Shopsmith Forums

chapmanruss wrote: Wed Feb 23, 2022 1:00 pm Interesting that right below the goggles is the Blade Guard but back then the Blade Guard for the Mark 5 was an optional item. A step backwards in safety from the Model 10's that at least came with an upper Blade Guard. The Lower Blade Guard for the Model 10's was an optional item and are very rare. One of mine is shown in the picture below.

Russ - I still keep scouring listings hoping I'll find one of these someday... So, am I correct in my understanding that the lower pulley and saw guards were not Magna products?? I'm assuming they were created by Montgomery Ward, as that's the only place I've seen them listed as an accessory.

Here's one of the items I acquired that really got me started collecting. It's not "new in box" - very lightly used - but "complete in box" Power Mount Adapter Kit. The gentleman who sold it to me on eBay subsequently sold me a number of other very nice Magna-vintage boxed accessories, and I eventually had the pleasure of meeting him on a business trip. Great community among Shopsmith enthusiasts!

It is interesting that the Lower Saw Blade Guard and the Lower Belt Guard only seem to show up in Montgomery Ward catalogs. I do believe they were made by Magna Engineering Corporation and sold through Montgomery Ward with the rest of the Magna/Shopsmith tools and accessories. It should be noted that Magna did make and supply some items to Montgomery Ward to be sold under their PowrKraft tool name. I have both an early Magna Molder Head and a PowrKraft one both made by Magna and the difference is a PowrKraft label and no set screw to attach it directly to the Spindle Shaft like the Magna version has.

In the picture below is Model 10ER serial number R64000 under the original Shopsmith tool cover for the Model 10's. I have the box for it stored but use the cover for my first Model 10 I restored.

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The other two Model 10's have since been restored and sold.

Not a lot to show right now. Recently acquired a Goldie and picked up a Sawsmith RAS last year, but both are awaiting refurb and restoration.

However, with the Goldie came with two interesting Magna accessories, a Magna Dado (12060) and a Rubber Bonded Abrasive Wheel (22140). The dado blade needs cleaning but did come with the square end key that I hear is usually missing. Couldn't find a part number on the abrasive wheel initially, but that part of the box later showed up in a box of parts.

I'm pretty sure that abrasive wheel is not safe to use because of it's age. Unless I can refurb that wobble dado blade I don't think it's safe either, but I can get it cleaned up.

Ed,

You are correct about the Magna Dado commonly missing the square end key. I have had several Magna Dados that have come with Shopsmith's I have restored and all but one has been without a key. Depending on when it was made some have a hex instead of a square key. Something to watch out for is stripping the teeth on the little pinions when using the key to adjust the cut width. The Magna "wobble" Dado was made from the Model 10ER era through the Magna American Corporation era. I am not sure if it continued after Shopsmith Inc. formed to continue making the Mark 5.

I also have the Rubber Bonded Abrasive Wheels, one of which is an older one and a newer one but have been hesitant to use them.

Here's the oldest document artifact I have from Magna - it's the earliest brochure I've ever seen. Print date is April, 1948 ("448"), and was created in conjunction (using some of the same images) with the start of their magazine marketing campaign in the May, 1948 edition of Popular Mechanics.

Interestingly, the small format, 5-panel, fold-out brochure was resurrected by Magna American for their goldie marketing, and that was of course updated in the early Shopsmith, Inc. days (they really didn't seek to reinvent the wheel there when they started out!).

jpdalton wrote: Wed Mar 02, 2022 12:05 pm Print date is April, 1948 ("448"), and was created in conjunction (using some of the same images) with the start of their magazine marketing campaign in the May, 1948 edition of Popular Mechanics.
IMG_9206.jpgIMG_9207.jpgIMG_9208.jpgIMG_9209.jpg

Here’s a picture of the May, 1948 ad:

edma194 wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 4:14 pm However, with the Goldie came with two interesting Magna accessories, a Magna Dado (12060) and a Rubber Bonded Abrasive Wheel (22140). The dado blade needs cleaning but did come with the square end key that I hear is usually missing.

Ed - those are some interesting items. I've never seen the abrasive wheel in its box before, and I've also never seen a Yuba-branded Magna Dado.

They also offered a stacked dado option during the goldie period. Here's a Yuba version (I have a similar one also in the mustard-colored box from Magna American). Heavy sucker!

jpdalton wrote: Wed Mar 02, 2022 8:12 pm

edma194 wrote: Mon Feb 28, 2022 4:14 pm However, with the Goldie came with two interesting Magna accessories, a Magna Dado (12060) and a Rubber Bonded Abrasive Wheel (22140). The dado blade needs cleaning but did come with the square end key that I hear is usually missing.

Ed - those are some interesting items. I've never seen the abrasive wheel in its box before, and I've also never seen a Yuba-branded Magna Dado.

They also offered a stacked dado option during the goldie period. Here's a Yuba version (I have a similar one also in the mustard-colored box from Magna American). Heavy sucker!

The Dado blade and Rubber wheel were nice bonuses with the Goldie. I have a stacked Dado from Shopsmith that came along with my first Shopsmith, but no box. I did use it once long ago but it's just plain steel blades and there are easier ways to cut dados.

Been looking at some videos on repairing vintage toy boxes and maybe I can restore those battered and beat up Magna boxes.

Both the Magna 8" wobble and the 6" stacked dado blades date back to the Model 10 era prior to the part number change of November 1, 1951. The original part number for the 8" Dado is 12 060 and the 6" is 12 063. I have two of the early Magna 8" Wobble Dados P/N 12 060, one in the original gray box and one in the yellowish box. I also have a Magna American 8" Wobble Dado without a box plus a couple others in my "to sell" stuff. Magna also sold both a 6" and an 8" Dado Table Insert for the Model 10's. The stacked Dado set continued for decades and was only more recently changed to Dado sets sold by Shopsmith provided by and labeled for other manufactures. The only 6" stacked Dado set I have that I know is from Shopsmith is from around the 1990's.

Ed,

I would be interested in seeing what you come up with for restoring those battered and beat up boxes