Mental meanderings on Shopsmith past, present and future

[wlhayesmfs]

Since I just picked up a MKVll in really good shape and all the parts working. I would love to see something that upgrades it to a very useful everyday 5 in 1. Now with that said I am not ready to spend that type of money yet on and upgrade at this time. I have a very good 510 and 520 in the shop along with two ER's I use regularly. But I could see an upgraded MKVll and really being something to use daily in the shop with the ability to tilt both directions and the head coming up from under the table for power routing and shaping with the new power head and speed control.

[8iowa]

This is the first I've heard of a new MK VII. Where did the info come from? The closest competitor would be the Smithy "Super Shop" which sells for $1900. The company in Ann Arbor MI that originally introduced this machine is apparently selling them again after a troubling marketing history.


http://www.smithy.com/product_home.php? ... 9&pid=1003

[riot_nrrd]

told new Mark VII coming Sept'10 with power pro head stock...it will lift from both ends

Well, I guess that is so they can emphasize the high-speed aspects of the new headstock and its ability to function as a router/shaper. I wonder if those (router, shaper) will be the 2 new tools for the 5+2=7 calculation? Or would they try built-in dust collection again?

I wonder if there will be other things they plan to add to it to take advantage of the new speed range, power, and torque charateristics? New inherent functions, new SPTs?

[JPG]

Surprising indeed! Wonder if the plastic gear rack will be history. Doubt the vacuum made it but maybe? Do not have a clue what would 'replace' it as the seventh function.

Unless ss plans to discontinue Mark V production(???), I think the new Mark VII headstock will be identical to the Mark V(or at least a Power Pro version(which may be different from current one)).

If true, it be good news that RLH is aggressively moving forward!

Maybe that magazine 'review' will be the new VII. Makes more sense than a motor update review!

A VII with 520 tables etc. should be a great product. $$$$$ has me worried though!!!!!

P.S. The below table router/shaper function was the sixth of the original 7.



Damn I hope this be true!:)

[robinson46176]

Surprising indeed! Wonder if the plastic gear rack will be history. Doubt the vacuum made it but maybe? Do not have a clue what would 'replace' it as the seventh function.

Unless ss plans to discontinue Mark V production(???), I think the new Mark VII headstock will be identical to the Mark V(or at least a Power Pro version(which may be different from current one)).

If true, it be good news that RLH is aggressively moving forward!

Maybe that magazine 'review' will be the new VII. Makes more sense than a motor update review!

A VII with 520 tables etc. should be a great product. $$$$$ has me worried though!!!!!

P.S. The below table router/shaper function was the sixth of the original 7.



Damn I hope this be true!:)

I doubt that the dust collection feature would make it unless it had its own motor since it used the constant RPM of the regular motor to keep the fan at full speed (It drove directly off of the motor.
The Mark VII main table was already a big one and also had the multi position extension table.
It also has a main table that tilts both ways for using with the unit tipped to the left and working up from underneath. The 520 table will not do that.
Dealing with combining features would be super interesting to say the least...

[JPG]

I doubt that the dust collection feature would make it unless it had its own motor since it used the constant RPM of the regular motor to keep the fan at full speed (It drove directly off of the motor.
The Mark VII main table was already a big one and also had the multi position extension table.
It also has a main table that tilts both ways for using with the unit tipped to the left and working up from underneath. The 520 table will not do that.
Dealing with combining features would be super interesting to say the least...

New trunion design?

[Fla_Jim]

I think this is a good thread to introduce myself. I just registered.
My name is Jim Davenport. I retired from the US Navy in 1983, and am now totally retired.
I bought my Shop smith new from the factory in about 1974.
I had seen an article in Popular Mechanics Magazine about the reintroduction of the shop smith.
My neighbor had one when I was a kid, and I was impressed by it. I believe that they were sold by “Monkey Wards” at that time.
The Shop smith was great for me while I was in the Navy. Mine has made three trips across country, from California to Illinois, back to California, to Nevada, then finally to Florida.
After I moved to Florida I set up my shop and over time bought individual tools. The Shop smith was relegated to standby use.
Now that I’m completely retired, I got a great deal on a shop of Machine tools. A Milling machine, metal lathe, and a surface grinder.
I don’t have a lot of room in my garage so the woodworking machines are up at my youngest son’s house about sixty miles away.
For woodworking the Shop smith has been moved to “front line service”. I just bought used bandsaw, and jointer from the “Bay” for it.
The Shop smith is starting to show its age, and getting a bit noisy.
I guess an overhaul is in its near future.
Getting back o the original topic, I was disappointed in the deterioration of the Shop smith company’s presence.
I found them on the internet, and inquired about a bandsaw, jointer, and parts. Everything I inquired had a 6-8 week, or longer lead time.
I realize that our economy stinks, and hobby/disposable income is down. But from what I’ve read this has been going on with Shop smith for a while.
I remember back in January, 1994 when they closed the Tampa FL Shop smith store.
I was very disappointed; I made about a weekly trip across the bay to the store and bought stuff.
I think they’ve made some terrible marketing decisions. You have to advertise to sell.
They should experiment with partnering with Woodcraft, or one of the big box stores.
I would really hate to see it, but the due economics of the time; they probably need to move production out of the country to be competitive. I’d rather see that then to lose Shop smith altogether.
Look at Delta, Powermatic, and the other big names in power tools.
The Chinese will put in as much quality as you’re willing to pay for!
Here's a photo when my Shop smith was new in about 1974.

[JPG]

[quote="Fla_Jim"]I think this is a good thread to introduce myself. I just registered.
My name is Jim Davenport. I retired from the US Navy in 1983, and am now totally retired.
I bought my Shop smith new from the factory in about 1974.
I had seen an article in Popular Mechanics Magazine about the reintroduction of the shop smith.
My neighbor had one when I was a kid, and I was impressed by it. I believe that they were sold by “Monkey Wards” at that time.
The Shop smith was great for me while I was in the Navy. Mine has made three trips across country, from California to Illinois, back to California, to Nevada, then finally to Florida.
After I moved to Florida I set up my shop and over time bought individual tools. The Shop smith was relegated to standby use.
Now that I’m completely retired, I got a great deal on a shop of Machine tools. A Milling machine, metal lathe, and a surface grinder.
I don’t have a lot of room in my garage so the woodworking machines are up at my youngest son’s house about sixty miles away.
For woodworking the Shop smith has been moved to “front line service”. I just bought used bandsaw, and jointer from the “Bay” for it.
The Shop smith is starting to show its age, and getting a bit noisy.
I guess an overhaul is in its near future.
Getting back o the original topic, I was disappointed in the deterioration of the Shop smith company’s presence.
I found them on the internet, and inquired about a bandsaw, jointer, and parts. Everything I inquired had a 6-8 week, or longer lead time.
I realize that our economy stinks, and hobby/disposable income is down. But from what I’ve read this has been going on with Shop smith for a while.
I remember back in January, 1994 when they closed the Tampa FL Shop smith store.
I was very disappointed]

Welcome to the Zoo!:D

[8iowa]

Welcome to the forum. We winter in Gainesville.

[tryinhard]

Now I have to wonder if the "new" Mark VII will be a remake of the old one minus the speed control problem......
I wonder why they would call it a Mark VII instead of a Mark VIII?

The same reason that they did not change the designation for the Mark V when they radically changed the table designs.

How about something like the Mark VII 720?