Shopsmith Forums

This is verbally described deep in another thread, but I thought it needed a better description and its own thread.

The first pic is the table lift crank with lever disassembled. (BEFORE)
The second pic shows the assembly sequence of 'new' lift crank. (AFTER)
The third pic shows the NEW parts. The crank(514330) is NOT shown.
The washer is a 3/8" flat washer which will not quite fit over the crank shaft. Therefore the 4 notches are added(filed).
The white thingey is a spacer to hold the original 'pinion knob' centered. It is made from a paper roll core and is slightly shorter than the pinion knob. The core had 8 webs between the od(7/8") and the id. The id was 'sliced' at 4 places equally spaced. This allows the 'thingey' to slip over the crank shaft.
The washer goes between the new crank and the original pinion knob. The clamping force when the lock wingnut is tightened is from the crank through the washer to the pinion knob and to the table pinion.

The fourth pic shows the spacer(thingey) on the crank shaft.
The last pic shows the downside to this alteration.
When the table is rotated 90°(think vertical drill press) the table hits against the crank 7/8" short of hitting the way tubes(previous limit).

This 'alteration' does NOT modify any existing parts and is therefore totally reversible(assuming you keep track of the newly unused parts).

EDIT: 'Thingy' has been replaced with a more durable part.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewt ... 20#p163020

Also see other(simpler) solution below.

That was a great illustrated description of the conversion. I purchased a 1995 510 new, so this does not effect me, but for those interested, what outside diameter is the paper roll core "thingey"?

a1gutterman wrote:That was a great illustrated description of the conversion. I purchased a 1995 510 new, so this does not effect me, but for those interested, what outside diameter is the paper roll core "thingey"?

7/8" Thank You:) I added that 'detail' above.

Cool posting!

I was also curious, if anyone has tried on a model 500 just putting the table-height lever pieces on the opposite side of the carriage. It is no longer next to the carriage-lock handle, but it seems to have less mechanical interference with the table back there. (I'm going by memory and haven't tried it again, but I think that one time I tried it, it worked fine!)

nuhobby wrote:Cool posting!

I was also curious, if anyone has tried on a model 500 just putting the table-height lever pieces on the opposite side of the carriage. It is no longer next to the carriage-lock handle, but it seems to have less mechanical interference with the table back there. (I'm going by memory and haven't tried it again, but I think that one time I tried it, it worked fine!)

The crank shaft can be reversed. Whether it clears the table 'better' ? I shall try it and SEE!

YEP It totally clears the table in 'vertical mode'. The rip fence could get in the way. The table 'hangs out' less in the back than the front. I did NOT try it in horizontal mode but it would also be 'better'. It may be more convenient to have the handle on that side when 'drill pressing' anyway.

Great idea!

nuhobby wrote:Cool posting!

I was also curious, if anyone has tried on a model 500 just putting the table-height lever pieces on the opposite side of the carriage. It is no longer next to the carriage-lock handle, but it seems to have less mechanical interference with the table back there. (I'm going by memory and haven't tried it again, but I think that one time I tried it, it worked fine!)

I think that is a great idea. I already noticed I have to unscrew the handle far enough to wiggle it around the lock knob.I may try to put it on the other side. I'm trying to think if that would interfere with any other usage, but I am so new to this, my thinking is more dreaming than anything else.....

teacherman wrote:I think that is a great idea. I already noticed I have to unscrew the handle far enough to wiggle it around the lock knob.I may try to put it on the other side. I'm trying to think if that would interfere with any other usage, but I am so new to this, my thinking is more dreaming than anything else.....

Nothing wrong with a functioning imagination(dreaming, no). Therein lies the seeds of innovation.

For any one who cares, the paper roll core has been replaced with a 'shopsmith part' of unknown origin(to the seller) but known to the buyer(me) that was made by sawing off(by an unknown individual for an unknown purpose) the clover leaf shaped part of the hub that the lever normally detents into. Just the right length etc.! Not that I was concerned about the paper roll's durability, but it is better and really really less Rube Goldbergy.

BTW, The move to opposite side(rear) does work!(IIRC)

For the spacer I used a 12 point 3/8 drive 9/16 cheap socket. Perfect length.

jjbuzard wrote:For the spacer I used a 12 point 3/8 drive 9/16 cheap socket. Perfect length.

See I too believe in 'personalization'!

Back in about 1996 I came up with this way to approach this problem, I went to a ShopSmith Store, what were they "Woodworking Unlimited" and and asked them if the new wheel handle to raise and lower the table on my Mark 5, they said "NO." So I went over and looked at one on the showroom floor and when no one was looking I took the Handwheel off and looked it over, figured out what I needed to do to make it work and ordered the "Crank and Insert" and proceeded to make it work when it was delivered, I figured out the only thing I needed to do was inert a 3/8" drive 9/16" socket and put it back together. Below are the pictures that show how it works.
Here are the parts,