Shopsmith Forums

dusty wrote:On my main machine, the Way Tubes are not parallel to the Bench Tubes.

I took readings a couple times today to ascertain that. In the following I have recorded the distance from the top of the Way Tubes to the under side of the Way Tubes. If they were parallel, these four numbers would be nearly identical.

I took the readings on the four corners where the separation is dictated by the Base Assembly and the Headrest.

The readings are as follows:

................LT Side.......RT Side

INFEED........6 1/64".......5 7/8"

OUTFEED.....6 11/64".....5 5/8"

I am uncertain what this all means except that the assumption that the tubes are all parallel to one another is not a safe assumption.

Your original pix showed 'top of way tubes to top of bench tubes(- horizontal square(bench tubes) thickness)'.

JPG40504 wrote:Your original pix showed 'top of way tubes to top of bench tubes(- horizontal square(bench tubes) thickness)'.

I was using two framing squares which was a bit clumsy.

I did these measurements using something else.

[ATTACH]18091[/ATTACH]

The idea is consistent from measurement to measurement.

dusty wrote:I was using two framing squares which was a bit clumsy.

I did these measurements using something else.

[ATTACH]18091[/ATTACH]

The idea is consistent from measurement to measurement.

"distance from top of WAY tubes to underside of WAY tubes"???

JPG40504 wrote:"distance from top of WAY tubes to underside of BENCH tubes"???

You really do read my posts.

JPG40504 wrote:"distance from top of BENCH tubes to underside of WAY tubes"???

I'll learn which is which one of these days. I hope.

dusty wrote:I was using two framing squares which was a bit clumsy.

How about using a dial indicator?

beeg wrote:How about using a dial indicator?

I don't know how to use the one I have to measure in between those tubes or I would.

If you can do it, please post a picture so I can learn how.

dusty wrote:I don't know how to use the one I have to measure in between those tubes or I would.

If you can do it, please post a picture so I can learn how.

Yes sir I also would like to learn how. Jim

dusty wrote:Contrary to my longtime assumptions, the bench tubes are not parallel to the way tubes. I don't know if this is by design or if my two machines are screwed up.

[ATTACH]18082[/ATTACH], [ATTACH]18083[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]18084[/ATTACH]

I don't know if you ever got to the bottom of this Dusty, but mine aren't either. And I have a hunch I know why in my case.

After disassembling and reassembling the base tonight I noticed something that I had not noticed before: my bench tubes do not sit perfectly centered vertically within the holes in the base arm casting but do sit centered vertically within the holes in the headrest casting.

After examining the situation, the only thing I can surmise is that the internal ribbing in the base arm and headrest against which the bench tubes are pushed by the tube clamps are of different heights relative to the holes that bench tubes pass through, with the base arm ribbing less tall than the ribbing in the headrest. Thus, when the bench tubes are fully inserted in the base arm and the clamp tightened, the bench tubes are forced by the clamp upward against these ribs almost to the top of the holes in the base arm casting. The result is the bench tubes will never be centered vertically within the holes in my base arm casting (absent shimming between the tubes and the ribs in the base arm).

In contrast, the internal ribbing of the headrest appears to be somewhat taller than the ribs in the base arm. In the case of the headrest, when the bench tubes are inserted and the clamp tightened, the bench tubes are also forced upward but due to the height of the ribs, the bench tubes are left centered vertically in the hole of the headrest casting.

If am right, and assuming the bottoms of both casting sit on the same plane, the bench tubes will always be on a slight slope (higher at the base arm end) and thus closer to the way tubes (at the base arm end) assuming that the bench tubes are level.

I suspect the double tilt upgrade, by using two identical castings, eliminates this issue.

algale: No, I did not resolve my tube alignment issues. I DO BELIEVE YOUR OBSERVATIONS ARE RIGHT ON. Based on reibles report on the double tilt, I believe the issue has been resolved there. Makes me want a double tilt to play with for a while.