Shopsmith Forums

Long ago I purchased a Mk. VII from the widow of a friend and it came with the shaper arbor and three cutters which appear to have been never/seldom used. I never used them because I had little time to spend in the garage/shop. I've since replaced the VII with a 510 which does NOT tilt both ways and doesn't have a reversing motor. Using this overhead for shaping doesn't seem to be a good method. If that is an incorrect assumption I'd like to hear from those of you have some experience. I do not want to spend the money to have it tilt both ways so that I could mount the cutters upside down and have them work. Since I'm left-handed that is not a problem. The problem is the expense.

How can I best use these or do I just use a router and post the parts on e-Bay? I am dismayed that SS did not take the Magna design and incorporate it into the Mk. V. Well, they did somewhat and 40 years later.

You don't need a double-tilt table to use the shaper cutters. They work just as well using the Mark V in the drill press mode. What you do need thought is the table insert and it would be a good idea to also have the shaper fence. Take a look at the Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone book or check out the on-line version here -- http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/shaping/index.htm

pennview wrote:You don't need a double-tilt table to use the shaper cutters. They work just as well using the Mark V in the drill press mode. What you do need thought is the table insert and it would be a good idea to also have the shaper fence. Take a look at the Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone book or check out the on-line version here -- http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/shaping/index.htm

Remember that shaping and routing on the Mark V in the drill press mode is different than using your under the table router.

With the under the table router, feed direction is normally right to left. I say normally because there occasions when you might want to climb feed (left to right).

With the shaper (and molding head) the direction of feed is from left to right. You do not want to attempt to feed into the shaper in the wrong direction. Take it from someone who knows. If in doubt, don't do it at all. The only serious injury that I have experienced while woodworking was on the shaper doing just that.

Shaper blades can easily be installed up side down. You also do not want to do that. It has the effect of rotating in the wrong direction.

Nick shows how to setup the shaper in the overhead mode in the first 16.5 minutes of this SawDust Session video: http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Shaper.htm

Sincerely,

Ron309753

Ron309753 wrote:Nick shows how to setup the shaper in the overhead mode in the first 16.5 minutes of this SawDust Session video: http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS124/SS124_Setting_Up_Shaper.htm

Watched the video and looked on eBay for a shaper fence. There is one with two knobs as seen on the video and two others that seem to be older with only one control knob. Will the older ones work?

There are several different fence models that match the tables on the model Shopsmith you have.

This one is for a 505/510/520 and has the two adjusting knobs -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Shape ... 27d05b3ae8

This one is for a 500 and has one adjusting knob -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Shape ... 27d05c5af5 --
Even though this one has only one knob, the side without a knob is adjustable. You use the allen wrench to adjust it.

You can't use the model 500 fence on a 505/510/520 or vise versa because method of attaching them to the table is different. I believe that the model 500 can be modified to fit the other tables and that a template for drilling the locating holes is available to do that, but I'm not certain. Perhaps someone else can verify that.

pennview wrote:There are several different fence models that match the tables on the model Shopsmith you have.

This one is for a 505/510/520 and has the two adjusting knobs -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Shaper-Sander-Fence-510-520-Model-/170999364328?pt=Power_Tools&hash=item27d05b3ae8

This one is for a 500 and has one adjusting knob -- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Shaper-Fence-Attachment-Mark-V-500-Excellent-Condition-/170999438069?pt=Power_Tools&hash=item27d05c5af5 --
Even though this one has only one knob, the side without a knob is adjustable. You use the allen wrench to adjust it.

You can't use the model 500 fence on a 505/510/520 or vise versa because method of attaching them to the table is different. I believe that the model 500 can be modified to fit the other tables and that a template for drilling the locating holes is available to do that, but I'm not certain. Perhaps someone else can verify that.

This post provides info on modifying the 500 fence for use with the 505/510/520/7 tables.

There is also a Mark VII version of the shaper fence.

db5 wrote:Watched the video and looked on eBay for a shaper fence. There is one with two knobs as seen on the video and two others that seem to be older with only one control knob. Will the older ones work?

You can actually use a board with a center cut out with a wide drill bit or hole saw. This is especially true if you make light cuts. You can even use a 2X4. If you want to have offset sides to your fence plane off the first half (prior to the cut out).

It goes almost without saying, any board used for a fence will have to be jointed.