buying advice on open box 520

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piegolf
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Location: Seattle, WA

buying advice on open box 520

Post by piegolf »

I'm considering buying this shopsmith mark V 520 to replace some of my tools and save space in my ~160sqft workshop, I recently got a mark V 500 that can be used as a lathe and disc sander but not drill press/horizontal boring because its missing a chuck and this 520 would replace it. Do you think it is worth $1000 or too much for what they're offering? I'd also like advice on if there are there any disadvantages to using a Shopsmith tablesaw versus using a separate tablesaw? Or any disadvantages for the other tools on the Shopsmith versus standalone tools. My workshop is used for a lot more then just woodworking, by adding woodworking tools to my workshop it has gotten much harder to use the space for other things/projects by replacing most of my woodworking tools with a shopsmith I could regain most of the space taken up by those tools.
SS Mark V 520 & Bandsaw
SS DC3300
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twistsol
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Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by twistsol »

At that price with a DC-3300 and the bandsaw, I would jump on it without hesitation.

I personally don't like the SS as a tablesaw because of the table height. I've used it when building my own shop and didn't have all of my tools out of storage and there really aren't any functional deficiencies with the tabls saw function. I have a dedicated cast iron table saw, but I also have plenty of space. The 520 fence is as solid as any you'll find on a dedicated saw.

As a drill press you'd spend far more than that just to get anything comparable (unless you enjoy changing belts to change speeds) and you'd still not even approach the table space on any drill press you bought.
Thanks much,

Chris Phelps
Cheap tools are too expensive
2x Mark 5 520 and a 10ER
piegolf
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Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by piegolf »

the SS drill press is definitively better than my current one, it's the only drill press i know of that comes with a fence and the variable speed is a huge time saver. to fix the table saw height i could build a platform to stand on in front of it . I forgot to list the tools i'm hoping to replace with the SS 520 in my post, the tools are: skil ts6307 table saw, yuasa drill press, atlas workshop bandsaw, and the SS 500. I'll attach some photos of the tools as well as the space of my workshop that my woodworking tools are going to go.




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SS Mark V 520 & Bandsaw
SS DC3300
GetterDone
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Location: TN

Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by GetterDone »

That is definitely worth the money if you're planning to keep it.
1st Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V /Jan./1984
2nd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Mar./1984
3rd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Jan./1981
4th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) 50th anniversary
5th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) Dec. 1996
6th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark VII (1963 ???)
7th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V / Nov. 1984 (Double Quill Bearings)
8th Shopsmith Machine = SS Greenie / 1956
Shopsmith headstock only/ From Shopsmith/ June 1957
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chapmanruss
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Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by chapmanruss »

As Twistsol already said,
As a drill press you'd spend far more than that just to get anything comparable (unless you enjoy changing belts to change speeds) and you'd still not even approach the table space on any drill press you bought.
The Shopsmith is so much more versatile than the Drill Press you already have. You also get a Horizontal Boring Machine which is a Drill Press laying down. A feature I have used and love.

One of the weaker points of the Shopsmith Mark V, any model, is the Table Saw. If doing bevel cuts you have to tilt the table as opposed to tilting the blade of a Table Saw. I have a very nice Craftsman Table Saw that I can't remember the last time I actually used it. The Mark V 520 (and Mark 7 & 4) Table System can expand out further that that Craftsman Table Saw. Any of the Mark models can rip a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood in half. My very nice Craftsman Table Saw cannot do that. I have more control being able to add floating tables for infeed and/or outfeed support as opposed to separate support stands. I do have more than the two standard floating tables to do that but if the Floating Tables are not needed for the cut they can be used as infeed or outfeed support. Over the years I have seen many complaints about the height and reach needed when using the Shopsmith as a Table Saw but when I compared my Mark V 520 to my Craftsman table saw the differences in height and reach where very small.

If cutting a bevel on a piece of stock the Shopsmith has an advantage if you want to sand that cut edge you can change the Saw Blade to the Sanding Disk without changing the Table's tilt. Sand at the same exact angle. That kind of functionality can be used in many situations.

I could go on and on but you get the idea.
Russ

Mark V completely upgraded to Mark 7
Mark V 520
All SPT's & 2 Power Stations
Model 10ER S/N R64000 first one I restored on bench w/ metal ends & retractable casters.
Has Speed Changer, 4E Jointer, Jig Saw with lamp, a complete set of original accessories & much more.
Model 10E's S/N's 1076 & 1077 oldest ones I have restored. Mark 2 S/N 85959 restored. Others to be restored.
GetterDone
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Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by GetterDone »

Any Updates?

Did you bring it home?
1st Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V /Jan./1984
2nd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Mar./1984
3rd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Jan./1981
4th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) 50th anniversary
5th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) Dec. 1996
6th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark VII (1963 ???)
7th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V / Nov. 1984 (Double Quill Bearings)
8th Shopsmith Machine = SS Greenie / 1956
Shopsmith headstock only/ From Shopsmith/ June 1957
piegolf
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Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2024 1:56 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by piegolf »

i brought all but one box home today, will go back tomorrow to get the last box
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SS Mark V 520 & Bandsaw
SS DC3300
GetterDone
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Posts: 173
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2024 3:45 pm
Location: TN

Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by GetterDone »

That's great news.
Now you have a Brand New machine.
1st Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V /Jan./1984
2nd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Mar./1984
3rd Shopsmith Machine= SS Mark V / Jan./1981
4th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) 50th anniversary
5th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V (510) Dec. 1996
6th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark VII (1963 ???)
7th Shopsmith Machine = SS Mark V / Nov. 1984 (Double Quill Bearings)
8th Shopsmith Machine = SS Greenie / 1956
Shopsmith headstock only/ From Shopsmith/ June 1957
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chapmanruss
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Posts: 3782
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:16 pm
Location: near Portland, Oregon

Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by chapmanruss »

piegolf,

Congratulations on your new to you Shopsmith Mark V 520.

Even though, in my last post, I called the Table Saw function "One of the weaker points of the Shopsmith Mark V, any model," I believe you will find it a better, more versatile Table Saw than the bench top Table Saw you show in your pictures.

My suggestion for you now is to get to know your Mark V 520 and all the things you can do with it. I hope it came with an Owner's Manual but if not, they are available from Shopsmith and are currently on sale. Other helpful reference books are the Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone and the Self Study Guide. The Self Study Guide will walk you through the different functions of the Shopsmith and the Power Tool Woodworking for Everyone book will show you even more things that can be done on a Shopsmith.

If you have any questions about anything you wonder about on your Shopsmith tools just ask.
Russ

Mark V completely upgraded to Mark 7
Mark V 520
All SPT's & 2 Power Stations
Model 10ER S/N R64000 first one I restored on bench w/ metal ends & retractable casters.
Has Speed Changer, 4E Jointer, Jig Saw with lamp, a complete set of original accessories & much more.
Model 10E's S/N's 1076 & 1077 oldest ones I have restored. Mark 2 S/N 85959 restored. Others to be restored.
piegolf
Bronze Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2024 1:56 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: buying advice on open box 520

Post by piegolf »

on Wednesday i checked all of the boxes and the only thing missing was the manual so i ordered a new one, it should arrive on Monday
SS Mark V 520 & Bandsaw
SS DC3300
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