Strategy for 520 owner to use 500 table

wdelliott · Post by **wdelliott** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:25 pm

I upgraded to 520 a few years back, but I keep staring at my 500 table wondering how best to use it, if at all. Also, I have a couple of spare table mounting brackets. My father used the spare brackets to make wooden extension tables.

My question is: What strategies could be employed to use the old tables and table brackets?

Bill
Ravenna, Texas
bill@wdelliott.com

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:07 pm

The 500 carriage can be mounted to the left of the headstock to provide additional support surface. You can also adapt the old 500 table for a router. If you have the newer style 500 table with the removable front fence rail, it is the same extrusion as the aluminum table bandsaw fence rail with the exception of the milled out notch for the miter gauge bar. It can be removed and a notch filed out and mounted on the bandsaw. I have even mounted one of these bars to a cast iron bandsaw table. The old 500 fence can be used with that bar as a resaw fence on the bandsaw.

Let's see, the saw guards could be used as paper weights......just kidding.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:04 pm

rsdiggs wrote:The 500 carriage can be mounted to the left of the headstock to provide additional support surface. You can also adapt the old 500 table for a router. If you have the newer style 500 table with the removable front fence rail, it is the same extrusion as the aluminum table bandsaw fence rail with the exception of the milled out notch for the miter gauge bar. It can be removed and a notch filed out and mounted on the bandsaw. I have even mounted one of these bars to a cast iron bandsaw table. The old 500 fence can be used with that bar as a resaw fence on the bandsaw.

Let's see, the saw guards could be used as paper weights......just kidding.

If I read you correctly, you are saying that the old 500 main table is directly compatible to the trunnions on the bandsaw and can be used as a bandsaw table if mounted there.

If this is correct - this should be good news to some folks with the old bandsaw table.

Thanks for posting this tidbit. Please correct me if I have read your original post incorrectly.

dicksterp · Post by **dicksterp** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:21 am

rsdiggs wrote:If you have the newer style 500 table with the removable front fence rail, it is the same extrusion as the aluminum table bandsaw fence rail with the exception of the milled out notch for the miter gauge bar. It can be removed and a notch filed out and mounted on the bandsaw. I have even mounted one of these bars to a cast iron bandsaw table. The old 500 fence can be used with that bar as a resaw fence on the bandsaw.

Let's see, the saw guards could be used as paper weights......just kidding.

Dusty,
I think rsdiggs is saying that the extrusion will mount on the bandsaw table, not the 500 table on the bandsaw trunnions. This would enable the rip fence to be used on the bandsaw.

I saw on Ebay last week? the plans for using the 500 carriage & table mounted on a stand for an outfeed or an infeed table. Quick height and tilt adjustment. Wooden stand with 2 short bars for the carriage to mount on.

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:35 am

This is a bit off the question but I had an extra 500 table and trunnion when I bought my old greenie, so I bought a brownie that had been shortened and I use the extra 500 table on the shorty as a a work support on very long stock.
It can match height and it is mobile.
Then I bought another headstock, on and on the possibilities go.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:02 am

Indeed the possibilities are endless. The 500 table/trunnion/carriage is too precious to throw away.

Here's my project which I use a lot still:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2116

Enjoy,

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:08 am

That is awesome Chris!
Very creative!
Now, why doesn't my mind work like that?:o

SDSSmith · Post by **SDSSmith** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:26 am

Dusty, Dick got it right. Only the rail from the 500 table is used.

dicksterp wrote:Dusty,
I think rsdiggs is saying that the extrusion will mount on the bandsaw table, not the 500 table on the bandsaw trunnions. This would enable the rip fence to be used on the bandsaw.

I saw on Ebay last week? the plans for using the 500 carriage & table mounted on a stand for an outfeed or an infeed table. Quick height and tilt adjustment. Wooden stand with 2 short bars for the carriage to mount on.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:21 pm

rsdiggs wrote:Dusty, Dick got it right. Only the rail from the 500 table is used.

Okay, I have read and reread what I did not before understand correctly and I now understand. There are multiple repurposing activities being proposed and not just one.

Did I post this in the middle of the night? That might be a good excuse for not understanding the first time.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:24 pm

nuhobby wrote:Indeed the possibilities are endless. The 500 table/trunnion/carriage is too precious to throw away.

Here's my project which I use a lot still:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2116

Enjoy,

Yes, repurpose those 500 parts. There is a post that I must relocate that was put here some time ago (by Doc, if my memory serves me right) that employs a carriage and table on a home built roll around. This assembly serves as an adjustable work surface and outfeed table.