Shopsmith Forums

I received this mortise hold down with my Shopsmith some time ago. I just now started to try to use it and can't figure out what I'm missing. It seems like there should be something else on the black rod to actually hold the work down. I've looked in the SS catalog and see the current application that slides into what appears to be the 520 rip fence. The one I have doesn't have any threads on either end for attaching anything else.

Is there an old style that attaches some other way?
Thanks in advance for you help.

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We have come full circle!

The 10E had no way to attach the hold down rod.

The 10er added a hole in the top of the fence.

A conversion was created that added that to the top of the fence(rare).

The Mark 5 and Mark V continued having that hole in the fence.

The 505,10,20 eliminated that hole with the addition of the slots on top of the fence and the mounting rod was altered to include a threaded stud that screws into a t-slot nut.

I believe the 'upgraded' 500 fence is also missing that hole.

If I can find it I will add a link to a thread by Reible that illustrates the 500 fence hole. https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=8695

I have one rod which I converted from 500 to 505/510/520 style by grinding down the diameter of the rod until it was roughly round and the appropriate diameter, then using a tap and die setup to put threads on there that would accept the standard SS T-Nut.

damagi wrote:I have one rod which I converted from 500 to 505/510/520 style by grinding down the diameter of the rod until it was roughly round and the appropriate diameter, then using a tap and die setup to put threads on there that would accept the standard SS T-Nut.

I would suggest drilling and tapping for a threaded stud to go into the t-nut.

JPG40504 wrote:I would suggest drilling and tapping for a threaded stud to go into the t-nut.

Yeah, that probably would have been smarter...but not as much fun with the grinder I had just got free with that particular shopsmith

JPG40504 wrote:We have come full circle!

The 10E had no way to attach the hold down rod.

The 10er added a hole in the top of the fence.

A conversion was created that added that to the top of the fence(rare).

The Mark 5 and Mark V continued having that hole in the fence.

The 505,10,20 eliminated that hole with the addition of the slots on top of the fence and the mounting rod was altered to include a threaded stud that screws into a t-slot nut.

I believe the 'upgraded' 500 fence is also missing that hole.

If I can find it I will add a link to a thread by Reible that illustrates the 500 fence hole. https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=8695

However, Shopsmith offered an upgrade that attached to the 10E fence that accepted the mortising hold down.

SDSSmith wrote:However, Shopsmith offered an upgrade that attached to the 10E fence that accepted the mortising hold down.

Sentence 4 means ???????

JPG40504 wrote:Sentence 4 means ???????

I guess that I read posts as well as others on this forum.

At least I was on topic.

Thank you all very much. It is now clear as it could be. I knew that you all would clear this up for me.

I have a 520 and just couldn't figure out how to use the hold down. It sure make sense now.

I appreciate all of your help.
Bob