SINCE 1981
History of 3 in 1
Developed from a desire to have a machine shop to work on race cars, John Taylor travelled to China in 1981 after the country opened its doors to the West. After finding a factory that built machine tools, he developed the first prototype 3 in 1 machine and started the Shoptask company.
1981 – 1984
Shoptask 11-14
The first machines combined the functions of a lathe, milling machine and drill press into one compact and affordable tool. Despite their unique design and Chinese manufacturing origin, the machines quickly proved themselves and sales grew rapidly.
1985 – 1988
Shoptask 17-20 BB
Customer feedback led to major improvements, including a moving head and larger lathe swing. The product gained recognition, and companies such as Enco, Harbor Freight and Smithy became dealers.
1989 – 1991
Shoptask 12-22 TC
Shoptask introduced a new model with more advanced features, including power feed and thread cutting. The company also shifted to direct mail-order sales and began establishing its own factory in China.
1991 – 1996
Shoptask 17-20 XMTC
This advanced design introduced CNC possibilities and many new features for machinists. It became the foundation of Shoptask and Shopmaster products for nearly 20 years.
1997 – 2000
Shoptask Gold Series
The Gold Series added a steel bench, push-button switches and a new color scheme. The integrated bench improved convenience, value and shipping protection.
2000 – 2002
Shopmaster 2000 with Quadra Lift
The Quadra Lift four-column design greatly improved milling head adjustment and stability, becoming one of the most popular upgrades in the product line.
2002 – 2005
Bridge Mill
The Bridge Mill made the Quadra Lift standard and added a fifth column support for greater rigidity. The R-8 mill spindle was also introduced to increase machining capacity.
2006 – 2007
Tri Power
The Tri Power brought a longer lathe, greater milling capacity, larger motors and three-axis power feeds, targeting high-end hobbyists, small businesses and educational institutions.
2008 – 2009
Tri Power Patriot
The Patriot improved production quality, added new features and was offered in two color versions. It continued to advance quality, functionality and value.
2010 – 2014
Patriot VFD
The Patriot VFD replaced mechanical drives with electronic components, reducing weight while increasing reliability and functionality. CNC integration brought advanced features normally found on far more expensive machines.
2015 – 2016
Shopmaster Mill Turn
The Mill Turn offered better convenience, fewer maintenance requirements, a larger spindle bore, a larger chuck and six high-precision linear bearings on the Z axis.
2017 – 2019
Turnado
The Turnado was created as an affordable CNC lathe with a large swing and big spindle bore, with options such as CNC turret toolpost, 5C collet system and 4-jaw chuck.
2020 – 2025
Chicago Lathe Bridgemill
For the 40th anniversary, Shoptask, Shopmaster and CNC Tool Express were combined under the Chicago Lathe name. The new Bridgemill design includes 2.75 HP motors, BT30 spindle and power drawbar as standard.