Share your Magna memorabilia!

[jpdalton]

As to what's next, there is always plenty of other Magna/Shopsmith tools and accessories to be collected.

I suppose you’re right, but in the short term I’ll concentrate on my “to-be-restored” queue. I have a few Magna-Line items that need some TLC as well, and I’m sure to stumble upon a few more of those over time…!

[jpdalton]

Documenting the “SPECIAL SHOPSMITH GUARDS for school shops”

Hope everyone has a good long holiday weekend! I’ve had some time to rest up after my long trek out to western NY a week ago, as well as look at more of what I hauled home from there.

And while it’s clearly a thrill to have finally found a lower belt guard to complete my 10er accessories collection, it was really interesting to hear some of the first-hand anecdotes from the family selling their dad’s trusty old Shopsmith, and then even a bit more of the lore regarding the original owner who sold it to their dad. I don’t know how much of the lore part is factual, but I found enough paperwork still in the machine’s documentation to speak to how and why these were acquired:
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It appears the story began in late 1952, when Mr. Claude Weyant, an industrial arts instructor at what was then known as the North School in Herkimer, NY…
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(the now abandoned school building)
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…purchased Shopsmith serial number R69038, presumably for use in his woodworking instructor’s role. Based on references to the retailer in the machine’s documents, it’s quite possible this was purchased at the Montgomery Ward store in the Mohawk Acres shopping plaza in nearby Rome, NY:
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I find it interesting that an “R”-prefix serial number machine would end up being delivered to an eastern US customer, but that may have more to do with Ward’s distribution processes than anything else.

Soon after his purchase, Mr. Weyant began some correspondence with the folks at Magna Engineering, who welcomed him to the community of Shopsmith owners…
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…and also supplied him information on academic applications of his new machine:
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More importantly, they provided a document that finally puts some context around these “school guards” that I’ve seen referenced elsewhere:
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Well, Mr. Weyant got right to work from there with additional correspondence with Magna, indicating some frustration with the reps at Ward being unable to secure the “Special Shopsmith Guards” that were required for him to use the new system with his students:
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Unfortunately there’s no further details of what transpired from there, but Mr. Weyant did eventually secure those special guards (of which I’m now the caretaker), and presumably helped to introduce Shopsmith woodworking to a generation of students. Hats off to you, sir!

[jsburger]

Wow, what a cool story. Maybe that explains why there are so few of those two guards in existence. They were never meant to be sold to the general public.

[chapmanruss]

John D,

I too, find it interesting that an "R" prefix Model 10ER was sold in NY. Maybe the East Coast plant was not keeping up with demand.

It is nice to finally see a Magna/Shopsmith document about the lower guards. I noted the NOV51 in the lower left-hand corner. It appears that they were around more than a year before Mr. Weyant inquired about them.

As John B said

Maybe that explains why there are so few of those two guards in existence. They were never meant to be sold to the general public.

Since the "SPECIAL SHOPSMITH GUARDS for school shops" document was apparently not widely distributed many owners may not have known they existed.

[jpdalton]

Maybe that explains why there are so few of those two guards in existence. They were never meant to be sold to the general public.

Well, they were the first two accessories listed in the Montgomery Ward Powr-Kraft supplemental catalog, so I’d consider that to be targeting the general public.
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And despite this prominence in the catalog, we don’t see evidence that many were sold. My guess is that unless like in Mr. Weyant’s case where state law required the additional protection, an average home user of Shopsmith would prioritize new capabilities over a more nebulous safety improvement with their limited accessories dollars.

Also from my personal observations, the under table saw guard outsold the motor pulley guard pretty significantly (I know of a total of 4 of the latter in existence, while I now own 3 of the former). This would make sense if the under table saw guard was primarily perceived to provide benefit in sawdust management and not safety.

Just my two cents at the end of the day, but a fun debate for those of us who enjoy unraveling this history!

[jsburger]

John, you said,
"Well, they were the first two accessories listed in the Montgomery Ward Powr-Kraft supplemental catalog, so I’d consider that to be targeting the general public. "

However, did they ever appear in any of Magna's catalogues? I don't think I have ever seen them there.

[jpdalton]

However, did they ever appear in any of Magna's catalogues? I don't think I have ever seen them there.

I think you’re spot on there, John. I’ve never seen them in an actual Magna catalog either. For the longest time, I thought they were Montgomery Ward-made accessories, since that’s the only catalog I’d ever seen them in.

[chapmanruss]

Those lower guards have been an elusive pair of accessories over the years. The only Shopsmith catalog reference I remember seeing was for the Lower Saw Blade Guard. It is listed in a 1958 catalog (section below) but is for the Mark 2. I believe the Lower Saw Blade Guard listed there is the same one from the Model 10's. The part number 12 370 follows the Model 10 part numbers and I believe, at one time, I found a reference to the Lower Saw Blade Guard in some Model 10 materials with that part number. I wish I could remember where it was listed so I could confirm that.

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[jsburger]

Given the Montgomery Ward connection, I wonder if they were accessories that Montgomery Ward requested from Magna for some reason.

[chapmanruss]

Or maybe it was the need for more protection for use in the educational setting.

Remember, when introduced, the Mark 5 Upper and Lower Saw Blade Guard system was an optional accessory too.