510 to 520 upgrade?

[steverboss]

I have a 1995 Mark 510 that I am considering upgrading to a 520. In your guys’ opinion, is it worth it? Can I’m just buy the 520 fence & table extrusions used & do it, or is there more to it than that? What would be a fair price to pay for those pieces used?

[dusty]

I have a 1995 Mark 510 that I am considering upgrading to a 520. In your guys’ opinion, is it worth it? Can I’m just buy the 520 fence & table extrusions used & do it, or is there more to it than that? What would be a fair price to pay for those pieces used?

If you purchase the 510 to 520 upgrade kit that Shopsmith offers you'll have everything you need to complete the upgrade.

But you ask if it is worth the price. There are many viewpoints. I have two 520s and a 510 to base by opinions on and I would say that I have found nothing that I can do or do better by using the 520s. The 520 rip fence is heftier but I don't believe it can be set up to be anymore accurate than can the 510.

I am approaching that time when woodworking will no longer be my primary time consumer. As I pare down the shop, the 510 will be the last to disappear. All I really need is the 510, a surface planer, a band saw and the belt sander. I will also need to exchange my router table for one that mounts on the 510.

I know this does not answer your question but no one can. You ask what needs to be a personal choice.

[DLB]

I have a 1995 Mark 510 that I am considering upgrading to a 520. In your guys’ opinion, is it worth it? Can I’m just buy the 520 fence & table extrusions used & do it, or is there more to it than that? What would be a fair price to pay for those pieces used?

To me, yes it is worth it. Shopsmith's kit is $575.69 but goes on sale with some regularity for a bit under $500. In addition to the fence and table extrusions, it includes alignment gauges used to install the extrusions correctly referenced to the table surfaces, direct measurement scales, a wider fence straddler, and mounting hardware. I doubt there is much to be saved buying used unless you can find all parts from one seller. I've seen this offered as a set from time to time on ebay, one sold recently for $336. It did not include the alignment gauges or the scales, and the extrusions appear to be the earlier type that are not compatible with the scales.

- David

[RFGuy]

I have praised my 520 (over my previous 510) many times on this forum. I won't link every thread, but in my experience it is well worth it. I started out on my Dad's 510 and he still uses it and likes his 510. He doesn't complain about it, but I prefer my 520. The best way I can describe my 510 and fence adjustments on it were they were persnickety. When I got my 520 table system and fence it worked significantly better for me. It has been the single best upgrade I have made to my Mark V, so I highly recommend it. Several forum members prefer their 510, some prefer the 500, some prefer the Mark VII and some prefer the 10ER, etc. I would hazard to say that most of us that upgraded to the 520 find it beneficial over the 510, but I think it really comes down to preferences and how one uses it in tablesaw mode, i.e. the benefits for one person may not be benefits for others. IF you didn't see the recent thread on 510 vs. 520 differences you may want to check it out for more info. Like I said, lots of threads on 520 versus 510 versus 500 in the past on the forum...too many to link here.

viewtopic.php?p=305514#p305514

One benefit of the wider 520 fence is you can easily mount aftermarket accessories like the Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides which I really like.

viewtopic.php?p=255807#p255807

[chapmanruss]

steverboss,

Already some differing opinions. As Dusty said,

I know this does not answer your question but no one can. You ask what needs to be a personal choice.

My two cents worth won't be much help on your decision either. I like my Pro Fence Mark V 520 and Mark 7 (upgrade). The Mark V 520 is what I started with. I did not use the 510/505 fence system when I purchased a Mark V 505 and it didn't have the fence with it. I upgraded it to the 520 because I already had the Pro Fence system and having it on both Mark's meant I could use the floating tables between both plus I already had some of the parts needed to change it including an extra fence and extra floating tables. It cost me less to buy the needed parts than to buy a 510/505 fence.

David talked a bit about the new verses used for the upgrade. Finding a complete upgrade on the used market can be a challenge. One thing to note is there was a change on the front fence rail extrusions to include the Direct-Reading Rip Fence Scales which will not be on older upgrade parts found used. Some of my tables have these extrusions for the Direct-Reading Rip Fence Scales while others do not. Honestly, I don't miss them on the table without them since I use a ruler or tape measure (for longer widths) and don't depend on the scales to set the fence.

Again, this all comes down to a personal choice as to which works best for you.

[gac5ss]

I have a 1995 Mark 510 that I am considering upgrading to a 520. In your guys’ opinion, is it worth it? Can I’m just buy the 520 fence & table extrusions used & do it, or is there more to it than that? What would be a fair price to pay for those pieces used?

I have had both. I prefer the 520 over the 510. The extension tubes work better for me on the 520. I actually replaced the hollow tubes with solid steel rods which my machine shop friend made me.

As far as used vs new, I would go for new. eBay sellers price the 520 parts too close to new in my opinion. Sellers also usually will not sell all of the parts together. I rarely see the 510 to 520 rails with the 520 fence as a used package. Watch SS for a sale to save a few dollars.

I decided when I started looking for another Shopsmith that anything less than a 520 was off my list. The resell is also better.

Good Luck

[dusty]

I have a 1995 Mark 510 that I am considering upgrading to a 520. In your guys’ opinion, is it worth it? Can I’m just buy the 520 fence & table extrusions used & do it, or is there more to it than that? What would be a fair price to pay for those pieces used?

I have had both. I prefer the 520 over the 510. The extension tubes work better for me on the 520. I actually replaced the hollow tubes with solid steel rods which my machine shop friend made me.

As far as used vs new, I would go for new. eBay sellers price the 520 parts too close to new in my opinion. Sellers also usually will not sell all of the parts together. I rarely see the 510 to 520 rails with the 520 fence as a used package. Watch SS for a sale to save a few dollars.

I decided when I started looking for another Shopsmith that anything less than a 520 was off my list. The resell is also better.

Good Luck

"The extension tubes work better for me on the 520. "

Can you quantify this statement? What do 520 rails do for you that is not done by the 510 rails?

Other than something for the rip fence to attach to, what function do the tubes and rails perform?

[gac5ss]

First off, this is based on my opinion, not necessarily on any engineering qualifications. Steverboss asked for opinions.

In my opinion, the extruded aluminum rails are less flexible than a round tube. More flex = inaccuracies. The roundness of the 510 rails and the method the extension tubes align from the side are not as accurate as the extruded 520 seats which compress from the bottom. Note the saddle in which the tube seats when the compression screw is engaged.

I also like the fence on the 520 better because it locks into a dovetail / V on the front. There is no such structure on the round fence rail.

See second paragraph as to what the rails do without the fence. They allow rigid interlocking tubes to be inserted to make a larger more stable work surface. That larger surface with less flex means I can set up an incra fence system 3 tables from the saw slot. And I think the 520 rails do it better than the round rails.

All my opinion.
Thanks
Jerry

[dusty]

First off, this is based on my opinion, not necessarily on any engineering qualifications. Steverboss asked for opinions.

In my opinion, the extruded aluminum rails are less flexible than a round tube. More flex = inaccuracies. The roundness of the 510 rails and the method the extension tubes align from the side are not as accurate as the extruded 520 seats which compress from the bottom. Note the saddle in which the tube seats when the compression screw is engaged.

I also like the fence on the 520 better because it locks into a dovetail / V on the front. There is no such structure on the round fence rail.

See second paragraph as to what the rails do without the fence. They allow rigid interlocking tubes to be inserted to make a larger more stable work surface. That larger surface with less flex means I can set up an incra fence system 3 tables from the saw slot. And I think the 520 rails do it better than the round rails.

All my opinion.
Thanks
Jerry

Thank you for sharing your opinions so frankly. I do not agree in total with your comments but you did acknowledge them to be opinions. Thus, mine are counter opinions.

[DLB]

I like and use the T-slots in the 520 rip fence faces. There are many ways to mount fence extensions, sacrificial faces, featherboards, etc. but the slots are easy and don't required drilling of the fence. If I didn't have the slots I'd find another way, but I like having them. The most important aspect of the 520 rip fence to me though is the Jessem stock guides mentioned earlier. The SS 520 is one of the very few portables that can work with these guides.

- David