Shopsmith Forums

Just saw SS's latest special and they mention using a special table saw insert with the sanding disk to help capture the saw dust. Neat idea and that immediately got me thinking about building my own insert with wood or the like (always wanted some more for sawing with a zero kerf setup). Anyhow I have several questions for the group:

Q1: How well does this work out regarding saw dust capture?

Q2: Why does SS comment that you need the steel sanding disks to use their table saw insert??

You need to use the steel disks because they are flat on both sides, where the aluminum ones have ribbing on the back of the disks that would interfear with the insert.

Ah, ha!! Thanks.

They also have a longer 'hub'.

JPG40504 wrote:They also have a longer 'hub'.

Not all steel discs are created equally. In the early years the steel disc used a shorter hub. The later years used the longer hub to be compatible with the 510/520 lower guard. My 1986 500 came with a longer hub on the steel sanding disc. A 'complete' 500 to 510/520 conversion kit will include a longer hub to 'upgrade' a disc or a sanding disc with the longer hub.

SDSSmith wrote:Not all steel discs are created equally. In the early years the steel disc used a shorter hub. The later years used the longer hub to be compatible with the 510/520 lower guard. My 1986 500 came with a longer hub on the steel sanding disc. A 'complete' 500 to 510/520 conversion kit will include a longer hub to 'upgrade' a disc or a sanding disc with the longer hub.

Ya 500 and 500+ versions. Only the 500+ is relevant though.

I wasn't 'explicit' enough! Sorry!

Doesn't the standard 510/520 saw-blade table insert work just as well for disk sanding as the special disk-sanding insert?

I realize that the small tabs near the center of the saw insert will prevent getting the disk as close to the edge of the slot. For those using the saw insert for sanding, is that a significant concern?

rmb24 wrote:Doesn't the standard 510/520 saw-blade table insert work just as well for disk sanding as the special disk-sanding insert?

I realize that the small tabs near the center of the saw insert will prevent getting the disk as close to the edge of the slot. For those using the saw insert for sanding, is that a significant concern?

The length of the slots in the 510/520 saw and sander inserts are the same. The disc sander insert is a little wider and does lack the tabs you referenced. I would suspect that you would not be able to lower the table (exposing more disc) as far with the 510/520 saw insert.

However, using the saw insert in conjunction with the lower guard would seem to provide better dust collection over that realized when sanding at the edge of the table with just the lower guard.

rmb24 wrote:Doesn't the standard 510/520 saw-blade table insert work just as well for disk sanding as the special disk-sanding insert?

I realize that the small tabs near the center of the saw insert will prevent getting the disk as close to the edge of the slot. For those using the saw insert for sanding, is that a significant concern?

The length of the slots in the 510/520 saw and sander inserts are the same. The disc sander insert slot is a little wider and does lack the tabs you referenced. I would suspect that you would not be able to lower the table (exposing more disc) as far with the 510/520 saw insert.

However, using the saw insert in conjunction with the lower guard would seem to provide better dust collection over that realized when sanding at the edge of the table with just the lower guard.

I just checked (on my 510, upgraded to 520) to see if the table could be lowered further, say with the sanding disk table insert installed and with the quill fully extended, to expose more sanding surface, compared with the standard saw insert in place.

I found that the table cannot be lowered any further and it's not blocked by the insert.

The upshot is that I don't see the advantage of the sanding insert over the saw insert for disk sanding through the table slot (except possibly for those small tabs near the center of the saw insert keeping the sanding disk a little further from the edge of the slot).

I don't own a sanding disk insert, but if anyone here has reasons that I haven't thought of why I should, please post your ideas here.

Bob