Shopsmith Forums

I was tuning up my 500 that is a drill press today. It was just a little off but since I was planning on using it with a stewmac planner I wanted it better. I haven't done this perhaps ever on this machine.
:Used the bent coat hanger method as you can see.

It did require some shims so since I had the table off the machine I thought I would look at the legs to see how square they may appear or not appear.
Part of this is due I'm sure from measuring off a ruff casting at each leg. While the finish isn't bad it is a casting and not a machined surface. This amount of error might well be due to that alone.

Anyway this table works fine and shows no signs of this small possible error causing any binding.

I think a better way to measure this might be with a gauge on the surface and zeroed then put the table on the surface and use the gauge on the legs, didn't do it but if I get some free time I might give it a try to see what it reads.

Ed

Could you use a Wixey, or cousin. Zero sat on table, then hold against side of legs in the same orientation,

I think you are ultimately trying to verify the table to be flat and perpendicular to the "drill line". If so. don't over look the quill.

As for the table legs, they really do not play into this and especially since you say the table cranks up and down

rpd wrote:Could you use a Wixey, or cousin. Zero sat on table, then hold against side of legs in the same orientation,

Yes that is what I was thinking.

Ed

dusty wrote:I think you are ultimately trying to verify the table to be flat and perpendicular to the "drill line". If so. don't over look the quill.

As for the table legs, they really do not play into this and especially since you say the table cranks up and down

Yes the exercise was to have the table perpendicular to the quill. On a 500 table you have two stops that set the angle one way and then you have to shim for the other direction. A very sight difference is normally not a problem but for use with the planner head I wanted it to be as close as I could without spending hours tweaking it. This was the tune up part and I am happy with the results.

The FYI part was that I too see the legs as measured to be off. My guess is that this is more then likely how most machines are going to show up when measured off the casting. It is a non-issue for my machine as it cranks just fine. The shims will have no effect on this measurement but could show up with an angle gauge when referenced off the table top. For my purposes the end result is a drill table that is adjusted correctly and I have that.

Ed