Shopsmith Forums

Yikes. After reading that thread I find myself considering the sale of both SS and the purchase of dedicated machines.

Kind words above. Not sure if they are deserved.

Let's see:

The casters are the same.

The pistons they fit into are different. The M VII pistons were cast and as such very susceptible to fracturing.

That makes them a rare item.

The M VII pistons have a ridge than keeps them captive. The M5/V do not.

The way tube spacing is the same as the M 5/V/7/2...

The motor frame is the same, but the mounts are different. Also there is the dual shaft of the M VII.(vac still there?)

Now the gear rack will be in the way if an attempt is made to mount a M 5/V headstock on the M VII.


Some pix of what you have may help.

johnwilliamson062 wrote:Yikes. After reading that thread I find myself considering the sale of both SS and the purchase of dedicated machines.

For some with the space, electrical power and suitable funds, that is an option, but properly adjusted I can stand up my work done on Shopsmiths of all generations beside dedicated machines quite admirably.

If you are in a manufacturing or production environment and need the speed of production to have a dedicated machine for dedicated operations that can be cost justifiable too, but takes space. If you are manufacturing, you already have space.

If you have a properly aligned Shopsmith, you can go from properly aligned table saw, to drill press, to lathe, to boring machine, to shaper, to molder to sander and all are in adjustment.

With the specialty purpose tools, and the variable speed of a Shopsmith, you can have a variable speed bandsaw, scroll saw, belt sander etc. to properly tune the speed to the stock you are working with.... all in a small space, with a limited investment.

It's appeal is multifaceted and it's endurance and usable life span is not yet known, as my oldest 10E was made in the fall of 1947 and works well today. The later Mark V series are much the same, and I can buy a new Mark V or a Mark 7, today, as well as used ones.

Don't be alarmed. You can do this. Millions have, and thousands of them are in the forums here who never post, or even register. Thousands, like you have. It's OK either way.

You can do this, and you can do this well.

Everett

I have a 1200SF+ workspace, but I have a lot of things going on and more "treasure" than any one man rightly deserves.
I have had no luck hunting down any MK VII casters. Probably b/c of the cracking issue mentioned above.
After thinking more about it, I believe simply building a base with third party retractable casters is my best bet. I have a sheet of sub-flooring big enough left over from work on one of my apartments. Plenty of 2x3 and screws of all shapes and sizes. Should be able to make a fairly rigid platform with ease. Then retractible or floor lock casters.
I have a woodriver universal mobile base I picked up second-hand some years ago, but it seems the length of the shopsmith would greatly exceed its suggested limits. I am tempted to try it with something like two 3/4 inch pieces glued together.