Shopsmith Forums

Hello,

New to the forum. I have some basic woodworking skills, but I'm eager to learn more.
I'm sure I'll have a bunch more questions, but for starters I am curious what everyone thinks of the Shopsmith Mark V 520 Pro Fence Shop Smith and what a good used price for it might be?

Is this a good foundation for starters that can use a variety of attachments?
Are all shopsmiths kind of 'interchangeable' when it comes to different attachments?

I have a lot of reading to do around here, but I figured I would ask and see what you gurus have to offer.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the Forum. As you read past threads and posts, you will find this is a very friendly and helpful place. There is one ol' grouch, but I don't go off on an idea very often.

You will find the 520 and 510 machines have most interchangeable parts. Between those two, only the fence and fence rails differ. When you go to the older models some of the changes are a single bearing quill, a different upper belt, a steel table, and maybe a different method of attaching the moveable sheave (by the motor).

When you go back to the old Mark VII (not to be confused with the new Mark 7) or the 10 ER there a knowledgable folks here that have given and will give much informtion on these Shopsmith machines.

The biggest change lately has been the PowerPro headstock.

Post often and ask questions. We do best in answering questions if we can look at a photo of a problem.

Welcome.

I think the Mark V with the 520 table system and pro fence is an excellent machine and is pretty much backwards compatible with all the past accessories (although any pre-510 saw blade arbor or sanding disc arbor needs to be upgraded in order to work with the 520 lower saw guard) and works with all current accessories.

I bought my 520 used primarily to have a lathe and drill press but I was so impressed with it as a table saw that I sold off a stand-alone contractor saw with a bigger motor, and a big cast iron table because I felt I could do anything on the Shopsmith that I could do on the stand alone saw -and I still feel that way! It came with the band saw and a dust collector. I have since added the belt sander, a strip sander, a jig saw, a scroll saw and bunch of smaller stuff. It's all good, user-serviceable equipment that works as advertised and the Forum has been very helpful with any kind of repair or refurbishment issues. Customer service is also first-rate.

Used Shopsmith prices vary with location, model and most importantly, the level of insanity of the seller. Here in the DC area, I see ads asking from $500 to $1500 for used 520s (at the upper end they usually have a band saw or dust collector plus a few other accessories). Those ads come down pretty quick, meaning they sell.

I am no guru, actually a newbie to this wonderful world of woodworking, but I have a Mark 7 with the profence/520 table system and a Mark V 500. There is a world of difference in the tables (although the 500 does in spades what is was designed to) between the two but both work very well. I also have a 10ER that I absolutely love and use daily. The 500 table system will be the cheapest, but the Profence and 520 table system is much more desirable. The 10ER and the 500 are very similar when comparing the tables.

JMHO

I have been using a 510 (round fence rails) for over 25 years and found no desire to upgrade to 520. Others on the post that have used both can tell you the advantage of one over the other. For me the 510 tables seem a little more compact and have no corners to catch on. I have a very small space to work in and around.

Paul

I have been using a 510 (round fence rails) for over 25 years and found no desire to upgrade to 520. Others on the post that have used both can tell you the advantage of one over the other. For me the 510 tables seem a little more compact and have no corners to catch on. I have a very small space to work in and around.

Paul

Welcome to the forum. I'm a newbe here and also a newbe wood worker as well. Took beginners wood shop in high school and only remember making a hamburger press and then a snake cage. So I am looking forward to getting my mark 5 restoration complete so I can start using it. I have found this forum to be both friendly and informative!!

I appreciate all of the responses! I am going to have to look around to compare the different ones.

I will probably end up getting the 520 though because a guy is selling one with a LOT of accessories for $1000.
We shall see though.

For what it's worth, I bought a used 500, upgraded it to a 510 within a month of the purchase. I found the table saw on the 500 to be scary as all heck to use because the tables felt too small and unbalanced. The bigger tables / floating tables make all the difference in the world in my humble opinion.

So you are 'Richard Scary'?

Gotta agree though!