Shopsmith Forums

Has anyone seen the advertisements on ebay for a new style coupler? It appears to have a rubber tube. But, the metal ends appear to be different than what Shopsmith currently sells.

Any opinions?

Lodgepole wrote:Has anyone seen the advertisements on ebay for a new style coupler? It appears to have a rubber tube. But, the metal ends appear to be different than what Shopsmith currently sells.

Any opinions?

An eBay number would have helped to make certain we are all looking at the same item.

I'm going to speculate he means these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-DESIGN-SHOPSMIT ... 4aa4f65952

The oem types work fine and cost less than 1/4 the price of these alternatives. can't see any reason to want to use these alternatives because of that.

The engineer in me notices that this new design will have more problems with misalignment than the oem design did.

That's the one.

When I am faced with thethought of whether to buy a Shopsmith part or a form-fit-function substitute, I am inclined to buy the real part. But that does not say I will not purchase the substitute.

Is the real part available?

Is the substitute really a form-fit-function replacement?

Are the two similarly priced?

Is this case, the real part is available and while the replacement appears as though it will connect to and drive an SPT, I am not sure of its suitability. I understand that one function of the coupler (as designed by Shopsmith) is to break if the rotation of the drive line is somehow stopped abruptly. I don't know if this part fulfilled that characteristic.

The Shopsmith part (555124) sells for $31.99. The eBay item costs $59.95 plus $4.85 shipping.

You decide.

I have maybe 8 or 10 of the originals that work well. I doubt that I will need to buy any more. Now if it telescoped together in the middle I might be interested... But again at that price maybe not.
I have to be able to get enough done on the new new shop to work in it at all before it would matter anyway.
It has let up on the rain (which I am very glad to get), so I may walk down there for a bit and get depressed by all of the "stuff" in the way that does not have a home.
Danged pack-elves...
I have been so busy with the horse pasture boarding (I just got client #12 last week) that I have not gotten anything done in the shops. We are putting in water lines and electric line this weekend (son is bringing home an excavator) then I hope that enterprise can coast a little until spring and I can get in the shop more.
I don't even care if I get to work wood, I just want to work on the shop...
Maybe I will have more time after I retire, no, wait, I already did years ago.

foxtrapper wrote:I'm going to speculate he means these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-DESIGN-SHOPSMIT ... 4aa4f65952

The oem types work fine and cost less than 1/4 the price of these alternatives. can't see any reason to want to use these alternatives because of that.

The engineer in me notices that this new design will have more problems with misalignment than the oem design did.

Yes, This non-OEM coupler is missing the safety features of the original. If this coupler came loose under power (e.g. the quill retracted, or the headstock moved by not being locked on the way tubes) it could throw the coupler as a projectile (at you). Hope it is not heavy!

The 4 / 5 spline original Shopsmith are well thought out. With the five spline hubs on your SPT's you are left with 4 spline hubs for the drives. In case of disconnection under load and speed, the spring will auto-eject the drive side, leaving the coupler attached to the SPT.

Also, I have never heard of the original Magna or Shopsmith couplers breaking under normal use. They have always had plastic ends, and I understand that if an SPT jammed for some reason, the plastic part will give away saving worse damage. (to finger or machine) Edited: or I should say: "to your body or machine"

"Stop throwing away money on those cheap breakable plastic old design couplings."

My cheap plastic original coupling has lasted 20 years so far. Why pay more for a copy, home made part?
As others have said, the OEM part is made to break. I would rather have the coupling break than a part inside the tool.

I am still using my original that was procured in 1963!

They break????????

Well, here's an opnion without even trying it... Can someone build a better mouse trap? Can someone besides the original manufacture of a product come up with a better "improved version" ...... or is the newer version just newer and doesn't really improve in function. Do we need a newer updated version? Hence, is the new Shopsmith Pro better then the original? Of course just because Shopsmith done it.

Dedicated Shopsmith owners DO NOT stray.... We only buy original products. The name is everything to us. How dare anyone to try and improve any part of the Shopsmith without first going through the Shopsmith Forum members! After all we are the knowledge gods of Shopsmith and support our brick and morter factory to end.

In summay and in my opnion... the ebay shaft is just another persons attempt to get rich quick by offering a different looking animal... not better and perhaps not worse. Of course, I'm talking out my butt as I have not "tried or tested" the product. My opnion is like everone elses... Just a SWAG