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What is this?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:22 pm
by tom_k/mo
In the latest e-mail sale notice is
"521097 - Set-up & Alignment Gauge" but it doesn't have an accompanying photo. What is this actually, and is it beneficial/worth having?
(Trying to do my part to keep SS in business...) 
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:21 pm
by dusty
tom_k/mo wrote:In the latest e-mail sale notice is
"521097 - Set-up & Alignment Gauge" but it doesn't have an accompanying photo. What is this actually, and is it beneficial/worth having?
(Trying to do my part to keep SS in business...) 
The only setup and alignment gauge I know of is used to position the front and rear rails on 520 tables. The alignment could be done without it but it would necessitate a lot of hit and miss.
I did my part today, also. I ordered enough that SHMO is ticked. Her last statement on the subject was - "I sure hope you really need all of this".
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:10 pm
by beeg
More and likely that is the aluminum step gage. For setting the blade height.
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:42 pm
by perryobear
Hi Tom,
Dusty has it right!
P/N 521097 is the alignment gauge for setting the height of 520 rails on the edges of your tables.
It is a small flat piece of aluminum extrusion with a ridge along one edge. You rest the table upside down on the flat area and rest the 520 rail on the ridge as you bolt it into place.
Shopsmith provides two of the gauges with the 510 to 520 upgrade kit.
I am not aware of any other use for the gauge (but I could be wrong;) ).
Dennis
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:47 pm
by a1gutterman
beeg wrote:More and likely that is the aluminum step gage. For setting the blade height.
Nope: The aluminum step guage is #739990 @ $8.39
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/itemfind.htm?item=739990&Submit=Find+Item
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:33 am
by charlese
Thanks for the question, Tom. I had the same question while perusing the overstocked sale.
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:01 am
by paul heller
OK, so now I'm curious. So what is it then? Has anyone called Shopsmith yet to ask?
Is something special really needed to align tables on the 520? I purchased the 520 upgrade but have not installed it yet. I'd have to find out later on that I need a gauge that is out of stock or something worse.
Paul
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:50 am
by Ed in Tampa
paul heller wrote:OK, so now I'm curious. So what is it then? Has anyone called Shopsmith yet to ask?
Is something special really needed to align tables on the 520? I purchased the 520 upgrade but have not installed it yet. I'd have to find out later on that I need a gauge that is out of stock or something worse.
Paul
Paul
The 520 upgrade included gauge blocks to adjust the fence rails to the tables. They are two little aluminum blocks about 4 inches long and about 1 by 1 inch or less square. If you got your upgrade from Shopsmith I'm sure the everything you need is there. I might ask what are you waiting on to install the 520 upgrade. The process is simple and the results are terrific!
Ed
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:56 am
by dusty
Paul;
If this is what we are talking about, you should have at least one of these that came with your upgrade kit. It is used to adjust the height of the rails with respect to the table top. The one I received was about 6" long. I cut it in half to have two; one for each end of the rail.
I set the table upside down on a "flat" work surface with the gauge between the work surface and the table and secure it there. Then I put pressure on the rail to press it against the gauge and secure the bolts.
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If this is not the gauge you reference then I have no idea.
Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:01 am
by tom_k/mo
Dusty, thanks SO much for the photos. Ends up, I already have that, it came in a little box of misc. stuff that the previous owner's daughter said she thought were SS parts, but wasn't sure. Now I know they are, and what they are.