Thanks
Saw blade guards
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Saw blade guards
I have a shopsmith V 500 I bought it used the blade guard doesn't seem to be the right one. I can't get it to fit without the blade hitting it. I have seen a guard on ebay and it is made of plastic mine is made of steel. Does anyone have any ideas on haw to make it work or should I buy a different one?
Thanks
Thanks
Hi,
This might be more then you ask for but sometimes a little history helps.
When I got my first shopsmith back in 1976 it came with the metal guard. Some years later they offered an upgrade of a plastic version with a small dust port... (this was the see-through system) this port seems to have been undersized so yet another upgrade came out that provided dual ports. This kit also required some modifications to the tie bar. They of course offer the upgrade now with the larger dust ports as a product.
They have also changed the saw arbor lengths so what I'm guess is happen is that you have the wrong arbor. When they came out with the 505/510/520 systems the arbor was changed to a longer length. (I have heard there are 3 lengths but I have only seen two).
The upgrade from the aluminum version to the current see-through is like $130 (please check the price at shopsmith). If you went to ebay it is difficult to say if you will get the newer upgrade or older upgrade and if you get the older version expect to pay about $40 to get the better dust ports. You also need the instructions/templates and some other small parts which could be misplaced by some one sell this on ebay... so check first.
Now after having said all that... The upgrade kit for the 500 to the 520 should be looked into before you invest in a lot of other parts for the 500. It is a costly upgrade but is well worth it. I updated both my 500 and my 510 to the 520 system and was sorry I hadn't done it before. (A lot of the 500 parts will no longer work on the 520 so they become a waste of money).
Hope this helps,
Ed
This might be more then you ask for but sometimes a little history helps.
When I got my first shopsmith back in 1976 it came with the metal guard. Some years later they offered an upgrade of a plastic version with a small dust port... (this was the see-through system) this port seems to have been undersized so yet another upgrade came out that provided dual ports. This kit also required some modifications to the tie bar. They of course offer the upgrade now with the larger dust ports as a product.
They have also changed the saw arbor lengths so what I'm guess is happen is that you have the wrong arbor. When they came out with the 505/510/520 systems the arbor was changed to a longer length. (I have heard there are 3 lengths but I have only seen two).
The upgrade from the aluminum version to the current see-through is like $130 (please check the price at shopsmith). If you went to ebay it is difficult to say if you will get the newer upgrade or older upgrade and if you get the older version expect to pay about $40 to get the better dust ports. You also need the instructions/templates and some other small parts which could be misplaced by some one sell this on ebay... so check first.
Now after having said all that... The upgrade kit for the 500 to the 520 should be looked into before you invest in a lot of other parts for the 500. It is a costly upgrade but is well worth it. I updated both my 500 and my 510 to the 520 system and was sorry I hadn't done it before. (A lot of the 500 parts will no longer work on the 520 so they become a waste of money).
Hope this helps,
Ed
butchk wrote:Thanks I am expecting a new shopsmith catalog in a week or so and I plan on looking at the upgrade options. Do they offer the larger motor with the upgrade options? Thanks again for the help.
Hi,
Not really sure which version (year) of the MK V you have but the motor upgrade came about in 1962 where it went from 3/4 to 1-1/8 HP. I have no idea if the older models can be redone with newer motors.... the belt drive systems and other things changed over the years too.
If you are not sure what you have you can check the general information at the shopsmith site and look up your serial number to see what year it was made.... some hints such as color and other descriptings get you in the general area if your machine is missing the serial number.
The catalog is a big help but the people at the 1 800 shopsmith number have always been very helpful and either know the answer or will get you the answer to your questions... truely one of the better companies to do business with.
Ed
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bashfulbob
- Gold Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:16 pm
metal saw guard and spinning blade no no no
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anyone address safety here. 
What are all you thinking. 
That metal saw guard (I used to have one) and a fast spinning saw blade do not mix at all. Chip a carbide tooth off and you got a missile flying around that could do you some serious harm.
Get rid of the metal saw guard before you do anything else is the best thing you can do. Don't even think about turning that machine on with that metal saw guard on it. (Find it hard to believe Shopsmith even included or sold it with a machine.):mad:
Then worry about the right size arbor and/or upgrade to a 520.
What are all you thinking. That metal saw guard (I used to have one) and a fast spinning saw blade do not mix at all. Chip a carbide tooth off and you got a missile flying around that could do you some serious harm. Get rid of the metal saw guard before you do anything else is the best thing you can do. Don't even think about turning that machine on with that metal saw guard on it. (Find it hard to believe Shopsmith even included or sold it with a machine.):mad:
Then worry about the right size arbor and/or upgrade to a 520.
Life is what happens in between Plans.
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bashfulbob
- Gold Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:16 pm
Metal saw guard and a spinning saw? NO NO NO
butchk wrote:I have a shopsmith V 500 I bought it used the blade guard doesn't seem to be the right one. I can't get it to fit without the blade hitting it. I have seen a guard on ebay and it is made of plastic mine is made of steel. Does anyone have any ideas on haw to make it work or should I buy a different one?
Thanks
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anyone address safety here.
What are all you thinking? That metal saw guard (I used to have one) and a fast spinning saw blade do not mix at all. Chip a carbide tooth off and you got a missile flying around that could do you some serious harm.
Get rid of the metal saw guard before you do anything else is the best thing you can do. Don't even think about turning that machine on with that metal saw guard on it.
(Find it hard to believe Shopsmith even included or sold it with a machine.) Then worry about the right size arbor and/or upgrade to a 520.
Life is what happens in between Plans.
Interesting post.
But the most likely thing to be hit by is a piece of flying lumber or having your hand/fingers nipped by the blade. Thus the reason for a guard in the first place. This guard was used for a great number of machines and as far as I know it was never recalled for safety reasons. The improved guard is made of plastic with many metal parts and was an improvement in the areas of vision and anti-kick back and easy of use.
I never had any issues with the metal guard and besides you have metal parts all around the saw... table inserts and miter gauge to name a few that the blade can contact a lot easier then the guard. Since the use of aluminum is common near blades and in fact a carbide blades can be used to cut soft aluminum I don't see much of a safety issue.
I don't use mine anymore because I've moved on not because I ever thought it was unsafe.
Ed
But the most likely thing to be hit by is a piece of flying lumber or having your hand/fingers nipped by the blade. Thus the reason for a guard in the first place. This guard was used for a great number of machines and as far as I know it was never recalled for safety reasons. The improved guard is made of plastic with many metal parts and was an improvement in the areas of vision and anti-kick back and easy of use.
I never had any issues with the metal guard and besides you have metal parts all around the saw... table inserts and miter gauge to name a few that the blade can contact a lot easier then the guard. Since the use of aluminum is common near blades and in fact a carbide blades can be used to cut soft aluminum I don't see much of a safety issue.
I don't use mine anymore because I've moved on not because I ever thought it was unsafe.
Ed
