Turning wood on the Shopsmith Mk V always has stability issues. Can any members give me advice as to how they have stabilized their’s. In the past I ground recessed pulls into my concrete garage floor and used ratchet straps to hold down the lathe but it was bending the way tubes so I stopped. I could use sand bags but I want to still be able to move the machine on the retractable casters and removing the sand seems like a big nuisance.
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Shopsmith lathe
- Thread starter Dan Rich
- Start date
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Most of the chatter comes from that cantilever tool rest. And if you use the tailstock it's also too flimsy. Sandbags on the lower rails help.
I had a 1955 Mk 5 for many years, but eventually replaced it with separate tools. Lathe was too low, not sturdy enough for anything but pens, not fast enough, etc. Certainly couldn't handle a bowl.
Went to PM40 then Laguna 1524 and now VL300 with several pen lathes for teaching kids.
The Shopsmith was good for a beginner, but really not a serious tool. Replaced it with Sawstop, Laguna 14Twelve, Delta 18-900L, disk sander (for segmented turning) over many years, then sold the Shopsmith.
Depending on how old your machine is, check the rip fence. After many failed mortise/tenon joints, I found the rip fence was curved!
Went to PM40 then Laguna 1524 and now VL300 with several pen lathes for teaching kids.
The Shopsmith was good for a beginner, but really not a serious tool. Replaced it with Sawstop, Laguna 14Twelve, Delta 18-900L, disk sander (for segmented turning) over many years, then sold the Shopsmith.
Depending on how old your machine is, check the rip fence. After many failed mortise/tenon joints, I found the rip fence was curved!