Shopsmith Forums

Now that I have been able to play with a band saw with a cast iron table, I think the the second miter slot (at a right angle to the usual miter slot) is both very nice and not so nice.

Nice because you can use the second miter slot to hold the miter gauge as a rip fence.

Not so nice because when you use the normal miter slot for cross cutting, the miter gauge goes "bump bump" as it goes across the path of the other miter slot.

Which version of the miter gauge?

How much do the 'glide' screws protrude from the bottom?

It's a standard 2001 vintage Shopsmith miter gauge (don't know how many versions there have been). The glide screw protrusion will have to be measured to give you an objective number but suffice it to say they were adjusted to the main table and extend only as much as was necessary on that table. I think a couple of wooden inserts in the left/right miter slot will solve the issue. First I need to make a table insert, however.

algale wrote:It's a standard 2001 vintage Shopsmith miter gauge (don't know how many versions there have been). The glide screw protrusion will have to be measured to give you an objective number but suffice it to say they were adjusted to the main table and extend only as much as was necessary on that table. I think a couple of wooden inserts in the left/right miter slot will solve the issue. First I need to make a table insert, however.

There have been two versions. The older version has very small nylon feet which are actually screws adjusted from the top(through the the tapped holes that are used for stop rod etc.).

The later version(not sure which you have) has large heads on the under side that are adjusted from the bottom. The larger one would likely be 'smoother' across the slot.

My initial thought as well.

JPG wrote:There have been two versions. The older version has very small nylon feet which are actually screws adjusted from the top(through the the tapped holes that are used for stop rod etc.).

The later version(not sure which you have) has large heads on the under side that are adjusted from the bottom. The larger one would likely be 'smoother' across the slot.

My initial thought as well.

I've got the newer version with the heads adjusted from the bottom. Gotta say, there's a pretty significant "bump bump." Surprised no one else has noticed or commented on this issue.

algale wrote:I've got the newer version with the heads adjusted from the bottom. Gotta say, there's a pretty significant "bump bump." Surprised no one else has noticed or commented on this issue.

I think most of 'us' have the newer aluminum table.

So simply cut you a strip and fill the slot. That way there is no bump bump !

Regarding the table insert - I made one out of scrap thin ply and while it worked, I wasn't very happy with it. I purchased the inserts from peachtree and it is an improvement. You get 3 per purchase. I had to thin it out a bit to make it fit - used a card scraper to scrape off the protruding portion after initially sanding a bit. That's fine if you don't mind turning a new edge on your card scraper at least once since they are not made for running across cast iron, of course, but it's a real good fit now.

I just mention this in case you hadn't found a source and that was why you were making your own. Best would probably be to buy the right thickness for the top/larger diameter portion of the disk in UHMW plastic and cut and stack the top and bottom disks out of that. Or turn it from thicker on the lathe. Can you even glue UHMW plastic? hmm, apparently yes, but not really http://www.eplastics.com/Polyethylene-Adhesives-Glue


OK, enough off topic.

2centsworth wrote:So simply cut you a strip and fill the slot. That way there is no bump bump !

No place for the miter gauge bar to fit either! Takes two pieces.

Of course we each work differently but I can't recall ever using the miter-gauge on my bandsaw. I just don't generally use the bandsaw as a cut-off tool.
I sold a couple of the cast iron table bandsaws and kept the aluminum one but while I don't use the miter-gauge I have wished I had the option of using one as a quick fence like on the cast iron table.
I guess I don't use a miter-gauge because none of the previous bandsaws I have owned (mostly antiques) ever had one so I never got into the habit. Then again I also tend to make a lot of little odd cuts with hand tools. I often grab a back-saw, a Japanese pull saw or a Stanley "Tool-box" saw I have. I have a small herd of regular handsaws but use them less than I used to. I really like that Tool-box saw.


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