Old and rusty ShopSmith--Is it junk?

[mytoiletsclogged]

Very helpful information. No, I'm not interested in restoring it; I have enough projects on my plate. But I would absolutely be interested in selling it whole or parting it out.

[HopefulSSer]

But I would absolutely be interested in selling it whole or parting it out.

If you were trying to selling it whole, the scrap man would be your only buyer. If you were to try and sell it in parts on eBay, there’s maybe one or two parts that might sell, the rest would go to the scrap man, and I’d think you’d be lucky if you were able to put $20 in your pocket. It just has no monetary value in whole or in part in that condition. Give it to someone who might find a use for something from it and take pleasure that you’ve helped someone out.

Here in NC, a complete, running machine of that vintage in decent condition with a few accessories included would bring probably only $200.

[mytoiletsclogged]

If you were trying to selling it whole, the scrap man would be your only buyer. If you were to try and sell it in parts on eBay, there’s maybe one or two parts that might sell, the rest would go to the scrap man, and I’d think you’d be lucky if you were able to put $20 in your pocket. It just has no monetary value in whole or in part in that condition. Give it to someone who might find a use for something from it and take pleasure that you’ve helped someone out.

Here in NC, a complete, running machine of that vintage in decent condition with a few accessories included would bring probably only $200.

All of this is most likely why my uncle had it in the first place. Almost all of the more than 12,000 lbs of steel I've taken to scrap already (and more to come as well as copper, brass, aluminum, a couple of batteries...) was just JUNK. A lot of it had been sitting outside for years. Some of it was so completely rusted out there were holes in the original sheet steel and in some cases even thick steel pipe used to make a frame and feet for hog feeders was completely rusted out. The lawn tractors, mowers and weed whackers he and his boys had used in his lawn care business were all of the Walmart Yard Machines and Murray brands that are not worth fixing. He had two broken down Bobcat mowers but my cousin (oldest son) took both of them.

[chapmanruss]

mytoiletsclogged,

You have now received opinions from others as to their assessment of its condition and future. As for my posts they have leaned (heavily) towards restoring it or saving parts of it. I hate seeing these tools ending up in the scrap heap. The Mark 5 shown in my first post here was in better but not very good condition when I received it. I spent about $500 restoring it which is also what I was able to sell it for. The one you have could easily cost more to fully restore.

Since its value as scrap isn't that much it would be nice to see any still usable parts survive and go to anyone able to use them.

[JPG]

Assuming the motor is viable, it alone is worth more than the scrap value.

Damn! Location, location, location.

Can you tell I lean more towards restoration?

[HopefulSSer]

Assuming the motor is viable, it alone is worth more than the scrap value.

Remember if it is a greenie it will have the 7/8 hp motor. If it were a 1-1/8 I'd be more inclined to agree with you

[JPG]

Assuming the motor is viable, it alone is worth more than the scrap value.

Remember if it is a greenie it will have the 7/8 hp motor. If it were a 1-1/8 I'd be more inclined to agree with you

The greenie had a 3/4 hp motor.

The model had a 1/2 hp motor.


Now what operation requires al that extra power? Sawing. Thickness planer. All else requires far less.

[HopefulSSer]

Sorry 3/4 not 7/8. My mistake. My greenie used to bog down regularly when ripping. The upgrade to 1-1/8 hp was very noticeable.

[JPG]

Feeling sorry not necessary!

[mytoiletsclogged]

As for my posts they have leaned (heavily) towards restoring it or saving parts of it. I hate seeing these tools ending up in the scrap heap. The Mark 5 shown in my first post here was in better but not very good condition when I received it. I spent about $500 restoring it which is also what I was able to sell it for. The one you have could easily cost more to fully restore.

Since its value as scrap isn't that much it would be nice to see any still usable parts survive and go to anyone able to use them.

There's the rub. Not knowing these machines, how can I have any idea what parts are still usable and what are not?

@chapmanruss--where did you find the replacement parts yours needed? Did you have to fabricate some or have a shop fabricate them?

If somebody who was interested missed it, I live near Wichita Kansas.

I guess I don't have a photo right now that shows the empty hole, but the vent and serial number plate is missing. So do I just start taking it apart, do a power wash on the parts and maybe some sanding on the rusty ones, spray them with some WD-40 and list them on eBay? The power cord is obviously only good as copper scrap.

When we moved from California to my Kansas hometown almost four years ago, we had an elliptical exercise machine that I didn't want to move and couldn't sell. I couldn't GIVE the damn thing away because so many people were moving out of California that the second hand market was glutted and all thrift stores were packed with stuff. So I took it apart and noted all of the model information. All of the structural steel I took to scrap. All of the rest of the parts fit into a 5 gallon bucket, except for the main control panel. Since we landed in Kansas, I've sold several hundred dollars worth of the parts from that machine on eBay and I still have some left. I haven't recovered the original new cost, but I've gotten a lot more for it than I could have sold it complete in San Diego.

Does anyone have expected resistance readings on the ShopSmith motor windings to tell if they're any good? Can I get to the motor specs plate without major disassembly?

I also hate seeing anything go to waste. I abhor our throw-away society of poorly made garbage appliances that either nobody wants to work on once they're off of warranty, or that we have somebody set out on the curb for the trash man to take to landfill just because their color doesn't go with our new decor (and then hop in our Tesla or Chevy Volt to drive to work and think we're saving the planet).

Because so many things these days were never meant to be repaired but simply replaced with a shiny new one, I do what I can by (1) fixing what I can; (2) parting out and selling what I can on eBay; and (3) by scrapping out unrepairable things that have been discarded to get the metals into scrap and any circuit boards, chips, gold plated connectors and such to that recycling industry (and I make a few dollars from it). In doing that, I've seen personally so many overheated connections in everything from electric fireplace heater controls to ceiling fan lights because the (probably Chinese) makers use minimal amounts of brass and/or copper that doesn't stand up over time. Once the connection gets hot, the metal oxidizes and becomes a high resistance connection that either fails like a blown fuse or worse--starts a fire.

I learned the hard way to never again buy a Brother branded printer because I can't get parts for them when they inevitably break. But two HPs I've had now developed unresolvable connection issues after a few years and HP refuses to help in any way, shape or form. I'm still using the second one but not how it was intended nor to its full capacity. It's maddening.

And don't get me started on the crap that car and truck mfrs are doing these days to make their products more and more difficult for owners and even small repair shops to work on them.

Anybody heard about John Deere's locked computer software to prevent anyone but "authorized service centers" from doing maintenance and repairs?

From my uncle's property, out of seven old lawn tractors, one was a complete piece of crap, but it still ran (my son has used it out there when my uncle was still with us). My cousins were able to sell it.
- Another was a 1973 Craftsman whose remaining parts I can sell on eBay
- One was a newer model Murray that has been sitting in the barn for years, and appears to just need a carburetor, a battery and front wheels--as well as new belts, blade sharpening, spark plug, oil change... and then I can use it to mow MY lawn and plow my garden with one of the implements I brought home
- All the rest were trashed Walmart branded Yard Machines and Murrays that are good only for scrap, and have all been sitting outside for years

Believe me I tried to find a lawn tractor dealer or repair shop who wanted them for parts, and none did--probably because none were Hustler, Grasshopper, BadBoys, Ariens... I've now completely scrapped two and started fixing the one hopefully good Murray that has good compression and did turn over. Maybe I can get a few more years out of that one.

I've been posting on a DIY forum about several things out there: This ShopSmith, those lawn tractors and a couple of boats that were out there. That forum sent me here for the ShopSMith. I've tried a couple other forums to ask about the boats (after seven days I'm STILL waiting for my account to be approved on one of those forums.)

I simply don't have the time or bandwidth to take on a restoration project like this--nor do I have anywhere to store it complete. It's sitting outside in my backyard right now. So it seems my best option may be to start taking it apart and clean up the parts a bit and list them on eBay. Cleaned, disassembled and bagged in a plastic tote waiting for a buyer, they'll take a lot less space.