Shopsmith Bandsaw Fence Attachment Adapter
Introduction: Shopsmith Bandsaw Fence Attachment Adapter
I'm a big fan of the Shopsmith tools, and refurbished one of them to its former glory (see my Instructable about that process for tips!) For context, a Shopsmith is an interesting tool to have - it's basically a Transformer and swiss army knife of shop tools, with the ability to change between a few different tools: table saw, drill press, disc sander, lathe, and horizontal borer. You can also add additional attachments like a bandsaw and belt sander. All is powered by a headstock that has a motor and "gears" to change the speed of the output spindles for different uses.
I inherited an old bandsaw attachment for the Shopsmith from a friend who passed away - it had been sitting outside in his lawn for quite some time. I'll add some details in the last step about refurbishment for anyone who's interested, but that's not what this Instructable is about. The bandsaw didn't have a fence attachment for it, which is quite necessary to make good use of the tool - being able to make repeatable, accurate cuts is key. They came with a different style fence than what is used for the Shopsmith itself, and I didn't really want to buy one.
It seemed redundant to me to purchase a separate fence attachment for the bandsaw when I already had a fence for the main table of the Shopsmith, and - for some reason I can't remember - actually had a second one kicking around to dedicate to this use. I searched all over the internet for details on how to make the existing fence work with the bandsaw, but only found this random forum post with a photo but no details, and the vague process sounded too overcomplicated. 826
So, in true DIY fashion I set out to make my own adapter/jig, and wanted to use the bandsaw itself to create the adapter to be fully meta. This Instructable is entered into the <PERSON> and <PERSON> speed challenge, which helped give me the inspiration to finally document this project!
Note that this project uses power tools like a bench grinder and bandsaw, use caution and common sense around these tools.
Supplies
* Shopsmith fence that comes with your machine
* Shopsmith bandsaw attachment
* Aluminum L-stock that is 1/4" thick by 1" tall on each side by 1 foot long - from McMaster Carr
* Files - flat mill or bastard and round file
* Bench grinder
* Metal cutting blade for your bandsaw - I used 1/2" by 6tpi
* Measuring tape and/or combination square
* Scrap lumber
* 2 Woodworking clamps
Optional but recommended:
* An additional aluminum L-stock piece - I used this one from McMaster-Carr
* A small scrap of 1x2 lumber about 6-8" long
* Self-drilling screw
* Drill
* Zip ties or strap/rubber band
Step 1: Measure and Mark Aluminum Stock
What we're really doing with this adapter/jig is replicating the profile of the way the Shopsmith fence attaches to the main table of the machine. That way, your fence will clip onto it in the same way that it does with the main table. The fence is longer than the bandsaw table, so the little arm that attaches to the opposite side won't compress on the table itself to keep things square - I'll share details on how to make this work later, don't worry!
This is basically a 2-step process - we'll need to make one side of the stock a bit shorter, and then mill the back of it down a bit so the back of the fence that sits against the adapter can fit. To create the attachment for the fence, take your 1/4" thick by 1" L-stock scribe a line on the inside of the L about 10mm or 3/8" from the edge. I used this very handy 3D printed scribing tool from Heliox Lab to achieve this - it's not necessary, but very handy to have around for things like this if you have a 3D printer! To scribe a line for the back corner of the bracket, simply line it up with the existing main Shopsmith table and draw along the back of the piece where it meets the table - this measurement does not have to be very precise.
Step 2: Make a Temporary Fence
To build our fence using our bandsaw that does not already have a fence, we need to make a fence. A Catch-22 if I ever heard of one. To achieve this, you'll need to set up a temporary fence on your bandsaw to cut the aluminum L-stock to the proper dimensions. 787