Shopsmith Forums

I don't have a Mark VII, but I've been reading about them lately and just learned about the 10" sanding disc that came with them and that it had a flat side and a conical side. I've been having a tough time finding many photos of them or much information. Does anyone have some photos from multiple angles? Did these mount on an arbor so that they could be flipped? Or did they have an integrated arbor more like the aluminum and steel discs that are more common?

The spindle mount is cast into the disc.

The 'back' side is the tapered part, but the angle is smaller than the current one.

The inner 'hole on the conical 'paper slips over the hub.'

Thanks, JPG. Very interesting. I’d love to hear more about it if you’re so inclined. Do you happen to have any photos? Is the conical side as effective as the current conical disc? Do you know why they stopped making the discs in this style? Maybe they were somehow inferior? Thanks.

I do have one of the 10" Mark VII Sanding Disks. Below is the only picture I have of it. As JPG said the angle is less than the current 12" Conical Sanding Disk and is hard to perceive that angle looking at it, so even more difficult to see in pictures. As you can see it is a JPG described. The set screw is on the lower side of the hub in this picture and the conical side is up. As with all other items made to attach to the Shopsmith's spindle, with the exception of the 2-1/2" Jointer Cutter Head, it has a single set screw.

I have not used it but it should work the same as the current Conical Sanding Disk. JPG may have used his and may be able to give more input on that. I looked through the Manual but cannot find the angle for the conical side. I mounted it on my Mark 7 (not Mark VII) and it appears to have an angle of 2 degrees.

This Sanding Disk was only included with the Mark VII and when that went out of production in 1968 so did the 10" Dual Sided Sanding Disk. When Shopsmith Inc. was formed and restarted production of the Mark 5 in 1973 they used the 12" Sanding Disk the was previously a standard item with the Mark 5 before it went out of production in the 60's. There was one other size sanding disk made which was for the Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw and was a 9" Sanding Disk.

Thanks, Russ. It is really cool to learn about this accessory from over 50 years ago that I had until recently no idea existed. Just curious, have you found it useful yourself? Do you see any drawbacks to this design?

As I said I have never used the 10" Sanding Disk. I have four 12" Conical Sanding Disks and currently have several (at least 8) 12" flat Sanding Disks to use. I have never looked into getting 10" sanding papers and I would think you would have to custom cut ones for the conical side or cut down 12" ones to fit. It seems sturdy enough so I don't believe flexing would be a problem under normal use.

Before anyone asks why I have four Conical Sanding Disks when there are only 3 grit sizes (50, 80 & 150), here is what happened. I purchased one Conical Sanding Disk to try it out and use with the Planer/Jointer Knife Sharpening Jig. I liked it so I bought two more so I would have one for each grit. Recently I bought a Mark V 505 which had one with it so now four Conical Sanding Disks.

Thanks, Russ.

Woodworkers Supply sells a 10" conical disk for tablesaws. They call theirs a tapered disk, specifically the Woodtek® Tapered 10" Sander Disc. It uses a 3 degree tilt to sand at 90 degrees, and 10" sanding disks are available up to 220 grit.

I have thought about getting one for my Jet tablesaw so I could take advantage of its larger cast iron top and outfeed table, compared to my Mark V 500's small table, to remove jointer marks, saw marks, etc. In fact, I think I'm going to order it right now. I'll let the forum know how it works out.

I purchased my Shopsmith conical disk sander and planer sharpening jig back in the 80's when I bought my Ryobi AP-10, 10" thickness planer. I still use that planer today, and the conical disk has been great for sharpening my blades. I also sharpen my 6" Jet jointer (also from the late 80's) blades with it.

Back in the mid 70's Sears sold a disk that had a flat side and a conical side. The angle was 2 degrees. Well they may have sold one earlier but I got mine then.
I don't have anymore sand paper for it but then I also have not looked for any.

Ed