Rick,
You are partially correct. In fact, I was thinking the same thing on the surface until I took the 186R apart. the area of the shaft is thicker than the rest of the shaft. I don't know the technical term for this. This allows more threads to grip.
My first thought, before I noticed this, like you, was to drill and tap the shaft and add a locking screw. That seems iffy now. The original 186 shaft costs $31.95 US as a spare part. The larger plastic knobs cost around eight dollars, although I have not found the exact size yet. So for around half the price of a 186R, one could probably modify his original 186.
I have not noticed any other changes.
Ken
EDIT:
If the extra thickness around the threaded hole had not been added, I would have thought modifying the older version was cost effective, especially for those of us with a drill press and metal working experience.
Whether or not the extra functionality is worth while is an individual decision. For anyone planning to purchase an SVD-186, I would definitely recommend the new, revised version.
On a more personal level, I am very pleased to see the new version. For me, it represents what I hope will become a trend in Tormek thinking. Those of you who have followed my posts over the years will know that I like to apply sharpening skills from one tool to another. For example, my kenjig began as an idea for sharpening carving tools before moving to chisels and plane blades before moving to knives. I like the idea of a turning gouge jig helping to sharpen carving tools.
I hope this thinking will continue with Tormek.
Ken
