What I think I'm looking for

[terrydowning]

This thread http://shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=10199 prompted me to start this one. This is not a solicitation for purchasing used parts. It is a solicitation for ideas to work around/with my particular tooling issues.

I mainly work on small items. Most of my projects are lathe projects. Bowls, plates, vases, pens, etc. saw use is largely for segmenting. I occasionally use my table saw for larger stock mostly sheet goods when I do. Most of my cross cutting is done on my Sliding Compound Miter Saw.

I do have safety concerns with Mark 5 Table and its retrofit guards. I'm just not as comfortable as I would like to be making the kinds of cuts I do in the size pieces I work with. The dust collection even with the guards in place is less than satisfactory. I can never get the retrofit splitter at the back of the Mark V table aligned good enough and invariably can't use the guards on the narrow veneer cuts I make. Unfortunately you can't use the splitter without the guard, they do not detach. and besides it's 6 inches behind the blade and I have had kerfs close before they even reach the splitter.

The table is exactly the wrong size and seems like it is always just a little too small for the occasional cross cut or I can never keep the fence on the main table and putting the fence on the aux table never seems to make an optimal cut as I wind up having to adjust the headstock/blade position to the fence rather than adjust the fence to the blade.

So, I think I'm looking for a nice gently used 510/520.

510/520 table is desired for increased safety, larger table size, better splitter/riving knife, safety guards, and better dust collection. The floating tables and ability to adjust the fence to wider widths with out having to finesse the headstock location to the aux table is also desired. (I'd rather adjust the fence that than the headstock/blade.

I've also thought about going the used 510 upgrade route. The problem here is completeness and availability of parts required, one guy has some, another guy has others, neither will break up sets.. blah blah blah or a bidding war seems to ignite on the auction sites driving up the price. By the time I cost out a piecemeal upgrade, I may as well be looking for a used 510/520 and be done with it.

Another consideration is to skip the 510/520 upgrade/addition altogether, and buy a Grrr-Ripper and MJ Splitter to handle the small stock I work with and buy a used SS Band Saw to handle the smaller stock ripping/veneering tasks. This of course means I just have to deal with my table size/fence alignment issues, but as stated previously I don't use my table saw for that very often and I've dealt with this for years anyways.

Decisions Decisions

Thoughts and input are welcome on my particular dilemma.

P.S.
I may also be in the market for a speed reducer (Or if any one in Northern L.A county has one I could borrow send me a PM) as I now have several large pieces of wood (10 - 14" diameter) I'd like to turn safely.

[wiredone]

You should contact Simon Eng who is in Anaheim.
He quoted me under $300 for a complete upgrade not too long back.
It wasn't pretty, but it was complete.
He is a super nice guy and has alot of goodies.
PM if you need his contact info.
You can reach him through FeaBay also.

[terrydowning]

Thanks

I may Simon again, his last quote was more than I could go at the time.