Fence Featherboard & Model 510 Fence

[dannos]

Greetings,
It's working great but, last week I ordered the "Fence Featherboard" from Shopsmith. Saturday while installing, the small (2) metal pieces w/studs that slide into the top grove of the fence are slightly too wide and won't slide into position. I thought about trying to grind them down with something but didn't have a grinder. (Another future Shopsmith purchase)
So, I ended up forcing them into position on the fence by hammering them down the groove with a scrap piece of wood/hammer.
They work great, but are basically permanently set at that position on the 510 fence. Could it be my fence was somehow damaged prior? I purchased this 1993 510 model a few months back and have been restoring, lubing, cleaning and vacuuming since.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Dan

[a1gutterman]

Hi dannos,

I too just purchased my first fence featherboard. I had not yet assembled it, but after reading your post I went down to the shop and tried to run the unassembled "T" nuts down the fence track. I say tried because, like you, I discovered that they would not easily slide down the track! After close inspection, I discovered sawdust in the track (I have never used this track for anything before) and cleaned it all out. Now I can slide them all the way back and forth by hand, but they are still very tight. I am going to wax the track and the nuts and see how that works. Not tonight though.

[dannos]

Tim,
Thanks for the input and idea, I will check the inside edges of the track and see. I felt bad hammering/wedging them in there like that but, I really was anxious to get some mirror edging done. I may be upgrading to the 520 soon which I'm betting these were "really" designed for, although they show to fit the 510.
By the way, in combintation with the regular table mounted featherboards these fence mounted ones worked great!

[reible]

FYI I went out and checked mine on my old 510 fence and they free fall... no binding at all. You might want to check the fit on the table miter slots, if they fit there then it has to be something with the fence... if on the other hand they don't fit there either then the parts that came with your feather boards might be oversized??? You are talking the 555783 item right?

Ed

[dannos]

Ed,
Yes sir, I'm talking about the "Rip Fence-Mounted Featherboard" (555783).
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/swd_ripfencefeatherboard.htm
I noticed you can order the "Sliding T-Nuts" separately, they show their dimensions as 1-7/8"x3/4".
After reading Tim's post last night, I checked the groove in the top of my fence, I ran a paper clip along the groove but there didn't appear to be a build up of saw dust. I may force them back out, and scrub and wax the fence but it appears to be pretty clean already.
Thanks for the input, I appreciate any further input and suggestions.

Dan

[charlese]

Danos: I too run a 510. Only got a couple of those SS T-nuts a couple of weeks ago with my OPR.
Today I tried to slide those T-nuts into my rip fence slot. No go - would have had to force them just like you. Measured the nuts and the fence top track and found the reason. The nuts "T" measures 29/32" -- the fence slot is 1/64" smaller! These nuts fit beautifully into the saw table as the bottom of that slot is 59/64"

So - if you were to file (not grind) a small amount of metal (about half of 1/64") off of both sides of the wide part of the "T-nuts" seems they would fit your rip fence and would still work in the saw table slots if you ever need them there. The reason I suggest a small amount off of both sides is so there is a maximum amount of metal to hold in all future uses.

[dannos]

Hello Chuck,
Sounds like that would be the smartest thing for me to do (file off both sides), if I can beat the blasted things back out
I wonder why they advertise them for the 510 Fence, when I'm sure they're really for the 520. But I'm new to all this, learning more each time I use this machine.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Dan

[dusty]

WAIT- Cancel the Firing Squad We have the wrong perpetrator.

I have just slid both old and new t-nuts through the t-slots on both my 510 fence and the new 520 fence. No force required. No filing required.

There is something else wrong with this picture. Is there more than one model of 510 fence??
___________________
Making Sawdust Safely

[dusty]

RESUME THE EXECUTION

I put a caliper on the t-nuts and they measure .875" (7/8". The t-slot measures .905"; just a tad under 29/32".

I would be making a call to Shopsmith. They (their supplier) may have a production line problem (unless they market two different t-nuts).

[dannos]

Dusty,
I've kinda wondered the same thing, and since I bought it used several months ago, who knows what it "use" to be. But I've verified several times via the serial #, it's a 1993 510.
My fence seems to resemble exactly internet photos I've seen of the 510 fence.
I thought that perhaps the previous owner could have stacked something on the fence, or worse used it as a jack-stand or something, but now I've gotten several replies with owners experiencing the same thing. ( I haven't taken the time to contact Shopsmith, but I should just to cure my curiousity).
It should be a fairly easy fix, just kind of a let down to get a new part in, then it dosen't fit "correctly".
It works GREAT though, just kind of stationary for now!!
Dan