My Bride is Gonna Kill Me! Buying a Shopsmith Mark 2 on a Business Trip!

[Chad]

My Growth Rings with Scott Markwood

SHOP NOTES: I'm on a business trip in the Los Angeles area and located a reclusive Shopsmith Mark 2 machine for a ridiculously low price on Craigslist.

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[chapmanruss]

A nice addition to Scott's collection.

A couple of comments about the information he gave in the video. The Mark 5 was introduced in March of 1954. The Mark 2 was introduced in December of 1957 by Magna Power Tool Corporation. This unit was made at Montgomery Ward’s request and sold primarily by them. It was first painted like the Mark 5 Greenie and later was gray like the one Scott bought. The Montgomery Ward PowrKraft version I have seen is also gray. It was made as a cheaper alternative to the Mark 5 and it shows. I compare it to a Model 10 trying to look like a Mark 5. The table on the Mark 2 works like the table of the Model 10E and 10ER but the crank pushes against the table tie bar instead of a clamp on arm like the Model 10's.

Hopefully Scott was able to take it apart to make room for other riders in his van.

[thedovetailjoint]

Excellent details, Russ. Yes, I was able to get it apart and tucked into the rear well with plenary of room for luggage. I had it shipped back in pieces and still haven’t reassembled it. I hope that will happen soon. Scott

[chapmanruss]

Scott,

Glad to hear you were able to get it home and I look forward to seeing pictures of it after it is back together. We don't get to see them very often.

I have two Greenie Mark 2's I am restoring and I hope to have at least one if not both finished this summer. Pictures will follow.

[jpdalton]

I had one of those “what have I done??!!” moments last fall and brought this home - it was free and very close by, so hard to resist. Looking forward to the restoration project this spring.

I’m actually working with someone on the Facebook group to recreate the belt cover using 3D printing methods (as you can see, that’s one glaring part missing from this system), so once we’ve figured that out, we should be able to make those available to others who need a replacement for their own restoration. Almost every one of these I’ve seen offered has a broken one or no belt cover at all, so I figured there might be some interest.
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[jpdalton]

The Mark 2 was introduced in December of 1957 by Magna Power Tool Corporation. This unit was made at Montgomery Ward’s request and sold primarily by them. It was first painted like the Mark 5 Greenie and later was gray like the one Scott bought. The Montgomery Ward PowrKraft version I have seen is also gray.

Russ: do we have any reliable information on serial number versus production date, similar to any of the other early Magna products?

[chapmanruss]

Other than they were introduced in December of 1957 I haven't seen any information on serial numbers (starting or ending), production dates, color change or even when production ended. I am not sure when they changed from metal bench tubes to wood bench rails. My guess would be they went from green to gray when the Mark 5 changed from Greenies to Goldies or when they change from Goldies to gray depending on how long the Mark 2 was in production. The lowest serial number I have seen is 80079 and the highest is 89034. Out of that serial number range about 90 % have been Greenies. My sampling of identified serial numbers is very small.

You are correct about the Belt Cover. Many are missing and the rest seem to have some damage. Maybe not the best place for a plastic part. Another consideration for a replacement Belt Cover is the label inside with the pulley/speed information.

[jpdalton]

You are correct about the Belt Cover. Many are missing and the rest seem to have some damage. Maybe not the best place for a plastic part. Another consideration for a replacement Belt Cover is the label inside with the pulley/speed information.

Luckily, the speed chart label was not affected when my recently acquired belt cover was broken in transit, so I have a good example from which to create reproductions.

[Chad]

Luckily, the speed chart label was not affected when my recently acquired belt cover was broken in transit, so I have a good example from which to create reproductions.

That was lucky. I don't know much about the MK 2, and wouldn't pretend to. So, I didn't know that label existed. I figured the MK 2 was similar with a 10E or 10ER in that it had a belt speed chart, and was separate from the machine. Not being labeled somewhere on the machine itself.

[chapmanruss]

Chad,

This is a great example of how a subject Scott introduces in his video can be expanded on when subjects are in separate threads.

The Speed Chart Label in the belt cover is the only one I know of included with the Mark 2. The only two Owner's Manuals I have seen, one dated January 1958 and the other dated May 1959, only mention changing the pulley positions and the orientation of the Belt Cover with the wider end always covering the 4" pulley. The Later Owner's Manual (5-59) also includes a "Woodworking Operations Chart" similar to the one originally on the back cover of the Mark 5 Manual.