Shopsmith Mark 2 - the good, the bad and the ugly

wiredone · Post by **wiredone** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:33 am

dusty wrote:The Mark II was not manufactured by Shopsmith, Inc but who did the manufacturing. Does anyone know. Was the Mark II a knock off or was it done with the blessings of Shopsmith. If a knock off, could there have been trademark and/or copyright issues with the Mark II.

From what I've gleaned over the years, basically Monkey Wards went to the manufacturers (Yuba) and said we want a unit that is for us only, and really really cheap. So came the Mark 2, and it met both their criteria.

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:04 pm

I managed to get the M2 apart this afternoon, It was not as difficult as I thought it might be. Nothing was stuck and all the set screws came right out. The carriage was a bit sticky, but a few taps with a rubber mallet and it came right off. The quill was locked down and apparently had fallen out at some point. I pulled it out accidently, but wound the spring back up with the handle and then dropped it back in and it works fine! I have attached a few photos, I am going to pass on any more, I have to resize manually and I don't want to do any more. I was surprised bit the thickness of the way tubes. Other than a sanding station, I have no use for this, but the parts seem to be in good shape, so PM me if you want something. I know very little about these machines, but I think I have a pretty much original one. I think the motor might even be. It ie a MonkeyWards and looks like it belongs there. The cord has a MW pull on it. If you are interested, I can get you more photos.

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:11 pm

What the heck! here are 5 more! FYI, the speed chart in the belt cover says "Magna Corp".

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Fri May 11, 2012 8:27 pm

I have given away the headstock and fence for this M2 I found. Sold the way tubes and a chuck that came with it. Missed the shipping cost badly on the way tubes and now I am $4.85 in the hole!

Since the market for M2 parts seems a bit depressed right now, I am offering what I have left for shipping cost to forum folks. Available legs, table, trunion, carraige, both left and right end assemblies. These are in pretty good shape. Most are pictured above. PM me if you want something, I am going to the recycle place next week, and they will be gone after that.

brad_nalor · Post by **brad_nalor** » Fri May 11, 2012 10:18 pm

A very rare piece is the MT2 aluminum tailstock insert / clamp. A 10-E owner might like it for offset turning. You should fetch some decent return for that piece alone and the last few on ebay brought $30+. Good luck!

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Sat May 12, 2012 11:57 am

Yep!! I had several questions about just that piece, but I did not have it. Had 2 questions about a lathe rest, and I don't even know if it ever had one. Another part that I think you could sell would be the belt cover, but again I did not have that either, The market for M2 parts seems to be for exactly those kinds of things. I know nothing about these really, but I suspect that anything that fits a 10ER or other SS models might have made that move a long time ago. BAsed on the M2 I am parting out, I suspect folks got rid of them as best they could, and parts that fit SS models probably went while the rest got scrapped.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sat May 12, 2012 8:18 pm

I might have missed it somewhere, but are the tube diameters and spacing the same as on a 10ER?

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Sat May 12, 2012 10:35 pm

Heath, I am not sure. The OD was 1.75 in and they fit into the old Goldie table I have. Don't know about the 10ER. The M2 head stock I had looked a lot like a 10ER externally, but the insides were somewhat different. I don't know enough about either to say really. They might fit, but the adjusting mechanisms are not alike at all.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sun May 13, 2012 12:27 pm

I was curious if the legs and end castings could be used with a 10ER tubes, headstock, and carriage. If so, I might would be interested in those parts.

brad_nalor · Post by **brad_nalor** » Sun May 13, 2012 12:48 pm

The way tubes are the same diameter and I believe the spacing is the same as the Mk5. Most of the additional tools fit except for some issue with the 4 inch jointer. It might have been the height or offset for the drive. Haven't looked but maybe this factory site indicates this??