Homebrew Shop Deputy

[reubenjames]

There doesn't seem to be a great deal of buzz about the Shop Deputy, and I understand the various reasons for that. When I did the PP upgrade, I did the DIY so I wasn't left with an extra headstock for such a thing. I know many others may be in similar situations.

However, having acquired a second Mark V (put yourself to sleep here), I thought it might be ideal in my situation to make a Shop Deputy. Is it because I don't have space for another SS? No. I do think that there are many operations I perform with my SS that don't require that kind of space, however. Plus, they are adorable.

Truthfully, though, I can't justify paying $150 for what appears to be plans, lag bolts, and washers. Yes, the shorter tubes. I have tubes already; I can cut them. I know many people on here have made Shorties, and I realize you gain some usability from a Shorty over a Shop Deputy.

It sounds like there are few, if any, on here who have a Shop Deputy, but somebody has to have a general concept of what it would take to mount the Shop Deputy to what looks like a 2 x 10, no? Any musings on the best way (or even a viable way) to go about this?

[reible]

Hi,

I don't read all the posts here so maybe I missed someone posting about having one. I do know it has been much of a topic much less a hot topic.

I have 5 shopsmiths, (2)520's (2)500's and a 10ER. All of them are original size and I have not even thought about doing any cutting.

I did look at the idea of make a version with a few changes, like being taller for lathe work but I've since decide not to go that way. The idea did let me think about how one might remove the legs and mount to wood. The radius needed is pretty easy to simply trace and then shrink by the thickness of the wood. I think the angle can be measured so at least in my mind I think I could make the part(s) needed. I guess one could even make a mold of an end in plaster and work off that???

I did an upgrade to the powerpro too. I have even thought about getting a second one but I have never thought about going for a shop deputy. I can't see where that would work well in my shop. If someone were in need of one of these I guess the price is not too bad.....

Of course if I found the need I think I'd do my own design, it doesn't seem to be a difficult thing to do.

To me this was yet another idea shopsmith had that they went with and didn't ask many of any users if this would be something they were interested in. Wonder how many have sold? My guess is not many.

I'm not that interesting in having one but if you want to throw some ideas out I'm willing to look at them and help in that way.

Ed

[reubenjames]

I realize I posted this thread a long time ago, but the Shop Deputy has continued to be an intriguing idea to me. I finally took steps toward making one. I have pretty limited space in my one-car garage, though I will have plenty of space in the workshop on the farm once we are permanently there. In the meantime, however, I am where I am and I have a lot of projects I want to do (plus a lot of projects I *have* to do to sell this house) before we will be moving to our other property.

That being said, space concern is not really the primary reason I'm moving toward the Shop Deputy direction. Obviously with a shorty you have some flexibility with limited saw, lathe, or drill press modes, functions you don't have with the Shop Deputy. I can certainly envision having three ShopSmiths of full size, basically dedicated each to sawing, drill press, lathe modes (though right now I don't use lathe at all, but in the long run if that becomes part of my repertoire). The biggest hassle for me right now, however, is not changing in and out of drill press mode, but changing SPTs. Also, I don't have the offset mounting tubes, so that does make changeover to drill press cumbersome at times when I have something like the bandsaw attached.

I also thought about ShopSmith detractors who make the comment that, with a ShopSmith, if your headstock is out of commission, you can't do any work. That is true if you only have one headstock. But that is not true if you have, say, a Power Station or if you have the power stands with any of your SPTs. But the fate of those products seems to be in question from the MS at this point, and I don't have any at present. However, creating Shop Deputies as a sort of high-powered, infinitely variable speed Power Station / Power Stand, with the ability to power two permanently mounted SPTs, has many of the advantages of those products and also outfits the shop with extra power plants. Then, all of a sudden (and this is true no matter what form your headstocks are in, obviously, whether full Mark V's or minis or whatever) you have one-up on single-purpose machine-filled shops. In those shops, if one tool goes out, that tool is out of commission until it's repaired (even if it is only one tool). In a shop full of Smiths, if one tool goes out, you are minutes away from being back on your feet.

The reasons I am going to make a Shop Deputy or two, before I make a shorty or a mini:

1. Flexibility in mounting. Shopsmith legs with casters make awesome mounts, but especially right now, I want to have the ability to pick up the Shop Deputy and move it out of my way, or mount it on another surface. If I want casters, I do have to build something with casters, which is a strike against it (at least in terms of effort), but they *are* reasonably quick to move around if you don't have them completely bolted down.
2. Immediate needs are on quicker SPT access over secondary saw / drill press / lathe setup. I realize having two saws setup for some projects is an awesome convenience, and you can't saw with a Shop Deputy, but at this point I gain more efficiency by having easier access to my SPTs first, before I think about gaining efficiencies through multiple setups of the same tool.
3. Potentially cheaper to make. There isn't a huge secondhand ShopSmith market in this area, so I have to wait a long time for a deal, and lots of overpriced duds inbetween times. But a reasonably priced headstock can be had on eBay and shipped a lot more economically than an entire Mark V. The headrest and base assemblies can often be had on eBay for a pittance. All told, I think I can build one at least slightly cheaper than buying a full Mark V. Plus, if a good Mark V deal comes along, I can obviously still take advantage of that.
4. Less cutting. Ok, this is kind of tongue-in-cheek. But a Shop Deputy per the specs is 26". There should be no mystery why this is: it's exactly half of a standard way tube, which lets the MS cut a way tube in half if somebody orders their Shop Deputy kit. Which means only one exhausting cut with the hacksaw. Honestly, though, I have enough tubes laying around already to build four Shop Deputies because of this, since the Shop Deputy (unlike a mini or shorty) doesn't require bench tubes. One cut instead of four!!
5. I don't know if this was true when I created this thread, but ShopSmith has the owners PDFs online now with both the drilling templates as well as a parts list, which consists of items readily available at your local hardware store. If you can manage cutting one way tube in half, and you have a spare, you can get whatever else you need without spending $150. I love you, Mother Ship, but that one is a little outrageous.

So that's my plan for the moment. Get one setup with a bandsaw and the jigsaw (which can be mounted on either side of the SS). Maybe another one with belt sander/drum sander and disc sander (or strip sander if I get one and belt sander). I'd like to do a third, and this one might be my mini / shorty instead, with jointer and planer. Obviously planer won't fit on a Shop Deputy, so that would require something a bit larger (and more cuts! Eek!) so that might be the one to do a shorty with so have some supplemental saw or even drill press capabilities in a pinch. I do have a second bandsaw that needs to be reconditioned and so that might be another candidate for a third deputy. Having a bandsaw set up for resawing and another set up for standard curved kind of work would be convenient.

Just wanted to share because I am unreasonably excited for the first one!!

[reubenjames]

Here is my work in progress. The headstock needs inspection and tune up so I'm just testing the fit here, but so far so good. Plus it's almost as cute as my puppy. If I could take this thing for walks I would. I love it already.

[ERLover]

Sounds like a good plan.

[dusty]

This concept sorta goes against the whole idea of a 5in1 "multi purpose" work station. A rhetorical question that deserves no response...if you have space available for all of these dedicated power tools, why not go buy dedicated machines?

A Delta Unisaw is the first item that comes to mind; supported by a raft of Powermatic support tools (jointer, planer, drill press, sander, lathe).

Now that would be shop to dream about. One could "go professional" with that arrangement.

[reible]

I look at the picture and think you are one tube cut from a mini/shorty so why not add the second set of tubes and then make/add what ever base/legs you want?

I now have a second headstock taken out of service when I did my second powerpro so I too am now thinking what do I want to do with it. I also have the left over parts from my first powerpro upgrade so I really don't need it for parts and now with two powerpros I have only two old style machines and one of those will be going to away..... and might get replace with some shorter form of machine.

What even you decide of course is fine just keep us in the loop, and yes we love pictures along the way.

Ed

[reubenjames]

Dusty,
It does go against a 5 in 1 that is true, but I'm not viewing it as a Shop Smith but as a standalone tool or power stand for an SPT that also just so happens to give me a backup power plant for my 5 in 1. The reason I don't (yet) outfit a shop with Powermatic stand alones is price. I already have the SPT and I can get a Shop Deputy up and running for probably $200 on average. When I'm making the big bucks I'll go big. Truthfully, I will likely get a stand alone cabinet saw some day but for now the Mark and her SPTs have covered my needs.

Ed, I think bench tubes are superfluous on such a short length for a mounted Shop Deputy. The legs from that machine are horrendous and need some serious TLC which I will likely get to. But despite the fact that I have the parts to make *this* one a shorty, my point is that it's cheaper for me to obtain parts, in general, for a Deputy, and they are serving the same need for me at this point. I'll keep you posted on progress and my ever-changing mind though.

[dusty]

Dusty,
It does go against a 5 in 1 that is true, but I'm not viewing it as a Shop Smith but as a standalone tool or power stand for an SPT that also just so happens to give me a backup power plant for my 5 in 1. The reason I don't (yet) outfit a shop with Powermatic stand alones is price. I already have the SPT and I can get a Shop Deputy up and running for probably $200 on average. When I'm making the big bucks I'll go big. Truthfully, I will likely get a stand alone cabinet saw some day but for now the Mark and her SPTs have covered my needs.

Ed, I think bench tubes are superfluous on such a short length for a mounted Shop Deputy. The legs from that machine are horrendous and need some serious TLC which I will likely get to. But despite the fact that I have the parts to make *this* one a shorty, my point is that it's cheaper for me to obtain parts, in general, for a Deputy, and they are serving the same need for me at this point. I'll keep you posted on progress and my ever-changing mind though.

Please do not take me wrong. I very firmly believe that you should do whatever it is that you believe serves YOUR needs. Others opinions should be taken only as friendly advice and not a mandate.

[reible]

Ed, I think bench tubes are superfluous on such a short length for a mounted Shop Deputy. The legs from that machine are horrendous and need some serious TLC which I will likely get to. But despite the fact that I have the parts to make *this* one a shorty, my point is that it's cheaper for me to obtain parts, in general, for a Deputy, and they are serving the same need for me at this point. I'll keep you posted on progress and my ever-changing mind though.

Much of the rigidness of the shopsmith is due to the 4 tubes, so while they might not be needed I think I'd at least think seriously about adding them just so you retain the stability. As I said it is only one more cut and the bottom tubes need not be pretty or can even be painted but they will add to the structure of the machine.

I'm assuming you are looking to ebay for cast off parts from dual tilt upgrades? I have a set of those myself and if I get my second dual tilt this summer I will have a second set so my basic needs will be for tubes if and when I go for a shorter version. I might even price stainless steel as it might be reasonable at such short lengths.

Ed