Disappointed with the "Lift Assist"

[dusty]

I am normally a staunch supporter of the Mark V but today I am disillusioned. I have a large project coming up that is going to required many 45 degree bevels on long (48" to 60") pieces.

With these longer pieces, I am going to need table support to the right of the Main Table. No problem, I thought. Floating tables and extension tubes will do the trick.

A dry run set up was going fine until I got ready to drop the table to 45 degrees. I had the carriage as far as it will go to the right but when I tilt the table, the right end of the Mark V prevents the tilt action from reaching 45 degrees. If I could move the carriage another inch or two to the right, I would have the much needed clearance.

The Lift Assist mechanism prevents this. I think I am going to need to remove the Lift Assist (at least for the summer).

What a bummer.:(

[algale]

When I read this I thought I remembered a post where you proved extension could be used with 45 degrees and the lift assist. Then I found the post. See here. http://shopsmith.net/forums/showpost.ht ... stcount=16 What am I missing???

[dusty]

When I read this I thought I remembered a post where you proved extension could be used with 45 degrees and the lift assist. Then I found the post. See here. http://shopsmith.net/forums/showpost.htm?p=145521&postcount=16 What am I missing???

You are not missing a thing. I am.

What I can not do is handle wide, long boards on the tilted table as shown in the thread you linked to. Yes, I can miter boards but until now I had not done so with wide and long work pieces.

With the smaller ones, I could maintain adequate control and get good square cuts. The bevel is not the issue. I get bevels but they are not square to the edge of the board. I cannot use my existing crosscut sled because it restricts the depth of cut.

I will post a couple pictures tomorrow to show what causes my dilemma and how I intend to resolve it. Unfortunately, what I believe I need to do to accomplish this is move the carriage further to the right than I am now able to do because of the Lift Assist being in the way. I could use the other machine except that I need it as a drill press almost as badly as I need the table saw in the bevel mode.

Thanks for the link. I could not find it but then I did not look real hard.

PS: I may be a simpleton. I guess I could reverse the roles and use the Shorty (a 510) for bevels and the other machine as a drill press.

[algale]

You are not missing a thing. I am.

What I can not do is handle wide, long boards on the tilted table as shown in the thread you linked to. Yes, I can miter boards but until now I had not done so with wide and long work pieces.

With the smaller ones, I could maintain adequate control and get good square cuts. The bevel is not the issue. I get bevels but they are not square to the edge of the board. I cannot use my existing crosscut sled because it restricts the depth of cut.

I will post a couple pictures tomorrow to show what causes my dilemma and how I intend to resolve it. Unfortunately, what I believe I need to do to accomplish this is move the carriage further to the right than I am now able to do because of the Lift Assist being in the way. I could use the other machine except that I need it as a drill press almost as badly as I need the table saw in the bevel mode.

Thanks for the link. I could not find it but then I did not look real hard.

PS: I may be a simpleton. I guess I could reverse the roles and use the Shorty (a 510) for bevels and the other machine as a drill press.

A more simple solution: if you have a shorty dedicated as a drill press, why do you need the lift assist on the other machine at all? How often has your unmodified machine gone vertical since dedicating the shorty as a drill press? I'll send you postage to mail the lift assist to me.

[reible]

If you go the route of removing the lift assist check out this thread:

http://shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=12916

Ed

[JPG]

I do not know how wide/long your workpieces are, but how high is your ceiling?

Who says the table extensions need be to the right?

Can a sacrificial side be attached to the fence and the blade adjusted so the bevel can be cut with the bottom edge of the workpiece resting against the fence? That way the fence supports the workpiece.

The fence would not be used to control width this way though.

This is way out of the box brain storming.

Not sure if it is helpful if you need to cut miters.

[algale]

I do not know how wide/long your workpieces are, but how high is your ceiling?

Who says the table extensions need be to the right?

Can a sacrificial side be attached to the fence and the blade adjusted so the bevel can be cut with the bottom edge of the workpiece resting against the fence? That way the fence supports the workpiece.

The fence would not be used to control width this way though.

This is way out of the box brain storming.

Not sure if it is helpful if you need to cut miters.

He may have to think outside the box if the pieces to be beveled are up to 60 inches long as stated in his original post. He previously determined the maximum length without a lift assist was about 58 inches (presumably before the work piece hits the floor). http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showpos ... stcount=30

Of course, he can always raise all or at least one end of the shopsmith up to get extra clearance.

[JPG]

He may have to think outside the box if the pieces to be beveled are up to 60 inches long as stated in his original post. He previously determined the maximum length without a lift assist was about 58 inches (presumably before the work piece hits the floor). https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?p=15339&postcount=30

Of course, he can always raise all or at least one end of the shopsmith up to get extra clearance.

I got that as the length, but do not know the widths he needs to cut.

[greitz]

Maybe cut the bevels initially at a slightly smaller angle (35 degrees?) which eliminates the length restriction, then trim the excess to the final 45 degree angle with a router equipped with a 45 degree bit?

Gary

[dusty]

If you go the route of removing the lift assist check out this thread:

http://shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=12916

Ed

Great idea, great thread and fantastic set of pictures. Thanks, Ed.