Hi guys,
There's some confusion here about my handles - I make the 19 position quick release purple hub handle sets that have been referred to here. Someone was questioning how they even worked.
I thought it might help if I explain how they work, and why they are better than either the single arm SS handle or the 10 position SS handle or the 3 arm SS handle. This is not a sales pitch, just a FYI so you understand how they work and why you might or might not prefer them to the standard handles.
Do you NEED them? Probably not, any more than you "need" any convenience feature. But we all like convenience. The issue is, will any handle do a BETTER job than the standard handle, and the answer is yes - if they didn't people wouldn't by them - either the SS magnetic ones, or my quick release handles.
So, why are mine better?
1) More leverage - they do a better job with drill press operations and mortising, with the 1 arm handle being either 12 or 10 inches long depending on preference, and the 3 arm being 8 inches long.
2) Greater finesse. With the longer handle, you can control the feed more precisely. This applies to drilling, mortising, and to any operation where you move the quill in and out - precision sanding with the sanding disk, using the conical sanding disk, even lathe work
3) They are interchangeable - you can flip my 3 arm or 1 arm handle from side to side, easily and instantly. (You cannot do this with either the standard SS handle or their magnetic handle or the SS 3 arm drill press handle, you either have to unscrew and rescrew, or install two magnetic hubs; whichever way you go, its not instantaneous or truly interchangeable, while mine is).
4) They do NOT get in the way. By which I mean, I only have my handles ON the machine when I need them, I pop them off when I don't, instantly, and hang them next to the machine. The splined hubs remain on, but they DO NOT get in the way of ANY operation
5) Mine are positive lock, unlike the SS magnetic handle, which can be knocked off the machine with a good blow. Mine lock and will NOT unlock unless you press the release button.
6) Mine offer 19 positions, so that as you do any operation you can move and reposition the handle, easily and quickly to any of the 19 positions thus extending the range of the work you are doing.
7) I have yet to have a complaint from any user regarding my handles, only positive responses and pleased customers. They're all Shopsmith owners and they all love my handles. Some have bought multiple sets for different machines.
So... there's nothing wrong with the standard handle - it works. But it's not much use for mortising, just doesn't give you the leverage you need. And it's kind of sucky for drill press work too, especially if you're got a long travel on the quill you want to make. Which is why Shopsmith themselves made, first the 3 arm drill press handle, and then the magnetic handle, to offer their customers a better solution.
And why I invented these handles - I wanted something that was better yet...
I'm currently not making my purple handle sets as the main supply is backordered, but hope to be able to resume production in April.
My handles basically consist of a hardened steel shaft with 19 splines on it, with a 19 spline aluminum hub which mounts on the shaft. A button and spring arrangement in the hub allows you to press the hub on and when it engages, the hub is locked to the shaft and cannot be removed without pressing the button again. This makes it instant lock, quick release and 19 positions. A little wax (like everything else in the Shopsmith world) makes it work better.
Do you need it? Heck, you probably don't "need" your shopsmith if you have a hand saw, a hand drill, and a hand plane....
Each to his/her own, and I hope that this post has been helpful in explaining exactly how my handles work and what advantages they offer.
