Shopsmith Forums

Geez, I'm sorry about the font size. Don't know how that happened.
I'll quit messin' around.

This is probably the one main gripe I have with the SS table. A non standard miter slot. If I had my wish, it would be that SS make an optional table for thoes who wanted to use standard size accessories. There are a number of digital miter gauges out there now but unfortunately none will fit the SS and the makers of these miter gauges don't seem to think us SS users are professional enough or numerous enough to cater to. Well, I have news. There are a bunch of us. Dusty seems to think that such extreme accuracy has it place. He is right. It has a place right on my SS table. I like new toys but it just seems that all the new toys are made for standard slots. I may not need the accuracy but I want it. I want a choice but the choices are few with SS unless you want to use their accessories.

Arno

weelildaddy wrote:This is probably the one main gripe I have with the SS table. A non standard miter slot. If I had my wish, it would be that SS make an optional table for thoes who wanted to use standard size accessories. There are a number of digital miter gauges out there now but unfortunately none will fit the SS and the makers of these miter gauges don't seem to think us SS users are professional enough or numerous enough to cater to. Well, I have news. There are a bunch of us. Dusty seems to think that such extreme accuracy has it place. He is right. It has a place right on my SS table. I like new toys but it just seems that all the new toys are made for standard slots. I may not need the accuracy but I want it. I want a choice but the choices are few with SS unless you want to use their accessories.

Arno

Shopsmith was started in the 40's or 50's so my guess is Shopsmith was first before the "standard" miter slot came along. I guess if Shopsmith offered a table with the so called standard slot then they would have to offer every miter slot accessory they sold in two different options. Or if they started only offering the standard slot then us old timers would be left out with our units. Would be a bigger problem for Shopsmith than one would think. I think. LOL!!!

I forgot to add I was told by another woodworker that the miter gage above did not rate well in a review. Something about the miter lock not so good.

BTW if anyone finds a review I'd like to see it. I looked around when I posted this and found nothing... but hey its the web and days are like years use to be.

Ed

Here is an email I got from Hartville.

The digital miter gauge is a brand new item and it was designed to match standard 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep miter slots, which would apply to the majority of saws out there. The design of the gauge, and the method by which it operates, would preclude making the bar replaceable. Unfortunately, since Shopsmiths are such a small part of the market, we do not have any current plans to make a dedicated model that would fit.

DARN!

I don't think sanding down the side of the mitre bar would be that big of a job. It isn't like you have to take off an 1/8" or anything like that. I think the difference is a few thousands.
I often sand down t-nuts and such to fit SS.

If you don't want to try that and want the miter gauge check out your local machine shop they could size the bar in a seconds.

We are such a small part of their customer base that they really don't want to mess with us. That is my emotional reaction to a question I asked of Hartville.

I am truly sorry to hear your response. How many Shopsmith owners do you believe there are? I would venture to say that there are far more than you believe. We are a small part of your customer base because of this attitude and not because we are small in number.

> From: sales@hartvilletool.com
> To: dustywoodworker@hotmail.com
> Subject: RE: Information Request From Hartville Tool Website
> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 14:28:54 -0500
>
> Richard,
>
> Thank you for contacting us! Just had someone today ask the identical
> question. The digital miter gauge is a brand new item and it was designed to
> match standard 3/4" wide by 3/8" deep miter slots, which would apply to the
> majority of saws out there.
>
> The design of the gauge, and the method by which it operates, would preclude
> making the bar replaceable. Unfortunately, since Shopsmiths are such a small
> part of the market, we do not have any current plans to make a dedicated
> model that would fit.
>
> Customer Service
> Hartville Tool
>

I had said earlier, who needs it and then I had some second thoughts. I was right to start with. Who needs them. I just trashed my Hartville catalog.

Hi Dusty,

Take a couple of deep breaths and get the catalog out of the wastebasket.

The top dog over at Hartville Tool posts under the name Jason Bare (might be his real name??) over at WoodNet Forums. He seems to be a really nice guy and provides the users from there some good discounts from time to time and you always get 15% off for mentioning the WoodNet Forums on none sale items and always get 20% off none sale Whiteside bits and free shipping after $75.

He is a woodworker and top dog at the company yet he has time to post to that forum, I'm impressed. I have ordered a good deal of items from them over the years and just placed an order last night. They are one of the good companies to order from and I have not had a single problem, ever, no missing items, no nothing.... and in fact I don't recall ever even a backorder!

The bath water might be dirty but I'd check before throwing it out, there might be a baby in there...

Ed

That is an odd coincidence, Ed. I have trouble at woodnet.com also and I didn't know there was a link. Now I don't believe the "top dog" is the cause of my woodnet issue but none the less......