Shopsmith Forums

chapmanruss wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 2:15 pm They stick to the front extruded aluminum fence rails on the Mark V 520 and Mark 7. In the picture below the table on the left has the magnetic strip closest to the table edge and the one on the right is the earlier fence rail without the magnetic strip. As you can see the ruler itself is wider than the magnetic strip.

Thank, now I get it. I thought the ruler was magnetized or had the magnetic backing on it. So a magnetic strip is glued onto the rail and then you stick the steel tape to it.

Has anyone ever used magnetic tape made of Neodymium Rare Earth magnets on any projects (see link below)? This stuff is supposed to be much stronger than the standard type of magnetic tape. It comes in 12.5mm wide strips which would be an improvement to the 11.25mm magnetic strip on my 520 tables. The extra width should help with keeping the edge of the stainless steel ruler from not lifting up on the front edge. I am thinking of ordering and trying this to see if it finally makes my 520 rulers somewhat useable. Any thoughts???

https://amfmagnets.com/magnetic-strip-n ... mm-3m.html

RFGuy wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 4:24 pm Has anyone ever used magnetic tape made of Neodymium Rare Earth magnets on any projects (see link below)? This stuff is supposed to be much stronger than the standard type of magnetic tape. It comes in 12.5mm wide strips which would be an improvement to the 11.25mm magnetic strip on my 520 tables. The extra width should help with keeping the edge of the stainless steel ruler from not lifting up on the front edge. I am thinking of ordering and trying this to see if it finally makes my 520 rulers somewhat useable. Any thoughts???

https://amfmagnets.com/magnetic-strip-n ... mm-3m.html

Thanks for the link...and...probably the solution to my problem.

A lot less expenshive than buying new rails with magnetic strips.

dusty wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 5:12 pm Thanks for the link...and...probably the solution to my problem.

A lot less expenshive than buying new rails with magnetic strips.

Dusty,

If you purchase it let us know how it goes and I will do the same. I haven't ordered it yet, but seriously considering it. Did Shopsmith offer any solutions?

RFGuy wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 5:34 pm

dusty wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 5:12 pm Thanks for the link...and...probably the solution to my problem.

A lot less expenshive than buying new rails with magnetic strips.

Dusty,

If you purchase it let us know how it goes and I will do the same. I haven't ordered it yet, but seriously considering it. Did Shopsmith offer any solutions?

I made up my mind to buy two rolls. This is enough to do two main tables and 4 extension table. Less than $40 - I set out to order only to read the notice in red that AMFMagnetics is temporarily closed due to covid.

I found other sources but decided to wait for AMF.

I went ahead and removed the tape from one of my extension tables. I hardly ever use the scale there anyhow - no loss. The existing tape came off rather easily using a sharp chisel. Now I have to find the right adhesive to remove the residual adhesive. I suspect that mineral spirits will take it right off.

I will attempt to watch AMF for a change in status and will report when they open back up.

I've not been happy with the rule system on the 520. When I was ordering my 520 upgrade kit I got a call from shopsmith asking if it would be OK to send that version as they were in the change over from the old to the new. I of course said yes.

Accuracy is just so so with the system. OK for making birdhouses but not for precision. And then there is the rule being a bit wider and catching on stuff and when it does the rule gets a bend that you can't get out. I've replaced a few and even broke a few trying to fix them. I have stop using anything wider then the one that fits the main table and even that has had issues.

Shopsmith use to sell the magnetic tape or maybe it was included in the upgrade from non-ruled to ruled??? Anyway I have several strips of tape in extension table and main table widths stuck on my garage door. The tape has started to come loose that covers the sticky side and that is another issue I have run into. The magnets seem to have held up but the sticky stuff has come loose from the tape. Not sure what new sticky stuff I'd try to replace it with, maybe that fastcap stuff?????

I have also found out the the magnet seems to work on the 6" and 12" thin stainless steel rules. What is cool about that is that they come in metric sizes with metric measurements in case you are making a metric birdhouse.

Sort of related is the plastic bit that mounts on the fence was only held on with some sort of double sided tape and will at some point it time fall off. Might be the same tape as used on the magnetic strips???

I do wish they had a precision system for the shopsmith like woodpecker introduced for the saw stop saws....... fat chance that ever happens.

Ed

dusty wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:15 pm I made up my mind to buy two rolls. This is enough to do two main tables and 4 extension table. Less than $40 - I set out to order only to read the notice in red that AMFMagnetics is temporarily closed due to covid.

I found other sources but decided to wait for AMF.

I went ahead and removed the tape from one of my extension tables. I hardly ever use the scale there anyhow - no loss. The existing tape came off rather easily using a sharp chisel. Now I have to find the right adhesive to remove the residual adhesive. I suspect that mineral spirits will take it right off.

I will attempt to watch AMF for a change in status and will report when they open back up.

Dusty,

I contacted AMF and they aren't sure when their USA warehouse will open again, but they are shipping now from Australia where they are based. You can go to https://magnet.com.au/ to place an order if you want, but of course the shipping will be a bit more. It should be fairly lightweight so it may not be too bad for international shipping given this. I have been searching to try to find another Neodymium magnetic tape, but so far this looks like the only one. You can get rigid strips of Neodymium but I think the thinnest that I saw was 3mm (1/8") so this may be too thick and probably too strong for re-positioning the Shopsmith ruler. I'll keep looking to see if I can find something else that is local or with cheap shipping, but if you don't mind international shipping AMF is available now.

P.S. I found a similar product from a UK website, so this might be another option to consider if shipping isn't too bad.

https://www.first4magnets.com/tape-stri ... ymium-t137

Also, there is a thicker magnet tape which is even stronger from AMF that I found on their Australian website. It is 2mm thick so need to confirm that this height is okay to fit under the 520 fence.

https://magnet.com.au/products/neodymiu ... ive-3m-vhb

reible wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 6:36 pm
I do wish they had a precision system for the shopsmith like woodpecker introduced for the saw stop saws....... fat chance that ever happens.

Ed

Ed,

Wouldn't that be nice. I really like that Woodpecker system for SawStop. Definitely overkill but nice. Yeah, I have never really liked the Shopsmith rulers on the 520 as I stated before. IF they would stay on reasonably well and not pop off, then I might take the time to align it and use it for some cuts. Don't know that I would use it all the time, but might be nice for quick cuts that don't have to be precise. I still may try purchasing this AMF magnetic tape to replace mine and see if I can find some uses for the Shopsmith ruler finally.

I never use the direct read system either. For a while I was using a 520 as a dedicated TS, and I still didn't use it. My reasoning is best stated by this, from the manual on the upgrade 522292 (11/04). Same PN today, for $199.87:

" NOTE
Once the Scale is set properly, no re-adjustment will be required...
...unless you change a Blade or Cutter, alter the position of the Quill Feed or change the distance relationship between the MARK V Headstock and Carriage."

Well dang, I do one or more of those all the time. That just does not work for me and the way I use the system. It just makes the scale something else to mess with during changeovers. I'd be lucky to use it three times without needing to set it again. I learned on a Greenie, and that's where I formed my habits whether good or bad. When I need a small tweak of rip width, I use the quill feed. With the early fence this was more or less a necessity, but I prefer it still even with the 520/M7. I feel it gives me more control over small changes. At the expense of generally not being able to use ZCIs, those things don't get along with small tweaks using the quill feed. I have nothing against this for the folks that like it, but it isn't on my list of reasons I like the 520 better. (I do like the Al Gale almost-direct read system, though.)

- David

DLB wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 7:28 pm I never use the direct read system either. For a while I was using a 520 as a dedicated TS, and I still didn't use it. My reasoning is best stated by this, from the manual on the upgrade 522292 (11/04). Same PN today, for $199.87:

" NOTE
Once the Scale is set properly, no re-adjustment will be required...
...unless you change a Blade or Cutter, alter the position of the Quill Feed or change the distance relationship between the MARK V Headstock and Carriage."

Well dang, I do one or more of those all the time. That just does not work for me and the way I use the system. It just makes the scale something else to mess with during changeovers. I'd be lucky to use it three times without needing to set it again. I learned on a Greenie, and that's where I formed my habits whether good or bad. When I need a small tweak of rip width, I use the quill feed. With the early fence this was more or less a necessity, but I prefer it still even with the 520/M7. I feel it gives me more control over small changes. At the expense of generally not being able to use ZCIs, those things don't get along with small tweaks using the quill feed. I have nothing against this for the folks that like it, but it isn't on my list of reasons I like the 520 better. (I do like the Al Gale almost-direct read system, though.)

- David

Which is why it is magnetic in the first place. I have the SS system and never use it. My Powermatic PM2000 has a fixed scale that is very accurate but I don't very often use it for the initial set up. I use a steel ruler first. If I need to tweak it a certain amount from the initial measurement I some times use the fixed scale but I have never gotten used to that. I just use a ruler.