1954 Mark V new owner

Shep

Hi everyone!

I just picked up a '54 Mark V. Serial # 262564. This is my first Shopsmith and so far it is great. All this unit has is the drill press / lathe and the tables. Apparently the rest of the parts were lost when the owner went to a nursing home and his belongings were rummaged through. I will be looking for information on how to oil this model. Looks to be difficult to get to the idler shaft without tearing it down. No access hole on a '54.

Where is a reasonable place to buy lathe chucks and accessories? I bought this unit for making rings (jewelry), specifically antler rings.

One thing I noticed is if I turn off the unit while at high speed, it trips my power strip when I start it again. It does not trip during a low speed start. I'm sure it has a bigger / longer amp draw when starting at high speeds but maybe this is just an issue with the power strip? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to learning from this site.

Shep

JPG

The motor current draw is huge at startup(especially at higher speed settings). Therefore anything that restricts that current will extend the length of the startup. Case in point is a power strip or an extension cord with smaller wire size.

Direct connection to house wiring(receptacle) is recommended.

SS Inc. has all those chucks and accessories, but they are also available on the used market(E-Bay . . .. ). Just be sure to check out new prices before going the used route.(many times used listing prices are higher than new).

HopefulSSer

Shep wrote One thing I noticed is if I turn off the unit while at high speed, it trips my power strip when I start it again. It does not trip during a low speed start. I'm sure it has a bigger / longer amp draw when starting at high speeds but maybe this is just an issue with the power strip? Any advice is appreciated.

Welcome! I'm a fairly new(ish) owner as well. My machine is only very slightly newer than yours.

I was advised to develop the habit of turning the speed to slow before turning the machine off. I haven't fully internalized that yet but it's a good habit to develop.

And if you're not already aware, DO NOT attempt to adjust the speed with the machine not turning. Turn it on first, or at least turn it over by hand while adjusting the speed.

Have fun!

benmcn

When I got my new to me Shopsmith Model 500 I found the information in the threads started by JPG, mickyd, and everettdavis in the maintenance and repair section of the forum to be a virtual goldmine of information. The hours spent by these forum members and other like dusty, chapmanruss and so many others have been greatly appreciated. Thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge, answer questions and help!

For new forum members I would really encourage you to take the time to review the wealth of information found in the stickie threads under maintenance and repair. You won’t be disappointed.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=5092

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=7092

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=5074

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=16113

chapmanruss

Shep,

Congratulations on your new to you Mark 5 and welcome to the Shopsmith Forum.

JPG, HopefulSSer and benmcn have given some great information so far. The links benmcn posted have a lot of information and reference materials which you may find very helpful. The link to Everything E / ER - Technical Info, documentation, links will not be as helpful as it is information related to the Shopsmith Model 10E and 10ER which preceded the Mark 5. Your Mark 5 serial number 262564 was made prior to April 1954 about the time the Mark 5 was introduced in March of 1954.

JPG suggested you plug your Mark 5 directly into an outlet instead of using a power strip. That is good advice anytime it is possible. Most common power strips are rated at less amperage than household outlets, 13 amps vs 15 amps. If you cannot plug directly into an outlet, use a power cord rated at least 15 amps.

Maintenance and lubrication on the "A" Headstock Mark 5's like yours is more difficult due to the lack of an access hole behind the Name Plate. The Owner's Manual for your Mark 5 would be the 1st edition. If you have one great but if not one of the links benmcn posted is to Shopsmith Large Format Drawings Illustrations and more by Everett Davis. There on his My Google Drive is many documents he has restored for us to use free of charge. Under 1954+ Mark 5 you will find that 1st edition Owner's Manual in PDF format. On page 31 of that Owner's Manual is the Maintenance and Lubrication section. The early Owner's Manual did not cover lubricating the movable Sheaves on the Idler Shaft Assembly and the Motor Shaft. This is one of the most important maintenance items to do. Unfortunately, it was not included in the Owner's Manual on page 31 in the Maintenance and Lubrication section until the 6th edition. Because the drive system is mostly the same as it pertains to the pulley sheaves later manuals can guide you on this maintenance. Even the operation of the Mark 5/Mark V 500 is the same so any manual will cover that too. Later manuals go more in-depth on the use and maintenance of the Mark 5/V 500.

Here is some good news for you. Any of the accessories you are missing and need that attach to the Quill's Spindle use the same 5/8" bore now as it did when your Mark 5 was made. As an example, the Lathe Drive is the same now as it was in 1954 except in 1964 a black protective coating was added. Any change like the Table System for the Mark V 510/505 or 520 can be added to any earlier Mark 5. You could even turn a 1954 Mark 5 into a Mark 7, but is would be cheaper just to buy a Mark 7. There is some bad news that the Table System of the original Mark 5 and Mark V 500 has been discontinued so replacement parts will no longer be available from Shopsmith once stock on hand runs out. There is some things to know when it comes to parts and accessories. Since the introduction of the Mark V Model 510/505 and later Model 520 there are parts and accessories specific to the different Models as their Table/Carriage Systems are different. This includes some Arbors which the shorter ones are for the original/500 Table System.

I know there is a lot of information to go through here but do read about the basic operation, maintenance and safety information before you actually use your Mark 5. Do know we are always here to help as much as we can.

bunky1950

I have a 1954 Shopsmith also since the mid 1990's. Lubrication of the sheaves is not that difficult, but you must remove the belt cover. Just remove the screws and slide it off to the left. It is best to dial the speed control down to slow before turning off the power. I had my original 3/4hp motor replaced in 2001 with a 1-1/4hp. It isn't necessary but did make a difference. If you plan to use the table saw, like mine, it did not come with any saw guards. You can find them and just about any parts you want for this machine for sale used on Shopsmith Sales Group on Facebook or most are still available at Shopsmith. Have fun, I just began turning pens on my Mark V. I've built a lot of furniture and toys for the grandkids with this machine.

chapmanruss

bunky1950,

I am curious about a couple things when it comes to oiling the sheaves on the Idler Shaft and Motor Pulleys. I have not owned a Mark 5 with the "A" Headstock. The earliest Mark 5 I have restored was made in mid 1956, a "B" Headstock. Does your Mark 5 have oil holes in the Floating Sheaves to put oil in or do you have to add a few drops of oil directly on the shafts between the Floating and Fixed Sheaves? How do you access the back of the Idler Shaft Assembly and the back of the Speed Control Assembly for maintenance? Even though I know a lot about Shopsmith tools in some cases there is no substitute for hands on experience.

JPG

No oil holes.

"simply" dropping the motor/pan gives access to just about everything.

It still amazes me that the single most important lubrication task was totally ignored initially.

chapmanruss

JPG,

You said,

It still amazes me that the single most important lubrication task was totally ignored initially.

and I agree.