Dad's 1982 Shopsmith Mark V Repair/Restoration Project

[VonZipper]

I have used the Shopsmith touch-up paint on my gray Shopsmith restorations as mentioned previously in this topic. I agree about the gloss level but find it does blend in especially over time. Some have been simple touch ups while others have been painting complete parts. I have noticed slight variances depending on the metal being painted and even the surface finish. Just my 2 cents.

VonZipper,

Great work on your restoration and I look forward to seeing it finished.

Russ, Thanks for the continued encouragement on this project. I'm doing the best I can: It's certainly not going to be showroom perfect but does look a little better! than when I started, I hope! I've seen the work you've done on your earlier restorations and I do appreciate your feedback on my restoration attempt!

Here's a couple photos of the recently painted parts next to the original factory paint job on the belt cover and headstock housing. The level of gloss does seem to vary with from part to part and even on the same part. That may my fault due to variations in paint coverage on my part.

[VonZipper]

Beautiful work! Should you ever get bored, I am WAAYYYYY behind on my restoration projects.

Ha! Yeah, I’m way behind too with most of the stuff I’m supposed to be doing. I’m really enjoying this restoration project so I doesn’t seem like work and makes it go by quick! Wish I could find some movtivation for the stuff I should be doing! Thanks for the kind words. I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got! It won’t be perfect but it will be functional and hopefully look a little spiffed up too!

[VonZipper]

That spring is not right. It looks like there are enough coils there to make 3 springs. You should contact Customer Service to get that corrected. Shopsmith should send you a correct spring. Fortunately, you can continue on the restoration as that spring can easily be put in place later.

Well, I got a response from Shopsmith about the latch spring and I was surprised by their answer. They said that what they sent me was, in fact, the correct spring. Apparently, the spring has been redesigned to eliminate the spacer in that assembly. The e-mail message isn't written very well (a sentence fragment, no periods and only commas!) Anyway, here's the exact message that I received from them this morning:

"The correct spring
The length of coils are equal to the broken spring
The stacked coils are a replacement for the spacer you have on the locking bolt, under the head of this bolt
To use this new spring, remove the old spacer then slide on the spring with the stacked coils in place of the spacer
Then reassemble the base lock normally"

[VonZipper]

Updated Spring Update:

The spring design, on its own, doesn't seem to work well with the latch assembly. I must be missing something. Maybe it's designed to work with a washer or, perhaps, a redesigned latch handle? As you can see in the second and third pictures below, the spring, by itself, gets jammed in between the ears of the handle part. Surely, it must be designed to work with a washer to keep the spring from be tangled and distorted between the handle's ears. It wouldn't take long at all for the hardened spring to damage the soft aluminum handle and or distort the spring itself. I'll send customer service another e-mail to point out what I'm seeing and see what they say.

[chapmanruss]

Interesting.

When looking at the current Bench Diagram (below) and parts lists it no longer shows a spacer and doesn't show a washer as you suggest either. By the way the lack of available parts currently is concerning too.

_

BENCH SERVICE PARTS.jpg (42.32 KiB) Viewed 1972 times

.
The diagram above is the same as the one in my 1999 Mark V 520 Manual. I have never had the Lock Assembly out of the Headrest on that 2001 Mark V or the 2006 Mark V.

How does it fit when actually installed in the Headrest? I would have to go out to the shop to check myself but how large is the hole in the Headrest the rod goes through? I may have to go out to the shop and look today.

[chapmanruss]

VonZipper,

I did go out to the shop and looked. That spring without the separate spacer has been in use at least prior to 2001 when my Mark V was made. The hole in the Headrest is small enough so no need for a washer. I looked at the 1957 Mark 5 Greenie I have which is mostly disassembled awaiting restoration and it has the regular spring yours had and the spacer. If I would have looked at the Goldie I have waiting for restoration it should be the same unless someone has replaced a broken spring with the current one. As I recall the previous two Greenies and the Goldie I restored had the original spring and spacer. So did the 1982 Mark V I restored.

The tight coil section goes against the "head" end of the Shaft replacing the spacer's position and the spring part against the hole in the Headrest.

Since I don't disassemble newer Shopsmith Tools very often I seem to know a lot more about the older ones than the newer ones.

I have learned something new today.

[VonZipper]

Russ, Thanks for the help. It does work when installed the headrest. I was thinking the spring actually was in contact with the ears of the handle but those two pieces are separated by the body of the headrest when assembled. Duh, not sure how I missed that small detail! Not sure why I'm making it so difficult!

I agree about the parts situation. I needed a torsion spring and retention knob for my upper saw guard for my Model 500 and how to call because it those parts were no longer on the website. I did have those parts in my shopping card on the SS website on Sunday when the site was brought down for the new site. Once the new site was up and running, I could not find any of those Model 500 specific parts listed; either on a exploded parts diagram or by a direct search of the part number. I went through an old 2006 accessory catalog and none of the 500 parts would show up using a their search feature.

When I called into Shopsmith Customer Service, the rep told me that those parts were "D & D". I didn't ask what that that acronym stood for but she said that once the remaining stock of those parts were sold, they won't be available any longer. Maybe, somebody knows what that term means. Basically, she explained that all the legacy Model 500-520 parts will be phased as they current inventory of parts are sold off. I understand needing to streamline the amount of products they produce, but I don't have to like it!

[VonZipper]

Russ, I have it completely disassembled for painting right now so I can't check for final fit right now. So, do I have the spring installed the wrong way around? I switched the direction of the spring in the picture below. Is it right or wrong now?

Tie Bar Latch Spring Assembly.jpg


Personally, I think I like the old set up with steel spacer better. I may just get the one I saw on ebay: I think it was only $5.

And I agree about the parts situation. I needed a torsion spring and retention knob for my upper saw guard for my Model 500 and how to call because it those parts were no longer on the website. I did have those parts in my shopping card on the SS website on Sunday when the site was brought down for the new site. Once the new site was up and running, I could not find any of those Model 500 specific parts listed; either on a exploded parts diagram or by a direct search of the part number. I went through an old 2006 accessory catalog and none of the 500 parts would show up using a their search feature.

When I called into Shopsmith Customer Service, the rep told me that those parts were "D & D". I didn't ask what that that acronym stood for but she said that once the remaining stock of those parts were sold, they won't be available any longer. Maybe, somebody knows what that term means. Basically, she explained that all the legacy Model 500-520 parts will be phased as they current inventory of parts are sold off. I understand needing to streamline the amount of products they produce, but I don't have to like it!

[JPG]

There goes SS's greatest asset! Same result as a bankruptcy re older parts.

So back up a few years and here we go again.

[RFGuy]

Well it has taken some time, but it looks like the concerns some of us had with private equity taking over Shopsmith were all valid. I really wish we had been wrong. Where is the appeal of Shopsmith as a woodworking tool platform in 2024 if I can't get repair parts for it? I might as well be buying some made in Asia tool that when it breaks, it breaks. I know selling repair parts wasn't going to get the new owners to 25X sales growth as was dreamed up in that one interview, but it kept existing Shopsmith owners happy...and still buying from them. IF they can't keep a working phone system for parts ordering, how long can they keep this forum up and running as well??? Having trouble seeing where the value added is for Shopsmith L.P. in 2024. Can someone enlighten me?