Shopsmith Forums

I have a suggestion for Shopsmith and hope the rest of you will chip in. For many years I've used a 10ER and then lately I acquired a Mark VII. Fortunately most of the gear rack is usable. I hope if a new Mark VII is built and a steel (not plastic) gear rack will be part of it. If one wants to raise the headstock of a 10ER or Mark V while it is in vertical mode you have some challenges. But like a quality drill press the gear rack allows you to move the headstock up or down with ease. I'm not getting any younger and moving the headstock with the gear rack is definitly easier. Just don't use plastic.
Ed Friedl

I think that while a MarkVII (by name) is part of the redesign it is not going to be a Mark VII. Instead, it is going to be a Mark V 500/505/510/520 that has the ability to pivot at both ends and sports a headstock the runs in both directions. It is at this point where similarity to the Mark VII ends.

PS ADDED TO MAKE THE CRITICS HAPPY. Let it be known that the PowerPro Upgrade can be added to more than just the 510. I so humbly apologize for having misspoken.

dusty wrote:I think that while a MarkVII (by name) is part of the redesign it is not going to be a Mark VII. Instead, it is going to be a Mark 510 that has the ability to pivot at both ends and sports a headstock the runs in both directions. It is at this point where similarity to the Mark VII ends.

Why not a 520?????:D

lv2wdwrk wrote:Why not a 520?????:D

1) They be cheaper - make that 'less expensive'.

2) Then they sell more 520 upgrade kits.

3) Methinks ya will be able to get it either way, or 520 only!

4) I be far more interested in an end casting(s) upgrade kit.

It seems like my question headed off in a different direction. Having used a lot of industrial drill presses where the table rises on a gear rack and now a Mark VII with a gear rack to raise the headstock, I am looking for opinions on; if Shopsmith should consider adding a gear rack system. With the head stock under the table the gear rack would make coarse adjustment in shaper mode a lot easier. This is in addition to easing the moving of the headstock in drill press mode. I know it doesn't do much for operation in the horizontal mode. Of course maybe I'm the only person who thinks having a gear system is of any value.
Ed Friedl

[quote="e.friedl"]It seems like my question headed off in a different direction. Having used a lot of industrial drill presses where the table rises on a gear rack and now a Mark VII with a gear rack to raise the headstock, I am looking for opinions on]I guess I caused that and I apologize.

Yes, a gear rack might be good to have. No, I don't think that the new Mark VII will sport a gear rack. That would be a major redesign of what I now think the new Mark VII is. It shall be a Mark V and not a Mark VII. Look at the pictures in the news releases.

I was really excited when I heard that there was going to be a come back of the Mark VII. The Mark VII without its plastic parts would have been a good think

I know that in another thread Easterngray said that customer service informed him that Shopsmith is now accepting orders for the new Shopsmith Mark VII.
So why haven't they made an official announcement and end all this speculation? They announced the PowerPro a full year before it was released.
Either announce it and tell us what it can do, or kill it.

Sincerely,

Ron309753

Ron309753 wrote:I know that in another thread Easterngray said that customer service informed him that Shopsmith is now accepting orders for the new Shopsmith Mark VII.
So why haven't they made an official announcement and end all this speculation? They announced the PowerPro a full year before it was released.
Either announce it and tell us what it can do, or kill it.

Sincerely,

Ron309753

I think it is a lot of fun to speculate. Doing so is a lot like Christmas when you shake all the presents and try to guess what is inside; even those that have someone else' name attached.

However, if you very intently view all of the ads for the PowerPro and watch the videos very carefully, you sorta see the MarkVII in action. Just remember that the one defining feature is that it pivots from both ends.

Go sit in front of your Mark V and stare at it trying to imagine it in a psuedo drill press mode only pivoted on the left side.

Ahhh...something ain't quite right but imagine it is and you are staring at a MKVII (by Shopsmith and NOT Lincoln)..

I have a shopsmith MKVII circa 1960's. I have replaced the plastic gear that pulls the headstock along the way tubes. I gave a piece the the plastic gear to a friend who machined one from steel. Its seems to me a gear to advance the head stock would be an advantage. As long as we are talking about improvements, I think the table carriage should be mounted on linear bearings to give the table a nice smoth ride along the way tubes.

truxton wrote:I have a shopsmith MKVII circa 1960's. I have replaced the plastic gear that pulls the headstock along the way tubes. I gave a piece the the plastic gear to a friend who machined one from steel. Its seems to me a gear to advance the head stock would be an advantage. As long as we are talking about improvements, I think the table carriage should be mounted on linear bearings to give the table a nice smoth ride along the way tubes.

Would be more useful on the headstock! Bearing surface reduction might be an 'issue'.