Shopsmith Forums

charlese wrote:As a group of Shopsmith users we are quite diverse!

Just wanted to say my 510 is accurate enough to produce anything I need. Just bought a new 510 fence to replace the original one which had been dropped on concrete many times and has a broken fence base.

Interesting - the old fence is still square to the blade, but the new one is prettier.

I haven't yet found a need to switch to a 520. Maybe some day, I'll want to switch, but I'll very unlikely need to change.

A lot depends on the type of work, the disposition of the operator and the end market if there is one.
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Someone here has used the statement at least once that "It is as accurate as you are"... I liked that one.
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I tend to work a little like the Router Workshop guys... Eye ball... Test cut... Tap with a mallet to tweak... Test again... "CLOSE ENOUGH... Cut it!!!" Move on the the next job.
I don't like tedious, life can be tedious... "Tedious" is not my hobby, Machining is not my hobby. "Working wood" is my hobby. And horses, and writing, and genealogy, and history, and photography, and old tractors, and tractor shows, and traveling, and guns, and... and... and...
I want to live life, not just use it up.

I just had this dilemma on whether to upgrade the 510 to a 520. The cost and waiting time to get the upgrade (not a stock item) was a big factor in not doing it. I could not get Shopsmith to commit to when they could ship it so I bought a closeout Sears table saw with a Bieyesmeyer fence for a few hundred more so it was a no brainer.

graftdesign wrote:I just had this dilemma on whether to upgrade the 510 to a 520. The cost and waiting time to get the upgrade (not a stock item) was a big factor in not doing it. I could not get Shopsmith to commit to when they could ship it so I bought a closeout Sears table saw with a Bieyesmeyer fence for a few hundred more so it was a no brainer.

And the 510 is still a good saw if you want to run two saw set-ups at once.

I am not one to post on this forum but read it regularly and I thought I should add my experience with the with both fence systems.

I have the Incra® TSIII Ultra Fence System for the Shopsmith that I picked up on Ebay about a year ago. About 6 months ago I pick up the 520 upgrade for my Shopsmith (also purchased on Ebay). Both systems do a great job. However the Incra TSIII requires more set up time when you put it back on the Shopsmith. The 520 fence system is quicker to set up and once adjusted it does a great job. If you are one to change set up operations (Lathe work, drilling and other), the 520 fence is easier to set up and store. However, if you leave the Shopsmith in the table saw set up, then the Incra would be a good option.

I've built cabinets with both fence systems and cannot tell the difference.

Note: I also have an Incra fence system and router lift on my router table. Using a Incra fence system (or JointTech fence) on a router table really makes fine woodworking much easier.

The workshop tool junkie.