Shopsmith Forums

I just got an email offer for the Rip Scale Upgrade Kit for the 520. Has anyone done this upgrade? How do you like it?

I would not be without it. If you use your 520 in the table saw mode it is a must have!

I'm giving this upgrade serious thought. My second Shopsmith is usually set-up in saw mode. I have an Incra 5000 and the scale on the fence gives me very accurate cross cuts. With this upgrade I would essentially have this feature for ripping as well.

This is not to say that I wouldn't pull out my tape measure for a second check. Remember the old addage " measure twice - cut once". It seems as if every time I ignore this rule I "screw up" the cut.

The really neat thing about this system is that you have the ability to make adjustments for your current project. I use it a lot for dado's and I can set it to read from either side of the dado blade. It is easy to set and adjust. I place the tape on the fence and make a test cut in a piece of scrap. Then just measure the test cut and adjust the tape accordingly.

I took advantage of the current 520 upgrade offer. It seems that this comes with the Rip Scale Upgrade kit. Is that correct?

If so then the Rip Scale Upgrade is for folks that have a 520 that did not have the scale. Is that correct?

And I sure hope they catch up on the back orders!

Steve

You are correct. It will not fit any other model. It comes with 2 steel tapes and new fence fronts for the tables that have the magnets already in them. The new 520's now come with this as standard I believe.

As stated in previous posts, the rip scale upgrade kit is an upgrade to an upgrade. It only applies to earlier 520's and the original 520 upgrade kits for 500's and 510's. Later on it was incorporated as standard into 520's and the upgrade kits, and offered as an upgrade to bring earlier 520's and conversions up to date.
I upgraded a 510 to a 520 a couple of years ago before the rip scale appeared. When the rip scale upgrade was announced, I thought it was just the thing to really make a 520 into what it should be and decided to go for it. However, the price gave me sticker shock, especially compared to what I had paid for the original 510 to 520 update on a promotion. Then a little later the new 520 kit including the scales came on sale again. I figured I might as well get a whole new kit for the relatively small difference in price and I would have some extra parts that would go a long ways to letting me convert some of my extra extention and floating tables, plus getting a 2nd fence. So 2 kits later I have a much more extensive and flexible 520, at a cost that was not a whole lot more(about $100.00) than the price that a new upgrade is today. The adjustable scale is one of the best features of a 520.
Don

Both of my 520's have the magnetic tapes. The first one came with and the second I added it when I upgraded from a 510. I never take that measurement as a final measure. Yet it save a lot of remeasuring. Sometimes it is right on on occasion off a small amount. Clearly it makes an efficient starting place. Worth the investment, Totally. fjimp

Looks like a good upgrade. I think I'll hold off for now. Appears my INCRA MITER V120 Miter Gauge order just shipped. Have to save my pennies for awhile.Been getting an awful lot of packages from Ohio lately. Thanks for all the responses!

recurvearcher wrote:Looks like a good upgrade. I think I'll hold off for now. Appears my INCRA MITER V120 Miter Gauge order just shipped. Have to save my pennies for awhile.Been getting an awful lot of packages from Ohio lately. Thanks for all the responses!

If it helps this order will come from Incra. Mine arrived yesterday. Jim