New bandsaw table: comments and question

[bobgroh]

My new aluminum table upgrade for my bandsaw arrived yesterday (hurrah!) and I started installing it today.

First comment: the 4 bolts supplied to hold the table to the trunnion are too long. The supplied bolts are about 3/4" long and they are a good 1/8" + too long and they bottom out before tightening up. I used the one's from the old table which are about 1/2" long and they work great.

Second comment: The 4 tapped holes for the bolts were not well done - I had to install and then remove the bolts before hand to clean up the threads. No big deal but I would suggest you check the fit with the bolts before trying to mount it.

Problem: The slot for the miter gauge is just a smidge too narrow. Even with the miter guage bar adjustment screw removed and the slot mounting screws backed out, you have to force the miter gauge into the slot. I'm going to drop SS a line on this but I am looking for ideas on how to fix. I might just (assuming SS has no solution) just do some careful work with a file to the sides of the slot to open it up a bit.

[bobgroh]

Had a great customer relations experience with SS on this matter. Sent an email to SS last night and received a phone call this morning from Linda responding to my problems. Bottom line - everything is being handled. Details are as follows:
1. Screw length - proper screws (?) were provided. My solution (to my mind), i.e. use shorter screws (about 1/2" long - the ones from the old table), works great and I am happy. Lots of thread engagement so it is not a problem for me. Consider the problem solved for me. SS may have a bit of problem but at least they are aware of it.

2. Miter gauge slot width. Linda suggested I remove the aluminum extrusion and check the fit on the bar after removing it (in case the slot in the table was too narrow). Result - it is the aluminum extrusion that is too narrow - table width is fine. SS is sending me another extrusion and will check it for width before sending it out.

So Linda and SS came through with flying colors. Great job, folks. Now to go downstairs and turn up the rest of the bandsaw.

[dusty]

There is a lesson here for some of us. I just recently learned this same lesson myself. The aluminum track, when installed into a Shopsmith table (one with the narrow but deeper groove - dado if you will) is adjustable for miter slop. The screws, when tightened down, are intended to pull the sides in slightly by distorting the aluminum track. To widen the track back to its original width simply back off the screws and the track reflexes back to its original size.

I suppose if you torque those screws down too tight, the aluminum extrusion could be permanently reduced in width. (MY ASSUMPTION OR CONCLUSION)

I have two new extrusions but I'm not going to run a test.

[reible]

Some where in the old days I posted information about the shopsmith adjustable miter track... (could of been at the ssug site /too???) Anyway shopsmith had/has the patent on that. It is used on the Joint-Matic vintage 1990 as well as other era tools.

I'm not sure why shopsmith didn't make a bigger deal out of the idea it seems to be something that a few other companies would sure like to get their hands on... I don't know if shopsmith ever got in to selling licensing for patents, back when I worked at Bell Labs that was a really big deal for them.

Ed