Shopsmith Forums

Can someone tell me what the width of a part # 514550 should be? Mine is 1/2". I seems it should be 1 1/2" if it's purpose is to stop the carriage such that a saw blade would be centered in the blade slot automatically.

If I remember when I did the 510 upgrade about 30 years ago, it seems like I got a different ring in the kit, but at the time I thought the 500 ring was of better quality and I did not make the change. Since then the 510 replacement ring is long gone. At the time it didn't dawn on me that there was a reason to install it. It's just a convenience thing anyway and no big deal.

Or am I thinking out loud again?

Don G

1 3/8"

A piece of 1 1/2" pvc pipe cut to 1 3/8" long and cut open so it will slip onto the way tube works.

'Convenient' thing is to control the spacing so the saw blade is centered in the slot.

I like one on both tubes.

P.S. Some folks 'think' that since it is rubber, it's intention is to act as a shock absorber in the likely event one forgets to secure the headstock lock prior to raising to vertical. Woefully inadequate fer that!

From JPG:
P.S. Some folks 'think' that since it is rubber, it's intention is to act as a shock absorber in the likely event one forgets to secure the headstock lock prior to raising to vertical. Woefully inadequate fer that!

YOU MEAN IT AINT RUBBER???

charlese wrote:From JPG:
P.S. Some folks 'think' that since it is rubber, it's intention is to act as a shock absorber in the likely event one forgets to secure the headstock lock prior to raising to vertical. Woefully inadequate fer that!

YOU MEAN IT AINT RUBBER???

I mean it is too thin walled to absorb the inertia.

+1 what JPG. I use one piece of PVC and have made one for my thin rip blade and my Forrest blades. Cut a section out of the ring and it just slips right over the waytube.

Jack

JPG wrote:1 3/8"

A piece of 1 1/2" pvc pipe cut to 1 3/8" long and cut open so it will slip onto the way tube works.

'Convenient' thing is to control the spacing so the saw blade is centered in the slot.

I like one on both tubes.

P.S. Some folks 'think' that since it is rubber, it's intention is to act as a shock absorber in the likely event one forgets to secure the headstock lock prior to raising to vertical. Woefully inadequate fer that!

If the rubber ring fails to absorb the shock, PVC in its' place certainly won't do the trick. One thing for sure - you'll only crack the headstock or carriage once. For the price, I'd buy a stop ring from Shopsmith. There are two sizes. Buy the right one.

dusty wrote:If the rubber ring fails to absorb the shock, PVC in its' place certainly won't do the trick. One thing for sure - you'll only crack the headstock or carriage once. For the price, I'd buy a stop ring from Shopsmith. There are two sizes. Buy the right one.

Again, The purpose of the rubber sleeve on the way tubes is NOT to absorb the inertia of a sliding headstock moving under the force of gravity.

It will not matter the material nor the source of the spacer.

I believe everyone has forgotten to lock the headstock once.
Anyone done so more than once? Not I.

I hear you, JPG. I just don't buy it.

I agree that its' primary purpose is spacing but it also serves to provide some shock absorption.

dusty wrote:I hear you, JPG. I just don't buy it.

I agree that its' primary purpose is spacing but it also serves to provide some shock absorption.

Therein lies 'the problem'.

Consider 'history'.

The first 'spacers' were an adjustable iron rod attached to the carriage. Apparently it was not a problem with the model 10 since the same design was incorporated into the Greenie design. But with the aluminum carriage a problem did arise. The inertia of the Greenie headstock caused the stop rod to break the carriage casting. The rod was located centered between the way tubes(a weak spot fer sure). With the Goldie came the 1/2" hard plastic stop ring. The location in direct line with the way tube bore was a much less vulnerable location.

I do not know of anyone damaging the carriage or headstock by neglecting to secure the headstock prior to raising with a Goldie or later Mark 5. I think the combination of the location and the hard(but still somewhat resilient) ring could indeed absorb some of the inertia.

Along came the need with the larger tables to increase the headstock-carriage stop ring. A rubber sleeve was IMHO a cost effective method to achieve that. I do not think shock absorbing was on any one's mind when that decision was made. If it was, that was wishful thinking fer sure.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.