Shopsmith Forums

Now, that's unique. Great idea.

ryanbp01 wrote:I thought maybe it might be a fine time to devote a thread to the many adaptations people have made to their Shopsmiths in order to make woodworking easier.
BPR

When turning bowls, it can save a lot of sanding time if, once the bowl has been shaped using the main spindle, some light finishing cuts are made with the bowl turning in a reverse direction. This can be done even with a non-reversing headstock by fitting a toolrest to the left side and mounting the bowl on the upper auxilary spindle.

Shop Deputy biscuit joiner table
I use the biscuit joiner quite a bit so I made this table a while back out of an old entertainment center and other scrap.It mounts by sliding the extension through it and it stores underneath.only takes a minute to install it.It works great

If there ain't no picture, it does not exist!

Over the years I've made a lot of different jigs / add-ons for my Shopsmith. I'll see if I can list a few of the better ones.
Tail stock brace that's adjustable, left, right and back and forth.
After bending the quill shaft twice I built a way to convert the 5/8" shaft to 1" for turning large items.
Extending the live center and giving the tail stock support more support for large turnings.
Extending the live center past the end of the base to turn long pieces.
Drum sander, I saw on youtube.
beefing up the lathe armrest.
Sanding hood for sanding bowls
Lathe shield for flying chips
Steady rest for the lathe

OMG! Let me count the ways!!!!

Wow!
Those are some very creative mods to the lathe.

The idea I have to share for a Shopsmith "hack" is much simpler, but it did work well for me.

A while back I was given some large (4-6 inches diameter) pieces of lilac. I decided that I would make most of it into turning blanks, but wanted to make small boards out of some of the clear sections. On line and in the magazines I have seen lots of clever and complex devices to hold small logs on the bandsaw for milling, but I wanted something simple, fast, inexpensive and that could be made with materials I had on hand. What I came up with is a tall fence and some clamps. Works great...it easily accommodates different lengths and diameters, is easy to make and easy to use.

I have a little something that I would like to add to this discussion. I call it the "Tweaker". I like to do segmented turning but sometimes the normal jigs o not work out as when in a feature ring and the pieces have to be cut with the piece in the vertical position.
I started by placing a piece of wood in the webbing under the main table. The piece has a "T" nut inserted on the table side. The hole in the block is for a 1/4 20 threaded rod.
The rest of the system consists of a support block made to ride on the way tubes. This support holds a 3/4" dowel with an elongated 1/2" hole drilled through and captivated by two 3/4" conduit clamps. The threaded rod from the under table block has a 1/4- 20 connector bolt threaded onto it and extends from the table through the rotating dowel in the lower support.
To install the system raise the table and move it to the right end of the machine and insert the 1/4 20 rod from the table through the dowel and through the base and lower the table until the base block rests on the way tubes and lock the table height lock. Then loosen the table tilt lock and and tilt the table to the approximate tilt angle. When the connector bolt is in contact with the dowel and the table tilt lock loose the table can be raised and lowered to adjust the tilt and then adjusted to the final angle that is desired. I put the fence on the table to add a bit of weight to take out any play and to have a place to put the Wixie. It will take about 3/4 of a turn of the connector bolt to change the angle by about .1 degree.
I used this gimmick to do my Christmas bowl completely on the Shopsmith Hope someone can use this.
Bill V

Pictures of Shop Deputy biscuit joiner table.It mounts using the extension table tubes