Shopsmith Forums

Hi all! Just finished my double tilt upgrade. Does anyone have any ideas on uses for the removed bases and pivot assembly other than using them as an SPT shelf mount? That would seem to me to be the obvious use.

Add 2 26" way tubes and a Mark V headstock for a benchtop MINI Shopsmith. This does not need a lot of room to mount. The Shopsmith Shop Deputy (556436) was introduced to make use of the parts from the Double-Tilt upgrade. I have been offering a benchtop mounted MINI frame kit to my customers. It is excellent for anyone upgrading to the do-it-yourself PowerPro to make use parts removed from the headstock. I have available "B" & "C" headstocks with all the parts needed to complete a Mark V headstock for anyone upgrading to the do-it-yourself PowerPro upgrade.

Yea, that could be a good alternative. Unfortunately I have a very small shop, but I do already have a 500 & a 520. So far, using the bases as storage for SPT's is my best route. Hoping this year to do a PP conversion on the 520.

Did you do a double tilt upgrade without going for a PowerPro headstock upgrade?

If yes, please tell me why I might want to do that same thing. Do you not need the motor reverse function too?

I have had a long time debate with myself about removing the Base (518379) and Base Arm (518381)and installing a Headrest (517768) at that end also. This would eliminate the drill press function from that machine but I use my Shorty for that.

It is my belief that the alignment of the resulting machine would much more stable; unwanted movement of the Way Tubes would be totally eliminated.

I did the Power Pro upgrade at the same time I did the double tilt. I bought a complete headstock so I had the old headstock as well as the parts left over from the double tilt upgrade. I used everything plus parts from eBay to make a dedicated drill press. The bench tubes are the 18" pieces left from making a shorty.

dusty wrote:Did you do a double tilt upgrade without going for a PowerPro headstock upgrade?

If yes, please tell me why I might want to do that same thing. Do you not need the motor reverse function too?

Yes Dusty, I did do a double tilt without the PP upgrade. I got the upgrade in anticipation of getting a PP later. I only got it now because of an email $10 shipping coupon.

Is it more stable and easier to align than before?

dusty wrote:Is it more stable and easier to align than before?

That would depend upon whether one tightened the lock knobs.

dusty wrote:Is it more stable and easier to align than before?

Have not gotten that far yet. Still waiting on parts for the retractable caster mechanism. Doing the premium caster upgrade at the same time, so the 520 is still in "missionary" position.

Will let you know as I know!

I've had my double-tilt upgrade sitting right next to my PowerPro upgrade on the shelf. There are several tools I still need to finish restoring and sell before I can justify getting back to the ones I'm keeping, but man, it's like waiting for Christmas while having the ability to change its date.

Pretty low on space in my downstairs "shop," and the garage already has my bigger equipment, so I've been sketching out how to go about using the old tilt and a second-hand 510/520 carriage to create a wall-mounted mini. The idea would be to be able to tilt it up and lock it so that it's stored between studs. The sketches I have so far would all sacrifice the vertical drill press, but honestly, I have enough drill press functionality in my main Shopsmith and the restored Walker-Turner.

Anyone try a wall-mounted mini? I've followed these forums for good ideas years (without posting, of course), but while I haven't seen a wall-mounted setup like that yet, I'm guessing someone far more clever and experienced than I'll ever be has come up with a decent setup for that--or a reason it wouldn't work.