Versatile Additions for the Shop Smith Mark V

[Steve Bryant]

I want to show you some things in this thread over time that I’ve done to extend the versatility of my Shop Smith Mark V. The first thing that I want to show is a means of using the variable speed drive with a 5/8” Shop Smith Table Saw Arbor to turn the saw into a variable Metal Cold Cutting saw. The main ingredient is a ten inch Evolution Steel Blade (model 10BLADEST – stands for 10” Blade Steel, which I didn’t catch onto originally). I want to add here that I believe that the Shop Smith with its tilting table is a very poor table saw that is potentially dangerous especially for long mitered cuts where it is necessary to tilt the table. However, I think that it is fine for use as a table saw under limited circumstances when the table is flat. Over the years I've bought a Powermatic Model 66 table saw as my primary table saw (about 25 years ago). The Shopsmith works great for this application of metal cutting though.

In order to adapt the 1” arbor bore to the 5/8” arbor I used the included steel bushing. However, it wasn’t thick enough and didn’t really hold the blade on center (about 015” radial run-out), so I bought an additional bronze 5/8”-1” bushing at the hardware store. The reason that the included bushing wasn’t thick enough is that the Shop Smith arbor design undercuts the face of each side of the arbor so that the clamping force is outboard from the center of the blade by a couple of inches. The second bushing made the blade very concentric to the rotational axis.

Then, I also made an extension fence using ¾” plywood with a L spline of plywood. I also installed two pairs of T Nuts to bolt on the fence to the miter gage to the right of the gage or the left of the gage. Then I made a simple cutoff gage using a piece of C Channel aluminum extrusion held on with a simple 4” C Clamp. That way I can make repeated cuts to length. The miter gage fence allows more accurate and more controlled cuts. The T-nuts are ¼-20 thread and set flush with the fence due to a ¾” counter bore that’s just deep enough to accommodate the nuts. This setup will work well for straight cuts or miter cuts and should work really well for accurate fit-ups of welded assemblies.

I’ll refine this setup some over time, but the evolution blade cuts like a dream. I cranked the speed down to speed “I” (about 1,800 RPMs). The proper RPM range is crucial in order to avoid burning the blade up and having the correct surface feet per minute for cutting steel. Here is an example of a cut of about a 2” pipe.

 

[Sticks]

Glad I am not the only one with one of the original Shop Smiths still in operation.

Neat idea. I've been pondering mine for metal work for a while now.

How are you holding the pipe so it doesn't roll on you while cutting?

 

[Steve Bryant]

Sticks,
Thanks for your post. I'm holding it with my right hand (holding it against the miter gage). I also plan to use the Shop Smith to cut sheet steel using the rip fence or the miter gage. I'll be posting some more pictures.

Also, about fifteen years ago, I made a carriage to sharpen planer and jointer blades that really works well. I'll be posting some pictures of the sharpener carriage and grindstones when I get a chance.

Another mod that I did to the Shop Smith about 25 years ago was to get the quill machined to add a third bearing. I forget the details, but Shop Smith updated the Mark V and subsequent designs to add an additional bearing to the quill (extends the drill chuck in and out of the body of the machine) and someone figured out how to do this for older machines, so I had this done too. I've also added a support for the far end of the table to make it more stable.

Steve

 

[Train]

Nice Steve. I bought my Shopsmith back about 92. Never did like the table saw even though I built my kitchen using it. Now I only use it as a wood lathe and a horizontal boring machine. I guess with that variable speed control and some patience, a guy could do a little more metal working with it.

 

[Sticks]

Sticks,
Thanks for your post. I'm holding it with my right hand (holding it against the miter gage). I also plan to use the Shop Smith to cut sheet steel using the rip fence or the miter gage. I'll be posting some more pictures.

Also, about fifteen years ago, I made a carriage to sharpen planer and jointer blades that really works well. I'll be posting some pictures of the sharpener carriage and grindstones when I get a chance.

Another mod that I did to the Shop Smith about 25 years ago was to get the quill machined to add a third bearing. I forget the details, but Shop Smith updated the Mark V and subsequent designs to add an additional bearing to the quill (extends the drill chuck in and out of the body of the machine) and someone figured out how to do this for older machines, so I had this done too. I've also added a support for the far end of the table to make it more stable.

Steve

Brave man. I'd look into a clamp to hold that pipe against the fence.

I'd be interested in the third bearing update for the quill. I'll have to do a little investigating into that.

 

[Steve Bryant]

Train and Sticks,
Thank you both for your additional comments.

Here's Shopsmith's solution to the quill problem http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/twobearingquill.htm. The problem is that it's fairly expensive.

Here's a video on a guy who modifys the quills along with his email address

.

Steve

 

[Sticks]

Thanks for the link.

My Shopsmith is the earlier version that is not included in their update. I have yet to determine the actual mfg date. I am the third owner (Grandpa was first).

I know it was early 80's when my dad got it.

 

[rharman]

Good to see some other Shopsmith users here. I've had mine for probably 25 years.

See this post for a couple of recent mods....
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3012994&postcount=3791

 

[paigej]

I added a shelf to mine

But not a mark V