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Will this lower guard fit this shopsmith, or do I have to go with an era correct one ? It's a 1960's Smith.

beatnik wrote:Will this lower guard fit this shopsmith, or do I have to go with an era correct one ? It's a 1960's Smith.

No and Yes.


P.S. good looking Greenie!

Interesting extension table modification!

Actually the newer guard will sorta fit, but the newer upper guard will not work.

Does it line up with the blade ? Looks like the clamp might just be a bit large, doe's it clamp to the quill ?

That was a curb side freebie last Friday, needs a Gilmer belt and I'd like to put a lower guard on it. I have a few upper guards from other saws I can probably adapt to the table.

You're in luck.

If you really want the TS Guards, SS has them on sale until the 22nd.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/specials/7DU577.htm?jn=42926&kt=MKT&kr=0007772941&cnum=0007772941&epn=RUTTPSV

As an owner and user of a greenie with the newer style guards, I can say this.

1. They are not that safe.
2. The alignment of the splitter to the blades is difficult to achieve and maintain See No. 3.
3. The splitter is too far away from the blade I have had kerfs close up before engaging the splitter causing the feed to stop. (Shut down the saw re-position or remove the splitter/guard and use wedges, yada, yada, yada,) More often than not, I end up removing it the upper guard.
4. They are incredibly frail, and I found the quality on mine to be alarmingly poor and not up to what I have come to expect from SS in terms of quality/sturdiness. (They may nave gotten better, I purchased mine 10 yrs ago.)
5. The dust collection provided by the lower guard is a marginal improvement over none at all. Better than nothing (But not much) I still need to vacuum the dust of the floor and machine when done sawing and the fine dust is still everywhere.

On the plan for me is new shop made inserts and the MJ splitter. Skipping the guard altogether. I have reduced and almost eliminated my use of table saw operations. The Band saw is a much safer option IMO and I'm using hand saws much more than I used to. TS operations are pretty much reserved for precision cuts on engineered wood products. MDF, Plywood, OSB, etc. Dado and other non-through cut operations are now done using a router.

Safety is a mind set not a product. There are products that can help make you safer, but none will replace proper training and operation of an inherently dangerous machine.

Just my .02 on the subject.

Okay, it's junk, but does the lower guard align with the older blade ?

I've been employed as a woodworker with the same company for 24 years, I know safety on everything from miter saws to cnc moulders. The open blade underneath just bothers me, even just building a box would ease my mind.

Even little plexi finger reminders on exposed router bits help. Been there, done that, have the scars.

If mere guarding is the objective, a vintage specific guard will suffice. They are only found in the 'used' market place. They appear on e-bay occasionally.

FWIW, my Goldie has not had one for over a half century. I have not had any 'close calls' with it. Knowing that blade is there is sufficient to make me respect it. I did refurb one but have scarcely used it.

This one would likely work(it is not the vintage specific one).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Model-500-Lower-Saw-Guard-/141323060764?pt=Power_Tools&hash=item20e782c61c

The lower guard you pictured looks very similar to mine and does the job of keeping the blade from being touched from under the table. It just clamps on to the end of the quill so it does travel with the end of the quill when/if it is moved.

Just so we're clear. I did not say the blade guards are junk. I do use them whenever I can and it has saved me from flying debris more than once. They do have issues though and are not the be all end all of TS safety. I'm pretty sure they are a CYA for product liability purposes.

The ebay linked one I had just put on my watch list earlier. Thanks !

I'm just on the cautious side, maybe because I do this six days a week. I can picture someone walking up and sticking their hand right in the running blade underneath or a mechanical failure of some sort and the blade letting loose. Are these arbors held by a single set screw ?

beatnik wrote:The ebay linked one I had just put on my watch list earlier. Thanks !

I'm just on the cautious side, maybe because I do this six days a week. I can picture someone walking up and sticking their hand right in the running blade underneath or a mechanical failure of some sort and the blade letting loose. Are these arbors held by a single set screw ?

YES!

But to a tapered shaft with a stop short of the end of the shaft.

The tapered shaft draws the arbor in from the end when tightened. If the set screw comes loose the arbor will only creep towards the end of the shaft until the taper stops where the shaft resumes full od. Presumably that condition will be observed and corrected prior to reaching that extreme. If not, the abrupt end of the taper will prevent further drifting towards the shaft end. If the set screw should retract enough to the arbor sliding off the end of the shaft, there will be no torque transmitted from the shaft to the arbor other than by the friction between them.

Way before all that happens, the blade will be clanging against the saw blade slot in the table.

So IMHO a single set screw is not a concern with this well thought out design. Remember these arbors etc. need to be easily mounted on/off often.

Good information and makes sense that there would be a lot of racket before the arbor actually left the end of the shaft. I'm sure this has all been discussed to no end here.

Thanks