has a different front clamp.

The bandsaw does not come with a miter gauge. The assumption is that you will already have one for the SS.

As you have 'discovered' the miter gauge bar for a model 10 is different(3/4") from the later models.

The t slot is the same as on 505 - 520 tables(as is the slot on the top of the fence).

Getting it mounted/coupled to a model 10 is not easy(but possible).

The older cast iron table will also have the MarkX narrower slot.

Not sure how or why mounting a MarkX table to the model 10 would help.

Spt mounts and coupler hubs were produced for the model 10, but they are scarce and therefore expensive.

It looks to me like underdog has the bandsaw mounted and coupled. Least it sure looks like it is sitting on a model and and it is coupled.

And, yes a standard Mark V miter gauge would work with your bandsaw.

Underdog · Post by **Underdog** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:18 pm

I've got the bandsaw mounted alright, but he's talking about mounting the table from the Mark V to the 10er... I've not done that...

Was thinking it would let me use the same fence and miter on both the tablesaw and bandsaw. I'm learning that the fences will be different no matter what as the tables are different sizes... The miters would be the same however..

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:24 pm

SDSSmith wrote:It looks to me like underdog has the bandsaw mounted and coupled. Least it sure looks like it is sitting on a model and and it is coupled.

And, yes a standard Mark V miter gauge would work with your bandsaw.

I could not tell if that was a working setup or an almost so.

Seems he did not ask about that!:o