Shopsmith Forums

I have a used 500 1984 model. with jig saw. one question i have is, the small extension table. how do you use fence on this table?? it is only wide enough for one of the adjustment screws to catch table. i have used it by adjusting only one screw but, would not thing that was the design intent. I realize the wider table should be the one to have. thanks....

If you have the 500 and the 500 extension table, then I don't understand your question. The fence locks on the extension table exactly as it does on the main table.

oldc6 wrote:I have a used 500 1984 model. with jig saw. one question i have is, the small extension table. how do you use fence on this table?? it is only wide enough for one of the adjustment screws to catch table. i have used it by adjusting only one screw but, would not thing that was the design intent. I realize the wider table should be the one to have. thanks....

Please post a picture, as what you are saying does not make sense. The fence will work properly on the extension table.

ok, the table is 4 1/4 inches wide ,the distance between the adjusting screws on the fence is the same. if i have fence on main table and all squared up then, want to make a cut on a wider piece of plywood, when fence is moved to smaller table it is not square with small table. i can see with the wider accessory table that this would not be a problem. question is with the small table do you try to center fence on table??

oldc6 wrote:ok, the table is 4 1/4 inches wide ,the distance between the adjusting screws on the fence is the same. if i have fence on main table and all squared up then, want to make a cut on a wider piece of plywood, when fence is moved to smaller table it is not square with small table. i can see with the wider accessory table that this would not be a problem. question is with the small table do you try to center fence on table??

I've got a 500 with the same table setup. The fence sits barely in the center of that little table. You make cut adjustments by moving the blade and headstock left and right. Convenient it isn't.

I used my 500 for ten years before I upgraded to 510. There are some accessories that really enhance the effectiveness of the vintage machine. I quickly obtained the 7 1/2 inch wide Extension Table (555084) and the Front Extension Table (505626). I also made a 5' long plywood fence extension with a lip on the bottom to improve my cutting of 4'x8' sheets. This worked great. I also installed the Lower Saw Guard (555294) with the dust collection ports after my wife got me a DC3300 dust collector for Christmas, an act of desperation on her part, as her laundry area was also in the garage.

Today, Shopsmith also has an upgraded fence, (555646) and the two bearing quill, (555088). The fence is definitely superior to the original, however, if you add all these upgrades together you might as well wait for a good sale on the upgrade to 510.

oldc6 wrote:ok, the table is 4 1/4 inches wide ,the distance between the adjusting screws on the fence is the same. if i have fence on main table and all squared up then, want to make a cut on a wider piece of plywood, when fence is moved to smaller table it is not square with small table. i can see with the wider accessory table that this would not be a problem. question is with the small table do you try to center fence on table??

Hi,

I think I see what your problem is. Those "adjusting screws" are not used to square the fence to the table. They need to be backed off so they do nothing. The fence is squared using the screws that connect the fence base and rip fence extrusion.

The small screws are used for off-setting the fence for some sanding operations.

This will give you some adjustment even on the small extension table... been a while but I'd say maybe close to 2"??

Ed

thanks reible. i tried that,and i now understand how the fence is to work.. still would like the wider table someday. would love to have the 520 upgrade but, that looks like a lot of cash for my hobby work.....thanks for advice, and this is the best site i have come across on the net............

I was playing with my 500 last night and ran into the situation that you have described. I was perplexed for a bit until I realized that I could slide the headstock and main table beside the extension table to increase the size of the work area for the rip fence.
I understand that many woodworkers have used the 500 with much success, but I'm sure the 520 upgrade is in my future.