Shopsmith Forums

Hi,


I just finished prototyping a pair of projects. Part of my Friday's plan was to check out a couple of ideas I've had about adding scales to some of my Shopsmith attachments. I'm happy to say the projects went well.


I'll just cover the first one tonight and yes more pictures.


A short while back I reviewed the Incra 2000 Shopsmith edition and showed how to change to a SE version. You can view that at:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=779
One nice feature of the Incra is a top mounted scale. When you combine the stops with the scales you can speed up changes to lengths of cuts many fold. So why not make the Shopsmith miter gauge extension have some of that capacity you ask?? Hey that is the same thing I ask myself.


This is a concept so feel free to go your own way with this... I'm just going to show and tell you what I did.


The 20” Aluminum Miter Gauge Extension (556005). It has a nice t-slot and has the Flip Stop, it mounts to the Shopsmith miter gauge... but what it doesn't have is provision for a scale. It does have is an area along the top back (miter gauge side) that can have a magnetic strip applied to it. The pictures should make this clear enough when you get to see them. The bad news was that things did not fit as well as I hoped. The safety grip piece and the extension piece are to close together. But, have no fears that is solved for you too!


I started by trying to slide a piece of magnetic tape between the afore mentioned parts and when they didn't fit I decided to make a spacer to fit between the miter gauge and miter gauge extension. I used a scrap of 1/8” masonite (hardboard). (If it gets too thick you will need longer screws to mount the extension so keep that in mind.) I just traced the miter head then used a coping saw to cut it out... the wife was sleeping so I kept it quiet. That spacer provided plenty of room. The magnet tape I have is from a roll I got at Lowes, it is 1/2” wide but something a little smaller might be better?? It has an adhesive backing but I just taped it on for todays testing. The only metal ruler I had to use was just 12” long, again for the prototyping this was fine but when I have the time I will order the right one with the scale reading right to left... (miter gauge mount in the left slot).


I think the pictures will do the rest of the talking for me. Check them out at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12199425@N02/sets/72157602392425886/


The first photo shows the extension face down with a magnetic strip and ruler, the mounting hardware is in place and you can see the spacer. The second photo shows how the spacer looks in relation to the miter head. Photo three show the general look of it when mounted. Keep in mind the magnetic tape is just taped in place so it will look a lot better when I use the adhesive of the tape and put it on nicer. The fourth picture is the scale in place........ hard to see but if you look close it is there.

At this point you have the basics of what you need to know to do this to yours. How ever I'm not sure if everyone understands how you use this without the scale ending up out near the end of the blade. Wait for part 2 of this post and I'll show and tell you.


Ed

Part 2

Setting up to use the scales is not really to hard to do and you may already know how to do this so if you do then go on and read something else of more interest.


It is the same basic process I use for the scales on the Shopsmith 520 rip fence (on the extension it is stops rather then the fence). (If the following is not clear then hold on a bit as pictures are coming.)


First lets start with how I do the rip fence/scales adjustments. I set up the Shopsmith to rip a scrap board, the width doesn't really matter. I rip the board then measure what I just cut off, that is the piece between the fence and the saw blade. Say this time the board is 4-1/8” wide. Since nothing has moved I know that the fence to blade distance is 4-1/8” so all I need to is move the scale so that it shows it. With the little plastic bit on the rip fence and the ruler align at 4-1/8” and I'm done.


Time to call in the pictures, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12199425@N02/sets/72157602392425886/


Keep in mind this is setup for taking pictures NOT for woodworking, the photo may show exposed blades and or other dangerous situations. If it looks or feels unsafe then don't do it that way. Please work safe!


Remember the first 4 images relate to the first post and we are starting with photo 5 in this post.



Now we are going to do almost the same thing but this time on the extension/flip stop. (The dimensions I'm using here are for the purpose of explaining how this works.) Let us start with a scrap of wood, say a 15” long. The saw is set up for cross cutting just as you normally would. The extension is mounted on the miter gauge and all aspects of safety have been checked. Again keep in mind this arbitrary dimension is only for the purpose of this explanation. Set up to cut what you think will be a piece of wood 12” long. Do this by adjust the flip stop to the point you think it is going to let you get that 12” cut. See photo 5. Next make the cut, (photo 6) then check to see just how long the piece is that you just cut. Say you were way off and it is 11” long, remember to keep the flip stop where it is at and move the scale until it reads 11”. You have not moved the stop or blade, therefore you know that the distance between the stop and blade is 11” right? Right!

So what is missing here? Any ideas? Did you ask yourself where on the flip stop to use to align the scale? The answer could be to the point where the 11” piece of wood touch the flip stop. If you did that then the scale would be hanging out to where the blade is. Sure it is mounted up and back away from the blade so it might work but hey it is just not cool that way.


So how can you move the scale back to the friendly confinds? It is really simple, you need to find another spot on the flip stop to reference from. A simple place might be to use the front edge of the block just behind the flip stop arm (photo 8) or maybe the far end as shown in photo 9. Another option might be to stick a piece of masking tape on and put a pencil line on it to use, see photo 10 (sorry for the quality). On this same vain you could just mark the block or scratch/file a line... How ever or where ever you pick the scale is moving away from the blade. If you look at photo 11 you can see the result of the blue tape version, the scale is back away from the blade by more then enough. Simply put any place on the flip stop is fair game.



If you have questions feel free to ask.


Ed

Sorry guys - I still cant understand why anyone would need a magnetic scale/ruler. With a sliding story stick, one can adjust the "stick" so that it is the proper length. An added benefit to a story stick is you can check a measurement on the bench. No leaning over a fence to set a stop block. Just place one point of the story stick on the saw blade and the stop block on the other - you can tell the placing of the stop block by feel, not eyesight. In fact you could use a clamp and a piece of wood for a stop block - no need to buy into fancy sliders and "flip up and downers".

However, I realize - the methods are a personal choice. Advertising or hype can influence our choices. But I just can't yet buy into the need for magnetic rulers.

Hi Charles,

With me woodworking is always a lot of options. When I do this project I might do it this way and another project I might use a whole different approach and different tools.

Certainly some projects lend themselves to one way or another. Since I have had and used this extension before without the scales I know how it works that way. I also know that sometimes I would like to have a scale on it. I have other tools with scales and having them there does not mean you have to use them, but you have the option.

I know we must all take advantages of tricks we have learned along the way, and if you are 100% sure you don't want to do it this way then great. How ever a 10 foot long role of magnetic tape is $3.77 or $.38 a foot so this great inverstment of money lets you have yet another option at a cost of $.63!! (The scales are extra if you need them). Some people might want to give it a try, it might even expand your vision of woodworking methods.

The flip ups are a really really nice feature. I'd have to say you don't know what your missing if you haven't used this idea. As an example say you find that a knot is right where you don't want it... without the flip up it is taking the fixed stop off and then cutting away the knot then resetting up the stop and maybe you get it in the right spot again maybe you don't... flip stop you just flip it up make the cut, flip it down and start using it again. I've done it both ways and I know the flip stop is faster.

I personal have used and do use story sticks but they have there time and place. If I have a paper cut list it is unlikely that I will use a story stick, or if I have a set of plans with a lot of different cut lengths it is just to much easier to set the stop and cut using the rules.

As you say it is a personal preference and the experence you have had. I have the rip fence scales on my 520, I sometimes use them and sometimes not. It has taken me sometime to "learn" as most of my 31 years of shopsmith ownership I didn't have the option, but now that I do, I do.

Ed

Hello, my friend - I knew my post would draw an answer - and a darned good one too! You bet! There a host of different ways to set up a cut. And Viva La Difference!!!!

With all the chatter about magnetic scales, I thought I'd just throw in an alternative. After all, firm measurements from a stick always seemed more accurate to me than trying to line up a piece of wood, or a stop block, with a little mark on a ruler.

Maybe my eyes aren't as accurate as I once thought they were and I know for sure that viewing little lines - hoping to select the correct one - often includes parallax even at slight angles. Have you ever selected the wrong mark on a ruler? I know I have!

Where does one stand while viewing the magnetic ruler on the extension. Can one get a good straight-on view?