I finally upgraded from 500 to 510

[dusty]

Hi Dusty, it's both those issues. one corner in the front is lower than the main table, and now there is a slight binding when I try to insert a bar. it was worse before I loosened the tubes and slid the bar in.
As for the lower corner, I did try shims, but it still didn't bring it level to the main. I'll order a manual and DVDtoday, so I will get into that when they come. As I say I don't plan to cut any large pieces any time soon. Also, since the corner in the front is lower, I feel that's the best possible imperfection and one that I can still work with if I needed to.
Now I have another question about the miter guage. On the 500 table I would square the guage up by laying it upside down on the back side of the table and but the guage to the table with the bar in the miter slot. the grooves are on a perfect 90° to the back and it was a quick way to align the miter guage. The question is: can I still do something like that with the 510 table? I don't think using the bar to square the face of the miter guage is a good idea.

For many years I set my miter gauge to 90° that very same way. The accuracy, however, is a function of how square the extension rails are with respect to the miter slot. I have now become overly dependent on either the Wixey Angle Gauge or the MiterSet to calibrate the miter gauge.

[dusty]

Well, those videos were a good start. I got my main table adjusted right on, and the fence is perfect, but the extension table isn't lining up quite right. It's fine for now because I don't have any large cuts planned for the near future. I'll wait for the manual to come and read through it for more info on alignment.

I do the extension tables probably different than anyone else. Because of my knees, I work standing up if I can. To align the main table to the extension or floating table I would take them off the Mark V and put them upside down on a flat surface. I use my work bench.

With them in that position, orientate them side by-by-side and clamp them together just to maintain the relative position. Loosen the thumbscrews and the nuts that secure the rails to the tables. Now insert the extension tubes into the rails (front and rear) and tighten the thumb screws. Notice how the tubes reposition themselves in the rails. The rails are, at this time, aligned to one another via their being attached to the extension tubes.

The extension tubes must be straight for this to work. If in doubt about the tubes, roll them on your bench. If they are not straight it will be very evident.

Finger tighten all of the nuts that secure the rails to the tables and check to see that the rails are all the same distance off the top surface of the work bench. Extreme accuracy is NOT required but the closer the better. Tighten the nuts down firmly.

Loosen the thumbscrews and slide the extension tubes out of the rails. They should slide very easily. If they do not, obviously you have a problem and some detective work will be required to determine why. But I doubt that you will have a problem.

With minor modifications this same procedure can be done without removing the main table to the work bench. I just love to take advantage of the flat surface I have on my work bench.

[dusty]

To accomplish this, I loosen the nuts that secure the Extension Table to the Extension Table Base. If not already there, install the Extension Table Base onto the Mark Five. Slide the Main Table close to the Extension Table. Install extension tubes into the Main Table and slide them out far enough to allow their insertion into the "floating" extension table rails. You will likely have to adjust the height of the Extension Table Base to make this possible.

The Extension Table should be very loose at this time; you can move it all around. Secure the Thumb Screws to secure the Extension Table to the extension tubes. Elevate the Extension Table Base up so as to be just below the Extension Table and lock it in place.

All that is left to do is secure the extension table to the extension table base. Run the upper (4) nuts down so as to be finger tight against the extension table base. Run the lower (4) nuts up so as to be finger tight against the extension table base. The extension table is now in place. After making certain that the upper nuts are finger tight, secure the lower nuts using a wrench.

Loosen all of the thumb screws and slide the extension tubes in and out. They should move very easily.

Lay a straight edge (I use a 5' level) across the tables to verify that they are all in the same plane.

I failed to mention this in the beginning but the Main Table must be at zero degrees (level) for this procedure to work on the Mark V. If it is not, after all of the rail nuts are tightened, the tubes will have been put in a bind and you may not be able to pull them out of the table rails. If that happens, it is do over time. No @#$%^& allowed.

[dasgud]

Dusty, Thank you for your explanation. It did help a lot and now my tubes don't bind. While I had my tables upside down on my bench I realized that I set my table to be parallel to the quill feed and that set the tubes at an angle to the extension table. I didn't loosen the bolts holding the tubes on the main table. Well, laying both tables flat and loosening all the bolts and then re-tightening everything set it all right.