I would like your opinion please...

[oldwoodnewb]

Most of us I assume became ShopSmith owners because of their greatest feature: the ability to have a 5 tool machine that takes up very little space. With that in mind, what if your storage/work area diminished in size even more? Thinking outside the box, is it possible/feasible to shorten the way/bench tubes, thereby reducing the length? I assume I would be giving up some ability to deal with longer pieces and I dont think that would be a problem. Seeing the Mark 4 is what gave me the idea and instead of buying new tubes, I could just cut mine

It sounds like a great idea so I think I must be missing something. I confirm that I was totally sober at the time

Thank you in advance

Jeff

[Maurice]

You can, and luckily you have lots of examples for inspiration.

While I wouldn't personally, go to Google Images and search "Shopsmith Shorty" and you'll see lots of examples. The upper and lower tubes are long the same length (something like 3/4 of a inch difference), but as long as you cut the same offset on each it's fine.

Some people also only need it as a drill press, in which case they wall mount it which takes up even less space. You can google image search "wall mounted shopsmith" to see those as well.

[chapmanruss]

Being the Mark 4 is the inspiration for your though about shorting your Mark V here is some information. The Way Tubes of the Mark 4 are 36" long and the Bench Tubes are 36-3/4" long. That is 16" shorter than the standard Mark V Bench and Way Tubes. You would still have the 5 original functions, but your Lathe capacity would be reduced by that 16" and in Drill Press position you would lose some capacity. I say "some capacity" since I rarely, if ever, have the Headstock at the top of the Way Tubes with the Table at its lowest available point. If you are doing this on a Mark V 510 or 520 you can still have the extra Table space with the use of the Floating Tables. If you are doing this on a Mark V 500 or earlier Mark 5 both with the original Table System, you would be giving up that 16" for sawing width too. I used the Mark 4 lengths but whatever length you shorten the Bench and Way Tubes to that is the amount you will lose in different functions. Just remember that the Bench Tubes are 3/4" longer than the Way Tubes.