Shopsmith Forums

Thread by Doug45601 touched on something I have been considering. Adding carriage to LEFT of headstock. As he mentioned, coupler is then too short.

I also have the problem of band saw with 'offset' mounting tubes not working on power station. Would like to be able to swap between ss and ps without changing tubes.

The common solution to both problems would be to lengthen a coupler.

Has any one attempted this???

jpg40504 wrote:Thread by Doug45601 touched on something I have been considering. Adding carriage to LEFT of headstock. As he mentioned, coupler is then too short.

I also have the problem of band saw with 'offset' mounting tubes not working on power station. Would like to be able to swap between ss and ps without changing tubes.

The common solution to both problems would be to lengthen a coupler.

Has any one attempted this???

I occasionally mount a second carriage (one to left of headstock) but I have never attempted to connect anything to the power take off (PTO). This arouses my curiosity. What do you have in mind?

Do you have a photo image that would show why you can not move your band saw back and forth between the Power Station and the Mark V. I believe I have a very standard setup and I do it frequently. I don't believe I have dome anything special or different. I don't even use stop collars on the band saws (I have two).

The word offset mounting tube is inaccurate! I should have said 'eccentric mounting tubes'.

The 'eccentric' mounting tubes increase the distance(away from headstock/ps output shaft) by 1 1/4". They are to allow raising SS to vertical while BS is still mounted. The alum BS table is larger than the original cast iron table. Raising to vertical was over looked when BS table size was increased; hence the need to move bandsaw to the 'left' which is accomplished with the 'eccentric' mounting 'tubes'.

The pix below 'simulates' the problem when eccentric tubes shift BS 1 1/4" away from PS output shaft.(I put regular tubes back on after discovering problem since I am currently using PS to power BS) The 'simulation' is accomplished for this pix by moving slide to 1 1/4" short of max position toward PS output shaft.

[ATTACH]3129[/ATTACH]

Note the coupler is 'almost touching' the power shaft' The spring inside coupler forces it 'off'.

Keep in mind I still am a '500' jockey and I thought it would be convenient to have 2 500 tables(1 on each side of headstock). In addition to being a larger 'extension table' it would allow simultaneously setting up to saw(at the 'normal' table and disc sand on the 'left' table. The extra carriage would be a possible thing in the way(as in connecting to jointer) or any SPT on left end, hence the need for 'long' coupler. We are currently in the imagineering stage.

I have a second carriage and table mounted to the left of my headstock on my goldie and I experienced exactly what you are describing. Since I also have a second goldie, I use that for my SPT's for now. I thought about making (or having made) a 5/8" ID X @ 1/1/2" long X 1 1/8" OD coupling with set screws on each end. This would mount on the left output shaft and would have a short piece of 5/8" dia round stock (with flats on each end) mounted in this special coupling. Then mount the standard drive hub for the plastic coupling to that. I figured as the whole thing would only be the minimal length needed to couple up the SPT's, so I think it should work ok. I haven't got around to this yet but was planning on giving it a try. John McCrossen

I have had an 'inspiration'.

Take a 1/2"router chuck, mount 5/8" end to bandsaw shaft. Insert short length of 1/2" shaft into 'router end'. Needs to be 1" longer than 1/2" bore in router chuck. On this mount a 1/2" coupler hub.

Care must be taken to ensure it is balanced and has minimal runout.

Attach coupler to output shaft as usual and put accessory end onto contraption described above. You may not recognize the 'old style' router coupler in pix below.

[ATTACH]3134[/ATTACH]

This uses available hardware, and solves the BS eccentric tube problem. A simpler fix would be to get/use a 5/8" shaft extender(5/8" female to 5/8"male).

This leaves us with 'extra' carriage problem.

P.S. This could also be used for extra carriage situation. If spt has a 1/2" shaft(jointer/jigsaw...) substitute 1 5/8" shaft and 5/8" coupler and reverse 'orientation'.

Hi guys,
I'm new to this list and new to Shopsmiths. BUT I recently acquired a MArk VII and have been tricking it out. I've been pondering the same dilemma..> I 've so far put an extra Mark V carriage to the left of the headstock (and can still get the headstock to reach the band saw!), so now I can have a second saw table on the left side - so more table surface!

Of course I've been thinking about how to extend the coupler, if only to keep from having to move the headstock so far back and forth from bandsaw on the left to belt sander on the right (which means moving around all the saw tables, etc..
So last night I finally took the big step: I sawed a coupler in half, dremeled out the insides, and the outside raised lettering, etc to make a smooth tube on each half. I had noticed that this makes the coupler just exactly fit inside a length of 3/4 inch PVC Schedule 40 water pipe (inside dia 3/4, outside dia 1 inch). I also found a dowel rod that would fit inside the coulpler ends. I made it long enough (about 14 inches) so it would almost reach either side with the headstock in the middle of the rail, but enough room to pull it off, move to the other side, and crank it tight. Not sure if the MArk V has the teeth alog the rail and the crank handle on the headstock, but the Mark VII does. Its nice as long as the headstock doesn't have to move too far, but is a pain if you have to move it very far - a lot of cranking.

So I'm about to get primer and glue to put this together and try. Please tell me if i'm about to kill myself before I do! : )
I think the glue may hold it as is, but I am also considering putting a small bolt thru each end (thru the couler the outside pipe, and the inner dowel rod) to make sure it holds.

Any thoughts? I keep thinking surely someone else has tried this...

Would a 5/8 id reinforced hose and a couple hose clamps work?

Gene Howe wrote:Would a 5/8 id reinforced hose and a couple hose clamps work?

Steel braid hydraulic hose is often used like that to drive light loads on some farm applications. If you do you need to balance it a little for SS speeds. You can do that by using 2 hose clamps on each end and mounting them 180 degrees from each other.
I have also seen bench grinders driven from the end like that rather than by a belt. I have never tried that.


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edgoad wrote:Hi guys,
I'm new to this list and new to Shopsmiths. BUT I recently acquired a MArk VII and have been tricking it out. I've been pondering the same dilemma..> I 've so far put an extra Mark V carriage to the left of the headstock (and can still get the headstock to reach the band saw!), so now I can have a second saw table on the left side - so more table surface!

Of course I've been thinking about how to extend the coupler, if only to keep from having to move the headstock so far back and forth from bandsaw on the left to belt sander on the right (which means moving around all the saw tables, etc..
So last night I finally took the big step: I sawed a coupler in half, dremeled out the insides, and the outside raised lettering, etc to make a smooth tube on each half. I had noticed that this makes the coupler just exactly fit inside a length of 3/4 inch PVC Schedule 40 water pipe (inside dia 3/4, outside dia 1 inch). I also found a dowel rod that would fit inside the coulpler ends. I made it long enough (about 14 inches) so it would almost reach either side with the headstock in the middle of the rail, but enough room to pull it off, move to the other side, and crank it tight. Not sure if the MArk V has the teeth alog the rail and the crank handle on the headstock, but the Mark VII does. Its nice as long as the headstock doesn't have to move too far, but is a pain if you have to move it very far - a lot of cranking.

So I'm about to get primer and glue to put this together and try. Please tell me if i'm about to kill myself before I do! : )
I think the glue may hold it as is, but I am also considering putting a small bolt thru each end (thru the couler the outside pipe, and the inner dowel rod) to make sure it holds.

Any thoughts? I keep thinking surely someone else has tried this...

Make sure the dowel is hardwood. Pinning the ends(3/16" to 1/4" dowel) a necessity(torque). Glueing not so much so(lack of flexibility). Start up torque will be the killer.

I think that will work if the dowel and pipe withstand the torque. The pins will help that.

I tried to repair one but only used the center dowel. It failed miserably since the center dowel was very soft(so much for labels). I would make my own from known species. I tried pinning it with 1/16" nails. I was also connecting two pieces that were separated about 1/4 the length(less shank to work with). I was not trying to 'extend the length'.

Just be careful(observant) when trying it out!!!!


No the M5/MV do not have either teeth or a crank. One merely pushes the carriage(s;)) and headstock with 'brute' force.