How do I concact an administrator?

[pnoeth]

I am new to the forum. Before I joined I found a link to look up ShopSmith serial numbers. The document opened. Now that I have joined nothing seems to work. I get either a "Secure Connection Failed" error or a 404 page not found error on almost every link I click. Either something is wrong with my computer or this form. I have done nothing to change my computer.

Is there some way to correspond with an Admin?

[chapmanruss]

Admin may see this and reach out to you, but I haven't ever needed to contact them directly.

There is a listing of Serial Number for the Mark 5/V's by year. It can be found here on the Shopsmith Website under Learn and in the row below the Shopsmith Forum link. There are missing years and some years given are not complete. Previously there was a list by month, but it too was incomplete. Do you have a Shopsmith tools you are trying to find when it was made?

Do understand that some links, especially in older threads, are no longer working. Software upgrades over the years have caused some of those lost links while other items linked may simply no longer exist.

If you cannot find answers you are looking for in other threads or the link is lost, ask and we will try to answer your questions with the most up to date information we know.

[pnoeth]

Hi Russ,

Thank you for the location of the list. My ShopSmith is #336034. I think it was built around '55 or '56. It was purchased by my father who is no longer here to tell me when he bought it. I have been having trouble finding the right drive and gilmer belts and am not sure if they are still made.

Regarding the Admin question, the vast, vast majority of the links are "secure connection failed" errors. I get some, but fewer, 404 Page Not Found, errors. I understand those, things go away. Because I am not experiencing the connection failed errors on other forums I wonder if this has something to do with the site credentials of this forum. I don't know, I am no computer whiz, but it seems strange. I am running Win11 Pro on a relatively new machine and I don't think the problem is on my end, but maybe it is. That is why I would like to talk to the Admin who set up the board.

Thanks,
Paul

[pnoeth]

I went to the Troubleshooting and Repair Section and opened the first topic, Everything Mark5/V. At the top of that topic there are a ton of links. I clicked on almost all of them. None, as in zero, worked. In every case I received a 'secure connection failed' error, except for those links that led to the Shopsmith Academy and none of those opened. That makes the forum not very useful for research and problem solving.

Again, I don't know if the problem is on my end or the forum end.

Thanks,
Paul

[edma194]

I am new to the forum. Before I joined I found a link to look up ShopSmith serial numbers. The document opened. Now that I have joined nothing seems to work. I get either a "Secure Connection Failed" error or a 404 page not found error on almost every link I click. Either something is wrong with my computer or this form. I have done nothing to change my computer.

Is there some way to correspond with an Admin?

Those links have been broken since the new Shopsmith website became active.

I sent a PM to username 'admin' to let them know about your request. As a new member of the forum I don't know if you can send PMs yet.

[chapmanruss]

Serial Number 336034 was made around October 1956. That is an estimate because that range is part of the missing serial numbers by month. It should have a Vent/Serial Number plate on the Belt cover that looks like the one below.

_

331772 Mark 5 Greenie est Sept 56 West Layafette IN.jpg (208.72 KiB) Viewed 32483 times

.
That Mark 5 would have been painted in green and silver from the factory and is commonly referred to as a Greenie.

Gilmer Belts are still available and most are found at online auctions. The Gilmer Drive Sleeve Assembly for your era Mark 5 would be the clutch type. The Mark 5 changed to the Poly V Drive, which is still used in conventional Headstocks today, in 1961 just after the change to the 1-1/8 HP Motor. Something to consider is if your Mark 5 needs replacement parts like bearings and the Gilmer Belt you could upgrade to the Poly V Drive. This would require a different part on the Idler Shaft Assembly for the Poly V Belt. A Poly V Drive Sleeve Assembly and a matching Quill Assembly either a single or double bearing one. The double bearing Quill has less runout. The number of splines on the Quill's Spindle Shaft changed with the change to the Poly V Drive. These parts could be purchased new or used if looking to save a bit. Just use caution buying used parts as the actual condition is unknown. Many Mark V users have upgraded to the Power Pro DVR Motor so many of the parts to upgrade to the Poly V Drive are for sale by those wanting to get back a little of their investment in the Power Pro by selling those no longer needed parts.

[pnoeth]

Ed, thank you very much for contacting the Admin on my behalf.

Russ, thank you again for the information about the Mark 5. My machine does have the vent plate with the serial number just like you show.
An upgrade to the Poly V is what Shopsmith recommends. I have found the belt on Ebay but it is wider than the original.

I have been confused about the 5/V nomenclature. I have always thought that the Mark 5 was internally the same as a Mark V. Also I have pronounced both as a Mark Five. Is the Mark V pronounced 'Mark Vee'?

Go Boilers!

[edma194]

Is there some way to correspond with an Admin?

An admin responded to me and said you can contact them directly with a PM. They also say they are unlikely to be able to resolve the problems with the links.

[chapmanruss]

pnoeth,

Mark 5 and Mark V are the same tool. As seen on your Mark 5 Vent/Serial Number Plate it says Mark 5. Early in 1980 the Mark 5 name changed to Mark V on the tools Vent/Serial Number Plate, although the Roman numeral V had been used in advertising and printed materials prior to 1980 by Shopsmith Inc. No changes occurred at that time to the tool. Why the change is anybody's guess. Maybe John Folkerth preferred Roman Numerals. Later in 1985 with the introduction of the Mark V 510 & 505 the original Mark V became the Mark V 500. The Models differ in the Table/Fence System and related parts/accessories.

As for the Mark 5 and the Mark V being internally the same the answer is yes and no. By the time your Mark 5 was made there had already been changes made to them. A clutched Gilmer Drive Sleeve Assembly had replaced the non-clutched one. A current conventional Headstock is different than the first ones from 1954. The Headstock casting is now a "C" version while yours should be the "B" version and the first ones from 1954 well into 1955 were the "A" castings. Most of the changes to the Mark 5/V have occurred to the Headstock but there are other important changes to know about. The Bench Tubes on the Greenies are larger in diameter (1-7/8" vs 1-3/4") than later Mark 5/V's. There have been changes to the Table of the original AKA 500. Small changes have been made to other parts of the Bench Assembly. The good news is current parts can be used on the older tools. Some are direct replacements while others may require the change of an assembly or related parts. I recently received a 1957 Mark 5 which was upgraded to the 510 Table/Fence system which includes the Carriage. Its Headstock had been upgraded too.

[edma194]

I have been confused about the 5/V nomenclature. I have always thought that the Mark 5 was internally the same as a Mark V. Also I have pronounced both as a Mark Five. Is the Mark V pronounced 'Mark Vee'?

The numbering system gets weirder over time. The Mark V/5 was preceded by the only slightly compatible Model 10, and followed by the largely compatible Mark VII which had a few unique features. Next Model 500 (with minor differences the same as a Mark V/5). Then came models 505,510,520, and Mark 7 that had different table systems than earlier versions. The Mark 7 is unrelated to the Mark VII and also has a PowerPro DVR motor and double-tilt bench.

Go Boilers!

Purdue?