Shopsmith Forums

I live in Melbourne Australia and purchased an old Shopsmith about 25 years ago. The previous owner had bought it new and had many accessories with it. I used it mostly as a lathe. I have some time on my hands now due to the current restrictions due to COVID-19 and so I thought I'd pull it apart and tidy it up.
I did some research online and found that the local Australian company advertised them in an Australian newspaper during 1953.
The Shopsmith I have has the disk sander, drum sander, mortising accessory, table saw and ripping fence as well as the drill chuck.

Dave

This is great! And I think it's not even an April Fools ploy

It was about 20 years ago I had a work "boondoggle" trip to Melbourne. A real treasured memory.

Did you transport the machine on one of those half-car / half-pickup-truck type of vehicles popular Down Under? Just teasing, very glad to see your posting...

Well maintained to boot!

Welcome to the family!

It has been a mission of mine to define the timeline that Shopsmiths were first being sold in Australia.

Your machine even though the Badge indicates is a 10E is configured with all the later 10ER components.

Yours appears quite well maintained.

As a Shopsmith Historian I am always seeking information and your 1953 Ad stating 600000 Americans can’t be wrong is very helpful.

Some time back I reached out to George Stevens and learned a good bit of information which I wrote about in the link below.

I would love to preserve copies of any of the C.C. Engineering documents, sales orders, technical bulletins or manuals that you may have.

On My Google Drive link listed in the thread Shopsmith Large Format Drawings Illustrations and More you will find free PDF downloads of restored manuals, operator guides etc. of particular interest will be a 1953 fully restored digital copy of Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone featuring your model machine. Well over 300 pages, word search capability, enhanced photos and an extensive (and active) table of contents.

I would love to know more about your machine and see more photos when you have time.

I still seek any Australian advertising for Shopsmith that Pre-dates 1953. I understand they were being brought there in 1950-ish time period, but have nothing yet to establish the commercial sales efforts and advertising that early in mass.

Again, welcome to the family!

Everett

https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 52#p236052

A nice example of the Australian Shopsmith Model 10. I see the name plate of the Australian Company licensed to make them on the headstock. Since these were made after the Model 10's were 10ER's I have to wonder if Magna had a lot of leftover 10E nameplates and decided to use them up that way.
I am puzzled by the ad saying 600,000 American's can't be wrong!! Yes! This figure represents the number of machines sold in the U.S.A. since the introduction of SHOPSMITH in 1949 How does 600,000 represent the number of machines sold? Introduction in 1949? Everett and JPG does this mean our 10E's do not really exist? Everett, I was sure ours were made in 1947. Was this "Truth in advertising" by somehow playing with the numbers? Machines sold times number of family members. Are they using 1949 as when the Model 10E changed to the Model 10ER?

I agree with Everett

I would love to know more about your machine and see more photos when you have time.

Dave,

Please do not feel that I am picking on you, just pointing out the errors, as I see them, in the ad. Keep in touch.

Glad you had a good time in Melbourne.
I think "600,000 Americans can't be wrong" was a bit of advertising hyperbole.
I have found a few more Shopsmith advertisements from many Australian states. All of them are from 1952 to 1955.

Thanks very much

Hi Everett
Thanks very much. The article you linked to about the Australian Shopsmith's was really interesting as was the cover of that manual.
I have found a number of other advertisements for Shopsmith's in Australia between (Attached)

I'll take some photos the accessories that came with my old Shopsmith and post them soon

Dave

Hi Everett
Here are images of the accessories from my Australian Shopsmith

More attachments

I am not sure what the blue metal guard is for but it fits around the front of the quill. Do you know?
Also, is one of the accessories a chuck for router bits? Is that right? If so do you have any information about this.

Many thanks

Dave