digital fence

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scottss
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digital fence

Post by scottss »

Anybody check out or use this http://www.wixey.com/fence/index.html. I don't know if it would work on a shopsmith but just curious.:rolleyes:
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Nick
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Post by Nick »

From studying their website, my guess is that this digitial readout could be adapted to both 510 and 520 systems, but that the 63"-inch long electronic calibrator strip would be constantly in the way when changing from mode to mode, especially when changing from saw to lathe or saw to drill press. It may also interfere with table tilt, or make it harder to reach the table tilt lock. You'd have to fashion some way to quickly disconnect the strip. Also, because the saw blade and the table on the Shopsmith move in relation to one another, you'd want to be able to quickly recalibrate. Looks like you simply hold down a button with the fence touching the blade to do this.

With all good wishes,
paulmcohen
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Post by paulmcohen »

Give all the recent improvements in the Shopsmith and the partnerships (Incra, Kreg...) maybe we will see one of these for the Shopsmith some day along with better lathe toolrests (that fit the UTR not replace it).
hb2
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Post by hb2 »

A digital fence is available through Jointech that offers the quick interchange that Nick references. Jointech offers a sawtrain for Shopsmith and if you have the 520 the train is easy to interchange with 520 fence. They now offer a digital system for the sawtrain.

I bought the sawtrain about 5 years ago before they offered the 520 system. I used it for a while and loved the fence but grew tired of the added hazzel of changeovers so I converted my shopsmith back to the 520 rails. I use the sawtrain only on a router station. I am going to either buy the needed parts to convert my train to fit the 520 rails or come up with another solution to enable the jointech fence to fit on my shopsmith as it really is a nice fence even without digital.
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Ed in Tampa
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Post by Ed in Tampa »

hb2 wrote:A digital fence is available through Jointech that offers the quick interchange that Nick references. Jointech offers a sawtrain for Shopsmith and if you have the 520 the train is easy to interchange with 520 fence. They now offer a digital system for the sawtrain.

I bought the sawtrain about 5 years ago before they offered the 520 system. I used it for a while and loved the fence but grew tired of the added hazzel of changeovers so I converted my shopsmith back to the 520 rails. I use the sawtrain only on a router station. I am going to either buy the needed parts to convert my train to fit the 520 rails or come up with another solution to enable the jointech fence to fit on my shopsmith as it really is a nice fence even without digital.
Could/would you go into a little more detail? I know there are Jointech forums but I find a lot of information is opinion rather than honest owner experience. I would like to know in your experience how the Jointech system enhanced your SS. What is so nice about the Jointech fence?
If I understand you right your now a 520 user how do you see going to jointech will improve your SS.
What I'm really after is a jointech user telling us what it is really like using a jointech over the plain SS
Thanks for any feedback
Ed
hb2
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Post by hb2 »

I bought my 510 at a Home Show in 1991 after lusting for a Shopsmith for about 5 years. The versatility of the machine and proficiency of the demonstrators either makes you love them or hate them, in my case it was the former. Unlike what I read about many users, I use the tablesaw aspect most and since most cuts are not with a tilted arbor (or table), I don't find that the tilting table issue to be much of an annoyance. What I did find to be troublesome was the 510 fence was difficult to align properly and it also would kick out on the outfeed side. When I saw the 520 fence at mall demonstration, I liked the improvements and upgraded to it. This was before they SS added the scale feature to the front rail. The 520 fence worked well, but I still found it to be a little short and I really wanted a rip scale to avoid having to measure all my rips. Adding a fence extension would easily of fixed the short issue, but there is also the issue of you may or may not have table under the place where you want the fence. I always (well almost) connect the main table to end table with extension tubes to limit the twisting of the table and there is usually about a 12 inch gap between the two tables.

So when I saw the the jointech fence system at a woodworking show maybe about a year after the 520 upgrade I had a mental debate about the impact it would have on changeovers and ended up buying it. First off the Jointech is a really nice fence system for the router, but you can have that without putting it on the SS. I liked the added table surface and the ease of adding a very accurate rip scale along with a longer fence. In use on the SS I found the added table too much of an annoyance to remove all the time durring changeovers. Also because of the new rails it really left you without a fence for the drill press and the occasional tilted table rip. Jointech says you you can use the feather board carriage for these operations, but I did not find that to true at all. The feather board carriage has no provision for alignment other than how you place it before tightening it to the rails, so for the drill press it worked ok, but was totally useless for beveled rip cuts. So I put the 520 rails back on the SS and have been more or less happy, reserving the Jointech for my router table.

It seems like I always buy too quick as I like the setup Jointech has now where you leave the 520 rails on the SS. I think the router table is better served off the SS but it would be nice to able to mount either the 520 fence or the Jointech fence to the SS for tablesaw operations. So now I am finally to the question, Why? I already mentioned the longer fence, but the rip scale is excellent, it takes seconds to zero as you extend the fence out to zero and slide it up to the blade and lock it in, now you have a very easy to read and set rip adjustment and with the micro adjustment you have more control than you need but you still find yourself using it. I envision using 5' tubes mounting the Jointech on the small table and putting a floating table between the end table and main table to adjust for rips.
hops
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Post by hops »

Ed in Tampa wrote:What I'm really after is a jointech user telling us what it is really like using a jointech over the plain SS. Ed
I've got the SS 520 and jointech upgrade. A fence is a fence, so that really isn't the 'gotcha' - it is the absolute accuracy and repeatability with that fence and the "clincher". I can sneak up on a cut by a 32nd and then tear down and go right back to that same exact cut later on. And it doesn't matter if I get the bridge back in the same location or not.
The other thing I like about the JT system is that you don't have to drill holes in one of your tables to mount it (like the Incra one).

And the above post about taking the 520 rails off the machine - that is an alternate system from JT. You can get the SawTrain to work with the existing rails and the 520 rails never come off. (That's what mine is.)

hope this helps...
Mark V 520/DeWalt 746/Mark V "mini"/Power Station/SS Strip Sander/SS Bandsaw with Kreg upgrade/SS planer on stand/SS Jointer/SS scrollsaw/SS Lathe Duplicator/Jointech SawTrain/Jointech Smart Miter/Jointech SmartLift Digital
scottss
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Post by scottss »

I have always had an interest in jointech and now what I am hearing makes me want to know more. I used to have an incra ultra with my old setup and it was a great system. When I upgraded to a shopsmith I checked out the jointech and only one thing is holding me back, lets $ee what could that be. $eriously though I would like to hear more.:cool:
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dusty
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Digital Fence

Post by dusty »

Digital Fence/Jointech/Incra

These are all GOOD things to have if the work you do will really take advantage of what they have to offer. If not, these are all just expensive toys; unnecessary to a proficient hobbiest.

I am still working for proficiency as a Shopsmith user and as a hobbiest (one who does whatever he does because it satisfies himself).

Until I achieve that simple level, I don't need the level of accuracy and repeatability that these many accessories promise to provide.
ncwoodbee
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Precision wood work?

Post by ncwoodbee »

One of the things I like about wood working is that no two items are exactly the same. When making a box I make two ends and two sides. I use the same set up for the pairs. No if I duplicate the box and measure close, make two ends and two sides the box is not exactly the same, close but not exactly. I have an Early Inca fence I am getting ready to put on Ebay as I never use it. Similar to the jointech as close as I can tell, but a waste of money since I do not care to spend that much time setting every thing so I can get exact duplicates. If I wanted factory (exact) made furniture I could buy furniture made in a Chinese factory.
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