Wanting to get an idea what a mark v, planner m5980 would be worth.

[Carp]

Hi,

I have my dad's mark v and planer I'm looking to sell and just wanted to get an idea of what it would be worth. I'm located in southwestern Ohio if that makes any difference.

I'm still gathering up all the manuals and related parts but just trying to get an idea.

Thanks

Carp

[chapmanruss]

Location does make a difference. There are two different Shopsmith Planers, the Mark Mount and the Pro Planer. The Mark Mount sits on the way tubes and is powered by the Headstock to turn the cutter head. The Pro Planer has its own stand and motor to turn the cutter head. There is a separate motor to feed the stock through the Planers. An early option was a hand crank to feed the stock through. Mark Mount Planers can and have been put on their own stand to make them equivalent to a Pro Planer. The main difference in the Planers themselves is the Table of the Mark Mount is made of cast aluminum with a sheet metal cover (lighter) while the Pro Planer has a cast iron table (heavier). It would also be possible to use a Pro Planer setting on the Way Tubes with the addition of the two Mounting Clamp Assemblies. Not a likely case.

So, what does all this mean when looking to sell one. Location, Model and condition all factor into its value. Since they don't come up for sale very often it can be hard to find some to compare with in your area. Even if you find one or more the asking price may not be what they actually end up selling for. Another factor is how fast do you want to sell it. The lower the price the faster it will sell.

For the buyer, many of the parts for both planers are still available from Shopsmith. That's a plus for someone wanting to buy it knowing they can keep it working if something wears out or breaks.

Lastly, I have given you my thoughts on selling a used Shopsmith tool but know that this Forum is not the place to actually sell it.

[edma194]

Demand for a Shopsmith planer is the issue. You can get a perfectly good planers in the $400-$600 range from other manufacturers so you need to find someone who cares about owning a Shopsmith planer in particular. The Mark mounted planers may be more desirable for Shopsmith owners who don't have space for a separate machine.

[br549]

While both replies so far have focused on the planer, which model Mark V (and condition) you have also makes a difference in potential resale value. If you are not familiar with the various versions or models of the Mark V, there are several places and threads in which to learn. My favorite such thread is the one started by Everett Davis (Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More) in the Maintenance and Repair Forum. Within it is a link to his Google Drive where he has shared many Shopsmith manuals and documentation that he has restored, as well as articles he has authored about the evolutionary history of Shopsmiths and the various models.

And with regard to the planer, doesn't the model number 5980 indicate that it is a Mark V mounted version with manual feed? I purchased my planer (a 5990, Mark V mounted with power feed) several years ago for $100, but it was missing the feed motor. I was able to convert it to manual feed with the help of fellow forum members and it has worked great for me. I don't need it often, but for occasional use it works just fine.

Checking local Craigslist ads (within a 100 to 200 mile radius) may give you a better idea of what equipment like yours will bring (or at least what the sellers will hope they will bring).

If you care to share pictures of the equipment, we can help identify which exact models you have.

[chapmanruss]

br549,

You said,

And with regard to the planer, doesn't the model number 5980 indicate that it is a Mark V mounted version with manual feed?

I believe you are correct. The reason I covered the differences is changes can be made to them. Your Model M5990 is a good example originally having a feed motor but converted to a manual feed due to the missing feed motor. Below is a M5990 Planer.

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M5990 ser 09618 unit.jpg (163.95 KiB) Viewed 5328 times

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Below is the Model/Serial Number sticker on it.

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M5990 ser 09618.jpg (163.47 KiB) Viewed 5328 times

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It is an earlier Planer having the round table height adjustment handle but looks like a Pro Planer since it is mounted on its own stand. Based on the Model and Serial Number I believe it started out as a Mark Mount Planer from September 1983 and was converted. Pro Planer serial numbers didn't go that high prior to the change to date codes. I'm not sure when the table height adjustment handle changed. Changes are a good reason to know the differences between the Mark Mount and the Pro Planer. This, like other reasons given, can affect the value of a tool for sale.

As for the Pro Planer model numbers below is an early end panel from December 1985, the first year of the Pro Planer showing Model M5082.

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M5082 ser 001847 Dec 85 End Frame - right - ProPlaner.jpg (302.23 KiB) Viewed 5328 times

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Carp,

If you would like to post pictures of you dad's Mark V and Planer including any accessories, we would be happy to help identify what you have. Sorry I neglected to mention the Mark V value. It can be more complicated than the Planer is with many more variables than the Planer has. Pictures will help narrow down those variables a lot.