Shopsmith Forums

FWIW I have two aluminum table bandsaws.

I recently purchased a Cast iron table and intend to swap one out.

Then I will be able to compare.

One advantage of the CI table is you can leave the bandsaw mounted and still raise to vertical with the original SPT posts.

I have two bandsaws. The first one I aquired with the purchase of my 520. It had the aluminum table and I added the Shopsmith edition Kreg band saw fence (no longer available). Later, as part of the acquisition of some other SPTSs I wanted, I got a second band saw with the cast iron table. After experimenting with the cast iron table, I now leave a resaw blade on the aluminum table and use leave a smaller 1/8th inch blade on the cast iron table.

Here is my take: If I had only one band saw, I would not care which table it had. I would not spend money to upgrade a cast iron table to aluminum and I would not get rid of the aluminum table to go with cast iron. You really don't get any change in functionality that is worth it, in my opinion.

Use the money on something else -- more band saw blades?

JPG wrote:FWIW I have two aluminum table bandsaws.

I recently purchased a Cast iron table and intend to swap one out.

Then I will be able to compare.

One advantage of the CI table is you can leave the bandsaw mounted and still raise to vertical with the original SPT posts.

What do you define as the original posts. The posts that came with my original bandsaw allow me to go vertical without removing the bandsaw. I bought that bandsaw in the early nineties.

dusty wrote:

JPG wrote:FWIW I have two aluminum table bandsaws.

I recently purchased a Cast iron table and intend to swap one out.

Then I will be able to compare.

One advantage of the CI table is you can leave the bandsaw mounted and still raise to vertical with the original SPT posts.

What do you define as the original posts. The posts that came with my original bandsaw allow me to go vertical without removing the bandsaw. I bought that bandsaw in the early nineties.

Eccentric_Short.jpg

I will take yer word that the eccentric post can be positioned to provide clearance(I ain't tried it). However my first bandasw had straight tubes so I needed the offest type. I assume you need not tilt the table to do this.

Maybe I need to 'experiment'!

Dusty I am surprised and skeptical to hear that you can get the Shopsmith vertical with the aluminum table bandsaw mounted on normal eccentric tubes without having to at least tilt the bandsaw table. I know I can't.

If you truly can, it raises the question of why is Shopsmith selling these special "bandsaw" eccentric tubes, https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... gtubes.htm, which they advertise as the solution to getting the Shopsmith vertical "without having to remove the bandsaw from its mount."??

Grumble Grumble Grumble.

Terminology freak out.

Eccentric(like a cam) describes the new style spt mounting posts.

Offset describes the 'fix' for inadequate clearance with the larger aluminum table.

Whooeee was this a goof!!! AAIU it the problem was 'discovered' at a product release news conference.

Terminology aside, with the aluminum table bandsaw mounted on the normal eccentric tubes it ships with, I cannot raise the Shopsmith vertical unless I first tilt the aluminum bandsaw table to its maximum tilt. The special eccentric or offset tubes if you prefer that I linked to, above, solve that problem but create another: a bouncy bandsaw.

algale wrote:Dusty I am surprised and skeptical to hear that you can get the Shopsmith vertical with the aluminum table bandsaw mounted on normal eccentric tubes without having to at least tilt the bandsaw table. I know I can't.

If you truly can, it raises the question of why is Shopsmith selling these special "bandsaw" eccentric tubes, https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... gtubes.htm, which they advertise as the solution to getting the Shopsmith vertical "without having to remove the bandsaw from its mount."??

Those are not the tubes that I have. I linked to a Sketchup of what I have. I should have included dimensions but I did not. The tubes I have are one piece (nothing to flex) and are made from the same dimension tubing as are my main table legs.

It is likely the offset (see my sketch) that makes the bandsaw table clear the tie bar when going vertical.

dusty wrote:

algale wrote:Dusty I am surprised and skeptical to hear that you can get the Shopsmith vertical with the aluminum table bandsaw mounted on normal eccentric tubes without having to at least tilt the bandsaw table. I know I can't.

If you truly can, it raises the question of why is Shopsmith selling these special "bandsaw" eccentric tubes, https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... gtubes.htm, which they advertise as the solution to getting the Shopsmith vertical "without having to remove the bandsaw from its mount."??

Those are not the tubes that I have. I linked to a Sketchup of what I have. I should have included dimensions but I did not. The tubes I have are one piece (nothing to flex) and are made from the same dimension tubing as are my main table legs.

It is likely the offset (see my sketch) that makes the bandsaw table clear the tie bar when going vertical.

I have the same tubes you illustrate in sketchup on my aluminum table bandsaw and I cannot raise to vertical without tilting the aluminum table.

Readjust the eccentrics so as to move the bandsaw (to the left) away from the headstock end. If a remember correctly thiswill be 180 degree rotation of the eccentrics. Before you call that done, make sure that the hub still lines up laterally.

Just to help you become a believer I attached a couple very fresh photos even though it is 110 degrees in the shop. Have faith man. I try not to mislead anyone.