Shopsmith Forums

Try loosening the bench tubes at the 'offending' end, place a wedge under the rear foot of the leg, let it 'settle', then retighten the bench tubes.

Not sure where the 'slop' that causes this is. Are the way tube casting ends resting firmly on the pin(clamp knob tightened fully)?

Check the clamps first.

Are they compatible re a vertical axis and l/r tilt?

JPG wrote:Try loosening the bench tubes at the 'offending' end, place a wedge under the rear foot of the leg, let it 'settle', then retighten the bench tubes.

Not sure where the 'slop' that causes this is. Are the way tube casting ends resting firmly on the pin(clamp knob tightened fully)?

Check the clamps first.

Are they compatible re a vertical axis and l/r tilt?

I have checked the Pivot Arms to make certain they are in contact with the pin.

I lifted the Way Tubes along with the Carriage and Headstock and turned it end for end. The same corner is the offender.

The clamps are secure. It tilts both ways with no obvious differences but I am the sure that is what you are asking.

The next time I have physical labor assistance, if I have not resolved this or given up, I am going to move the Way Tube Assembly to my workbench. That is divorce the Bench Tubes and Legs from the "problem".

This is so much fun. Just thankful I don't have a production objective.

Back to wedging the 'foot', loosening the bench tube clamps, settle, but this time tighten the clamps and leave the wedge in place. See if that 'corner' is still low.

Or maybe better, loosen the bench tube clamps, insert wedge, check corner, modify wedge until the corner is 'correct', tighten clamps.

It may require 'over compensating'.

Have you determined the way tube/castings are 'flat'? i.e. way tubes not twisted.

I think one half at a time. With the tube/casting/carriage/headstock 'off the base', the diagonals could be measured, and the amount of twist(ideally none) of the bench tubes/casting/legs.

Shot gunning here!

Like you have said, there has to be a cause!

Ideas are all good. None have been checked out completely yet.

To date, all that I have really accomplished is to eliminate, as prime suspect, the Headrest Locxk and the casting at that end. I was absolutely certain that the lock was the cause. No more. It is SOMETHING else.

We know that Extension Tables being used where they were initially aligned function normally. My next quest will be an attempt to determine how a Table that is aligned 'differs' from a table that 'was aligned at the other end'.

This really bugs me. It bugs me so bad that I spent $400 just to get rid of this nuisance and that is all that it is...a nuisance.

At this stage of the game, I am not above tearing it all back down and rebuilding it.

Another little thing that bugs me is that Shopsmith seems to know why this is the way it is but will not share their findings or opinions.

What bugs me is earlier SS claims that adjusting the humongous set screw will fix it.

Do I understand correctly that the remaining 'problem' is the rear of the table is low(but still correct in the other horizontal plane).

i.e. it aligns about a vertical axis and it aligns about a horizontal axis running front to rear, but not so about a horizontal axis running left to right and does align all three ways at the other end(adjusted to make it so).

I am unwilling to answer your questions, all be it that they are good questions, because I no longer know or trust my memory. I will have to go to the garage and check. It is too hot out there right now.

Let me say just this: In the past, I could slide the main table and an extension table together at the left end of the Mark V and achieve what I consider to be perfect alignment. This was done after the Main Table was set to be at 90° with respect to the saw blade. I would then insert the Extension Tubes in the front and back rails and with the Extension Table unbolted (floating) I would secure all of the knobs to tighten the rails to the extension tubes. Then I would secure the eight nuts on the bottom of the extension table being careful not to tighten in such a way as to warp the table. With this done, the Main Table and that one extension table met all of my expectations.

Pull the extension tubes from the rails, relocate the extension table which is wearing stop collars for height) to the other end. Slide the headstock and carriage as far to that end as they would go and then slide the extension tubes into the rails. Typically, the front tube would slide in but it might be dragging a bit on the rail. Now for the problem area. The extension tube cannot be fully inserted into the rear. The extension table is low on the outfeed side. Check for level left to right across the front - all is good. Check for level on the rear (outfeed) and the Main Table will be level but the extension table is low 1/8" or more.

Move the whole setup to the other end (where this all started) to verify that nothing has been altered. Everything is good there.

How is that for NO ANSWER but please bear with me if I contradict myself after getting hands on.

Keep in mind the fact that the extension tables can be independent aligned to the Main Table and as long as they retain their position (right or left) they remain co planar with the Main Table if set to the same height. Stop collars and adjustable stop collars everywhere.

Tomorrow objective is two align two extension tables and then take them to a work bench, invert them and inspect to determine how they differ. Theoretically, the only difference should be in the location of the eight nuts on each table and the differences there should be minimal.

Question in my mind now is: Are all four of the legs the same or is one pair slightly canted. This was John's theory long ago when he went through a similar exercise.

When I went to the SS Traveling Academy in Salt Lake last November during the session on alignment Mike Young asked the group if an extension table aligned at one end will be aligned if moved to the other end. I immediately said no and Mike confirmed that. He did not explain why and I didn't ask.

That is too bad. You had a real good chance of hearing an explanation right from the horse's mouth. I find it interesting that Mike would bring up the subject at all.

I sure hope he comes to Tucson.

dusty wrote:That is too bad. You had a real good chance of hearing an explanation right from the horse's mouth. I find it interesting that Mike would bring up the subject at all.

I sure hope he comes to Tucson.

Yes, I know I should have asked. I don't know (remember) why I didn't. As to why he asked the question. I thought it might be because of our previous extensive thread on the subject here that was not too long before the session in November.

I am going to start a different thread in order to consolidate subject matter. See 'Extension Table Alignment' in Maintenance.