Shopsmith Forums

Hi all.....

Question for those much smarter than I....

My miter has a steel runner and the table is aluminum. (1988 model) I have .005 clearance between the side of the miter bar and the table on one side, on the right miter slot. There are still mill marks on the aluminum so I was wondering whether the slot is worn or possibly the bar?? I wouldn't think the bar is worn but I'm not a machinist or have knowledge about dissimilar metals?? This does make for a slight angle off of 90..... I don't want to buy the wrong part so I'm asking first??

thanks, bill

Remember you can take the play out with the set screw on the miter bar.

brick1 wrote:Hi all.....

Question for those much smarter than I....

My miter has a steel runner and the table is aluminum. (1988 model) I have .005 clearance between the side of the miter bar and the table on one side, on the right miter slot. There are still mill marks on the aluminum so I was wondering whether the slot is worn or possibly the bar?? I wouldn't think the bar is worn but I'm not a machinist or have knowledge about dissimilar metals?? This does make for a slight angle off of 90..... I don't want to buy the wrong part so I'm asking first??

thanks, bill

Even though .005" is not excessive, it can be eliminated. If not by the eccentric screw in the miter bar, you could get an Incra V120 Miter Gauge. With the V120 you can eliminate the slop completely.

Much ado about little!

0.005 play in the miter gauge slot.

Oh Horrors, my cuts will be off(wrong angle).

Angle error <= arcsin(0.005 / length of bar).

Length of bar = 16".

Error = arcsin(0.0003125) = 0.017°.


Whatcha setting the angle with?:rolleyes:

Granted a pinch point can be created by adjusting the tapered clamping screw, but why bother. All that creates is localized wear on the bar.

rcplaneguy wrote:Remember you can take the play out with the set screw on the miter bar.

thanks rcplaneguy......I did forget and will check that right away.

like the pic of the helo's!! I tried one and my brain is so keyed in to airplanes, I just put it in the closet for the grandson when he gets older. His dad could fly planes really good and he also tried a helo. after getting the hover part, he got interested in girls and cars?? I just stick with the planes now.......my age says stay with you can do and do good.....new stuff costs too much!! hahaha

dusty wrote:Even though .005" is not excessive, it can be eliminated. If not by the eccentric screw in the miter bar, you could get an Incra V120 Miter Gauge. With the V120 you can eliminate the slop completely.

Thanks dusty. i'm probably leaning toward a new table first as the new stuff will go a lot farther toward precision, and then maybe the Incra miter

JPG40504 wrote:Much ado about little!

0.005 play in the miter gauge slot.

Oh Horrors, my cuts will be off(wrong angle).

Angle error <= arcsin(0.005 / length of bar).

Length of bar = 16".

Error = arcsin(0.0003125) = 0.017°.


Whatcha setting the angle with?:rolleyes:

Granted a pinch point can be created by adjusting the tapered clamping screw, but why bother. All that creates is localized wear on the bar.

takes more work to get the glue joints right.....why not start with them right??

If precision glue joints are your objective, you do edge joint your boards - right!!!

You'll never get as good a joint gluing a saw cut edge as with a jointed edge.

I venture to say that by cleaning up the edges of the miter slots (using a piece of emery cloth and a block of wood) and then purchasing an Incra V120 from Shopsmith your edge jointed glue joints will be super.

Just a couple passes through the miter slots with that emery cloth. Don't get carried away.

How about building one of (removed for security reasons).

I thought this was "comical". Precision joints is not his objective though they could be if he would build his sled with precision..

dusty wrote:How about building one of these to go with your sloppy miter slots.

I thought this was "comical". Precision joints is not his objective though they could be if he would build his sled with precision..

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