Share your Magna memorabilia!

[jpdalton]

Mark 5 Key Switch and Outlet Box

So, here’s an accessory rarity! Unused, in-box, complete with original instruction sheet.
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Based on the dealer price tag, it was sold at Boscov’s (likely somewhere in PA, based on where I purchased it), which is still in business today! And while it looks like the price tag says it was $1.25, the catalog list price was always $7.95
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Power cord is still surprisingly supple, but I heard a few crinkles and cracks when I opened it up, so this one is likely staying boxed up… It is the first time I’ve seen the Shopsmith logo format molded into a 3-pronged electrical cord.
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[chapmanruss]

John.

Yours is in better condition than mine. The cord on mine is in bad shape. I don't know if mine has ever been used either, but the years haven't been as kind. Interestingly the price sticker on the box is the same as the one on mine and even looks like the same person wrote the "941" and the "1.25" on it. I'll have to take some pictures to post.

My key number is DM279 and looks like it has a different cut for the pins than yours.

One thing I learned is why there are the extra holes in the Tube Lock Bar shown below. They are for mounting the box to the Mark 5 as shown in the instructions John posted. Even though the Outlet Box has long ago been discontinued the extra holes remained.

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Like you John, I have no plans to use this accessory. With that in mind I will keep the "bad" power cord on it because as you pointed out it has the Shopsmith name molded into the plug.

Using it requires cutting the plug off the Mark power cord and connecting the wires inside the box to the key switch.

[chapmanruss]

Here are pictures of mine.

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See the sticker on the box as compared to John's.

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[jpdalton]

See the sticker on the box as compared to John's.

I did a little more research on Boscov’s Department Stores. Like I said before, they are one of the surprises of the modern retail landscape, in that they are still viable as the country’s largest family owned department store chain.

Interestingly, Boscov’s doesn’t show up on the Magna retailer list in the Pennsylvania territory (at least on my 1955 retailer list, which admittedly is a couple of years prior to the production date of these, based on the instruction print date on mine). I also can’t find anything that indicates that Boscov’s was ever any sort of discount retailer, to help explain that $1.25 price that was much lower than retail list price ($7.95).

So the acquisition history of these I suppose will remain a bit murky!

[chapmanruss]

My only guess as to the price would be if Boscov’s Department Stores at one time sold the Mark 5 and discounted the price as a clearance item. That's a pretty big discount and surprising to find on two of them since they are a rare item.

Below is the section of the February 1955 catalog for the Key Switch and Outlet Box.

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[jpdalton]

Mark 5 Dealer Accessory Display

So, I’m sitting in my hotel room in Syracuse right now after a long, long day of traversing the state of NY, in search of my latest Magna artifact…

Last year right around this same time, I had the good fortune of securing one of these:
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…which I subsequently restored and proudly display in my home office with many of the other Magna memorabilia items I’ve collected. That picture is from a dealer manual, describing the selling aids that Magna made available for independent dealers at the time of the introduction of the Mark 5 in 1954.

And while I felt pretty lucky to have obtained a Display Panel in restorable condition, the dealer manual also shows another display stand available to show the various accessories that users could add to their Shopsmith:
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…and I couldn’t possibly find another needle in a haystack, right?

Well, on an eclectic little farm property near the shores of Lake Erie, this little needle was quite literally found in a haystack!
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The property owner was a bit of a picker, but with the property up for sale, he took a chance posting it to FB Marketplace, where an eagle-eyed fellow Shopsmith group member posted it to the group. After a few additional photos were provided to make sure all the key parts were there, I set in motion the pickup plan this weekend, and hauled it out of the barn… Simple, right?!

While it’s a little rough in initial appearance, it’s solid, complete, and ready for restoration. I’ll post some after photos too…

[jpdalton]

Mark 5 Dealer Accessory Display - Cleanup

While it’s a little rough in initial appearance, it’s solid, complete, and ready for restoration. I’ll post some after photos too…

Got it home today, and did a bit of cleanup to better assess condition. I’m frankly amazed that the peg board panels are still sound at more than 70 years old…
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[jsburger]

MDF ??? I don't think the term MDF as we know it today existed back then. Good peg board was made from tempered Masonite. The cheap stuff was non tempered Masonite. I believe Masonite was/is a brand name and there may have been other similar products. It is much more moisture resistant than current MDF. It is still available today. Although by today's standards I guess it is classified as a type of MDF.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-4-in-x-4- ... /202088101

[chapmanruss]

John,

Another nice find and is great that it will be saved as part of the Shopsmith history.

[JPG]

MDF ??? I don't think the term MDF as we know it today existed back then. Good peg board was made from tempered Masonite. The cheap stuff was non tempered Masonite. I believe Masonite was/is a brand name and there may have been other similar products. It is much more moisture resistant than current MDF. It is still available today. Although by today's standards I guess it is classified as a type of MDF.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-4-in-x-4- ... /202088101

"Tempered" Masonite back then was quite hard and impervious to moisture. Yes Masonite is a brand name. Yes it killed many a steel saw blade.

Today's tempered peg board is nowhere close to the 'original' that was banned due to environmental concerns regarding the tempering process oils.