Advice Sought: MK V 500 vs 10ER

[roy_okc]

This post is aimed at folks who have or had both a MK V and 10ER.

I presently have a pretty decent 1983 500, I bought used from original owner about 6-7 years ago, have only had a couple problems that I repaired; also "upgraded" to the double bearing quill (still have old 1-bearing quill). I use it for horizontal boring, bandsaw, wood lathe, disc sand, also have a jointer but haven't used yet (but probably will in future), would like to find a SPT belt sander and maybe strip sander; I do not use the table saw on it, nor will I. I have a dedicated floor model drill press that I prefer over the SS.

While the 500 is adequate for most lathe spindle turning, I've been less than happy with its performance on bowls/platters and hollow vessels where one end is unsupported, getting random "harmonic"-like vibrations. Also, as a lathe, it is much too short for me at 6'1"(even raised about 5-6" off the floor) and can't be slowed down enough for some of the larger rough pieces I'd like to do (I've had it bouncing around for a bit on a couple projects).

I have a modest sized workshop, a little smaller than a 1-car garage, and can only fit one SS in it (I also have a CNC router, mid-sized laser engraver, aforementioned drill press, dust collector, lunch box planer on a stand, and roll around work cart/track saw bench taking up floor space). I realize this is borderline blasphemy to consider only a single machine .

If you could only have one SS, with the above in mind, would you go with a MK V (maybe with a PowerPro upgrade in the future) or a 10ER (refurbished with new bearings/belts/etc.) with such things as a SPT mount and variable speed DC motor from mkctools.com, and maybe a lathe extension and/or slow speed pulley kit from shopsmith10er.com, etc. Or would you recommend I just go with a dedicated midi lathe and keep my 500 (this is where I'm leaning right now)?

How does a 10ER match up against a dedicated midi lathe, say a Delta 46-460? Does the 10ER's tailstock flex like the MK V's? I realize the swing on either SS is larger.

Thanks in advance,
Roy

[dusty]

Without considering cost or available funding - I would prefer to have a PowerPro as my one and only, goto machine.

However, I have never had or even used a 10E/10ER; therefore my preference may be unfairly biased.

If I had just a little more space in the shop, I would readily add a 10E/10ER to my Mark V 520. and Mark V 510 Shorty.

[moggymatt]

Roy,
I feel your pain on the height issue when turning on either the MK V or the 10ER at the standard height. I have both machines.
For the MK V I bult some "feet" to raise the height by using a length of 2x6 with feet. Two sets on either side made it comfortable for turning pens and small bowls and stuff but I havent trired bigger items yet. The machine didnt bounce around a lot on those items so it worked for me. With the 10ER I dont think I would raise it the same way but would build the base into a box to the height needed. The 10ER has a lot more mass so it seems to vibrate a lot less. My 12 year old daughter likes turning pens on it. It's also a lot lees noisy, almost no noise at all. AS to the tail stocks. the 10ER might flex less, but at first I thought they both flexed a lot. I have no other experiance with lathes other than the ShopSmiths so dont know if its excessive. Either way, I'm constantly amazed at what guys here are turning out on the Shopsmith.

[heathicus]

I'm a fan of the ER, but I haven't done much lathe work, nor have I ever used another lathe to compare it to (other than the Mark 5).

A used ER can usually be picked up cheap enough that you should be able to find one, give it a try, and if you don't like it sell it.

[roy_okc]

Dusty / Paul / Heathicus,

Thanks for your thoughts, all excellent points. I'm leaning towards a dedicated midi lathe, but don't presently have room for a dedicated stand meaning that I'd have to lift it (@100 lbs or more to put on/off a workbench or whatever.

Thanks,
Roy

[mrhart]

I'd like to suggest moving to a bigger facility.
"Honey if we had a bigger shop I could make you stuff" this would be my first approach.

I have an ER but have not used to as a lathe yet, but it does a great job as a dedicated drill press/drum sander. In fact it hasn't been horizontal since it went vertical.
I' ve only used my old Greenie for turning, I'm none the wiser.

[roy_okc]

I'd like to suggest moving to a bigger facility.
"Honey if we had a bigger shop I could make you stuff" this would be my first approach.

Actually, my wife has suggested that many times. I have a feeling, though, that she is attempting to use psychology on me, as my back yard is on the small side meaning that we'd have to move (likely to a bigger house) to get a bigger yard to get a bigger shop.

[derekdarling]

... to get a bigger shop.

... and that justifies any and all of the other things you have to go through.

[swampgator]

Actually, my wife has suggested that many times. I have a feeling, though, that she is attempting to use psychology on me, as my back yard is on the small side meaning that we'd have to move (likely to a bigger house) to get a bigger yard to get a bigger shop.

As long as the shop covers most of the yard.

[roy_okc]

Gee, much easier and cheaper and convenienter to just buy a new house and build a new shop.

If I'd have been thinking a few years ago, I could have just bought the Silverdome for my workshop and built a house inside it on the 50 yard line.