mark II

[chapmanruss]

Mario,

That is a wonderful story about your Dad's Mark 2. Thanks for sharing.

I vaguely remember seeing Shopsmith tools at the Montgomery Ward Catalog Warehouse Store in Portland OR in the 1960's thinking they were a "neat" tool. It was always fun to look around the store while waiting for catalog orders to come down from the warehouse section of the building. The tool section was right next to the catalog order room. I do remember seeing them demonstrated at the State Fairs in the later 1970's and wanting one but didn't have a place for one living in an apartment.

My Mark 2 was not passed down from a family member but is part of my collection of Shopsmith tools. My legacy tools are the 2001 Mark V 520 my father-in-law gave me and the 1957 Mark 5 my wife's uncle gave me which was made very close to the time I was born.

[mcontini]

In the 1950's we didn't frequent Montgomery Ward much. Most of the time we went to Sears Roebuck near Beachwood, Ohio, and got blocks of chocolate from the concession stand. We then shopped for tools. We ate a few blocks on the way home. That was quite a treat for the little kid I was then. Your Shopsmith collection is something. They must bring you a lot of fun.

[edflorence]

Great story, Mario! Thanks!

[chapmanruss]

I do enjoy my Shopsmith tools. After my Father-in-law gave me his Mark V, SPTs and accessories when they were downsizing, I really got the Shopsmith bug. The first challenge was finding all the parts that went with the Shopsmith tools. His shop area was in a part of their barn but parts to the Mark V were found in all corners of the barn not just in the "shop" area. I would search around to find things then go home and "study" the online catalog to see what goes with a Shopsmith tool. That was followed by going back and searching the barn again. This was repeated many times. It was learning about the tool that I also learned about the history. I was intrigued by the Model 10. Not long after that purchased and restored my first one. I found I enjoy restoring these tools as much as using them. I have restored a lot of Shopsmith tools. Below is just a small sample. The one in the back was the first one I restored. Not long after that picture was taken the other four were sold.

_

4708-8865-R55582-R57376-R64000 full.jpg (154.69 KiB) Viewed 41653 times

[mcontini]

Russ, that is quite a collection, a museum of sorts. They look brand new. It is not only a technical skill, but an art. Keep the tradition alive.

Mario