Shopsmith Forums

damagi wrote:

jsburger wrote: I would like to see a picture with the shorter tubes. I thought I might have to do that.

jsburger wrote: I used the 18" pieces of bench tubes I cut off when I made my shorty. My initial feeling was that they may be a little too long given the front leg sticks out past the table a bit and would interfere with standing at the drill press. As it turns out, when I stand at the drill press I tend to stand a bit to the right and my left foot fits under the opening in the leg and my right foot sits to the right of the leg. It works quite naturally so I haven't felt a great need to disassemble the machine and shorten the way tubes.

Yeah, that was my feelings too. It wasn't horrible, but I felt like it could be better. In theory, having the two sets of legs almost touching is probably the best setup in terms of foot position. However, my concern was instability. What I have now seems to be a good compromise.

jsburger wrote: I see you are using a set of fixed table tubes with the connecting bracket for front table support. I used the main table tubes that are replaced when you do the MK 7 double tilt upgrade. The problem was that if you move the table you need three hands to adjust both tubes and tighten the lock. I ended up using a 1/4" dowel through the original attachment pin holes in the end of the tubes. Works great.

Since I have done a lot of repairs and such of older units, I had the fixed table from a 500 just lying around. Right now I am using it as-is, but have considered adding a small chunk of wood on top to prevent damage to the table itself and perhaps add leveling capability.

jsburger wrote: I don't move the headstock (yet). I installed a SS table raiser cylinder and move the table instead. The headstock is set a bit high (an inch or two) for normal drilling. Then if I use a longer bit I just move the table with the table raiser. 90% of the time I don't have to move anything. Because the headstock is reversed on the way tubes the table raiser brackets don't mount according to the instructions but the mount just fine anyway.

I also toyed with using a lead screw attached to the tie bar and the headstock casting. I think it is perfectly doable but I am not sure it is worth the effort since I almost never move the headstock.

Interesting. I had considered picking up the table raiser. I am younger and more physically fit compared to your average SS user, so the weight isn't really the issue...moreso a convenience factor.

jsburger wrote: Yes I was cleaning some 10ER tubes for a dedicated 10ER drill press for a friend. Got the 10ER for $50. There was no bench or accessories but that was all that was needed for a dedicated drill press.

That's the same setup I used a while back. The guy had left his 500 outside in the pacific northwest in a carport...ugh, that was an adventure. I like your wooden plug. I ended up using a rubber plug from NAPA that was the right size. I got one for the way tubes, one for the bench tubes. Worked great.

beeg wrote:OK, I've read many times here about 10ER tubes are heavier. Just how much is the weight difference?

beeg wrote:OK, I've read many times here about 10ER tubes are heavier. Just how much is the weight difference?

jsburger wrote:

beeg wrote:OK, I've read many times here about 10ER tubes are heavier. Just how much is the weight difference?

As JPG said the wall thickness is 3/16" as opposed to the MK V tubes that are 1/8" thick. When you get them in your hands there is a significant difference in my opinion. At the end if the day does it really make any difference since the MK V thin tubes have been around for 60+ years? Probably not, but more is always better and I will use them every time. I have them on my full size MK 7 Power pro and my dedicated MK V drill press.

One thing to remember, the 10ER in it's later years had the thin 1/8" tubes. So if someone is selling 10ER tubes you need to ask if they are thick tubes if that is what you want.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:

jsburger wrote:

beeg wrote:OK, I've read many times here about 10ER tubes are heavier. Just how much is the weight difference?

As JPG said the wall thickness is 3/16" as opposed to the MK V tubes that are 1/8" thick. When you get them in your hands there is a significant difference in my opinion. At the end if the day does it really make any difference since the MK V thin tubes have been around for 60+ years? Probably not, but more is always better and I will use them every time. I have them on my full size MK 7 Power pro and my dedicated MK V drill press.

One thing to remember, the 10ER in it's later years had the thin 1/8" tubes. So if someone is selling 10ER tubes you need to ask if they are thick tubes if that is what you want.

I had never heard about 10ER's with 1/8" tube walls. It got me curious enough to go downstairs and measure my two 10E/R machines. The oldest one is a very early 10E with a sand-cast headstock, serial number 1750, which dates it to 1947. The first year of manufacture. Tube wall thickness measures 0.175".

My "newer" 10ER is serial number 85493, dating it to 1952. Tube wall thickness measures 0.210".

When did the thinner tubes appear?

JPG wrote: Make sure you account for internal burrs when measuring.

JPG wrote:My humongous sample of 1 also measured about .2". I assumed a burr and called it 3/16". When I polished them, I used a 1 3/8" core plug for an arbor.

So 13/64?