router table tight fit

[wdelliott]

I wonder if anyone has this problem. When I mount my router table (555865) between my main table and the extension table, the fit is exceedingly tight. the two hubs (1 inch square) on the edge of the main table seem to block or hinder the fit.

I was thinking of creating an insert space on my router table to accommodate the two hubs so that my fit would be not so tight.

Any thoughts on how to make my fit a little easier?

[algale]

You are referring to the "Pro Router Table". Do I understand the difficulty is getting the Pro Router Table to slip onto the connector tubes when mounting it between the main table and an extension table?

Does the Pro Router Table mount to just the main table without difficulty?

How about when mounting the Pro Router Table to just the extension table alone?

Finally can you connect the main table to the extension table without difficulty?

If the problem only manifests itself when trying to mount the Pro Router Table between the main table and the extension table and if there is no difficulty connecting the main table to the extension table (without the Pro Router table between them), my educated guess is that there is a fence rail misalignment issue caused by either a very slight difference between the front to back depth of the Pro Router Table (as measured at the locations where the table spacers attach the fence rails to the table) as compared to the main table and extension table, or, if you are lucky, by one or more "bad" table spacers on the Pro Router Table.

In either event, this could cause the rails of the Pro Router Table to hang up on the connector tubes when connected through the main table and an extension table. Since the tubes have some flex, the problem wouldn't be noticeable when attaching the Pro Router Table just to the main table or just to the extension table.

Surprisingly, only a few thousandths difference in width where the rails mount to the Pro Router Table could cause this kind of misalignment and is probably something you can't accurately measure at home making shimming a trial and error affair.

I had a problem of this kind with the rails of my main table, floating tables, extension tables on my 520 and had to ship all of them back to Shopsmith. With their measuring equipment they found minor inconsistencies (still within manufacturing specifications) of the milling of the surfaces where the table spacers sit and this caused major misalignment problems of the rails when moving the fence from one table to the next. Nearly drove Shopsmith's chief engineer crazy trying to shim them all equal, but eventually he did it.

Good luck!

Al

[Mike907]

The Pro Fence Router Table mounts easily between the main table and extension table on either end of my Shopsmith. However, my tables (1992) do not have the square bosses on the sides.

Also, I may have an older version of this table because mine measures 19" x 21 3/4" , instead of
20" x 21 3/4" as stated in the catalog description.

Mike

[JPG]

I need a pix to understand this.

Square hubs?

Insert space?

Which model(500/510a/510b/520)?

Algale makes sense if that is the problem.

[algale]

I need a pix to understand this.

Square hubs?

Insert space?

Which model(500/510a/510b/520)?

Algale makes sense if that is the problem.

I assumed he was referring to the objects on the edges of some of the 520 main tables, as seen in this photo. I don't think they can have any impact on fitting the router table between the main and extension table.

Incidentally, I think all Pro Router tables have the 520 rail system.

[JPG]

I need a pix to understand this.

Square hubs?

Insert space?

Which model(500/510a/510b/520)?

Algale makes sense if that is the problem.

I assumed he was referring to the objects on the edges of some of the 520 main tables, as seen in this photo. I don't think they can have any impact on fitting the router table between the main and extension table.

Incidentally, I think all Pro Router tables have the 520 rail system.

Raised boss.

[Mike907]

Those are the bosses I was referring to. If they are on the extension table, also, then the Pro Router Table would be a tight fit between the main and extension tables. The catalog description says that it is supposed to fit, but that setup is not shown in the manual that I have. The pictured setup in the manual is off the end of the Shopsmith using the main table and telescoping legs for support, similar to the catalog setup using the extension table and telescoping legs.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... rtable.htm

Mike

[reible]

When you say tight fit are you really saying that is because of the length of the bars? If you had the 5 foot bars then I don't see a tight fit ever happening.

Now I don't have that router table but the one I do have I find I like to use off the end like the link that was published showed. I also like to have space between the router table and the main table so I can clamp a fence in place. This is an example of this method:

IMG_7352sc.jpg (139.22 KiB) Viewed 3707 times

Even to do that I use the 5' long tubes. The standard ones are what 28" long, don't see how that would ever work, I mean it works for the main table and extension table and that is about it.

Does that make since?

Ed

[dusty]

I wonder if anyone has this problem. When I mount my router table (555865) between my main table and the extension table, the fit is exceedingly tight. the two hubs (1 inch square) on the edge of the main table seem to block or hinder the fit.

I was thinking of creating an insert space on my router table to accommodate the two hubs so that my fit would be not so tight.

Any thoughts on how to make my fit a little easier?

I don't believe I understand the issue here. Why can you not just move the headstock and carriage away from the extension table an inch or two (or whatever)?

A picture with the tables in the interference mode would help.

The square "hubs" went away when Shopsmith redesigned the table (the mold for the old table was worn out) and I wish they had never done that. I prefer the tables with the square hubs. I believe the change was for ease of manufacturing and had nothing to do with utility of the tables.

[dusty]

The Pro Fence Router Table mounts easily between the main table and extension table on either end of my Shopsmith. However, my tables (1992) do not have the square bosses on the sides.

Also, I may have an older version of this table because mine measures 19" x 21 3/4" , instead of 20" x 21 3/4" as stated in the catalog description.

Mike

I think this is a question of how you measure the table. I measure my tables (both those with the hubs and those without) to be 17 1/2" x 21 15/16".

Those measurements discount the raised areas (bosses) on all sides of the tables (the front, the rear and the sides).