Cheap knock offs and other rambling thoughts

[mbcabinetmaker]

Here are pictures of my Total Shop machine and drilling table that I built for it. I had long wanted a Shopsmith 510 since the first time I saw it demonstrated at a mall in Atlanta. They had just came out, it must have been in the early to mid eighty's. Money was tight so I never got one. Total Shop headquarters was in Greenville SC and I walked into their showroom one day and came out with this basic machine for under $900.00. This was around 89 or 90. I used it on its original stand until I got my first REAL Shopsmith. To save space I then made these brackets and bolted it to the wall in permanent drill press mode. It has drill a million holes and I am ashamed to say that I have never even lubed it.

Now my point here is this: If a cheap Shopsmith knock off is this good just think how good the REAL THING is.

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Mark

[fjimp]

Here are pictures of my Total Shop machine and drilling table that I built for it. I had long wanted a Shopsmith 510 since the first time I saw it demonstrated at a mall in Atlanta. They had just came out, it must have been in the early to mid eighty's. Money was tight so I never got one. Total Shop headquarters was in Greenville SC and I walked into their showroom one day and came out with this basic machine for under $900.00. This was around 89 or 90. I used it on its original stand until I got my first REAL Shopsmith. To save space I then made these brackets and bolted it to the wall in permanent drill press mode. It has drill a million holes and I am ashamed to say that I have never even lubed it.

Now my point here is this: If a cheap Shopsmith knock off is this good just think how good the REAL THING is.

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Mark

Mark the good news is you are happy. The sad part being now you may never know how great the real deal is:D I must truly be convinced I now have 2 and all the trimmings. fjimp

[cincinnati]

I had a friend at work that purchased the Total Shop the same time I purchased a Shopsmith 510. His broke years ago and is useless because parts are not available.
Surprised you went with the Total Shop back then at $900. I got my Shopsmith 510 in 1989 for $1,200.

[charlese]

Hi Mark! Glad you finally got your REAL Shopsmith. Also very happy you joined the Forum! Your skills and knowledge will continue to be a big bonanza for us.

BTW - This wall mounting thing for a Total Shop is a super application. I think I saw this application once before using a SS10er. I can't think of a better dedicated drill press.

[JPG]

Hi Mark! Glad you finally got your REAL Shopsmith. Also very happy you joined the Forum! Your skills and knowledge will continue to be a big bonanza for us.

BTW - This wall mounting thing for a Total Shop is a super application. I think I saw this application once before using a SS10er. I can't think of a better dedicated drill press.

I have seen this approach one other place. It was allegedly a MARK 1. The poster(on another forum?) was a former SS employee and he showed a pix of another former SS employee's mounting the "MARK 1" to the wall as a vertical drill press. Supposedly this model was a bench tubeless model similar to a 10e/r and had a Mark V headstock. I got the impression this model did NOT make it into production. I have NOT seen any reference to it any where else.
I do not know if his tongue was in his cheek, but it was a great idea anyway.

[bucksaw]

Went to buy a used Shopsmith today for $150 (early 80's). Turned out it was a Total Shop clone. Shipped on the purchase but it was in pretty good shape and ran as smooth and maybe quieter than any Shopsmith I've ever demo'd.