Shopsmith Mark 5 What When and Where

[HopefulSSer]

Is it just a 510 without the floating tables and legs?

You got it!

[JPG]

Sorry. I seemed to have quoted myself somehow!

Next time just delete it!

[VonZipper]

Is it just a 510 without the floating tables and legs?

You got it!

Thanks. I appreciate you clearing that up for me! It does leave me wonder, in the progression of the Mark V, did the 505 come out before the 510 floating tables were a thing? Or, did they come out at the same with the 505 and just marketed as a more budget-friendly version?

Did the manufacturer label on the headstock ever say 505 or was it marked as a 510 with the mere lack of floating tables make it a 505?

Was the 505 ever offered as a Golden Anniversary Edition?

[HopefulSSer]

Those questions I don't have any answers, but I think both came out at the same time, probably as you say, as a budget option. I'm happy to be corrected

[RonKlein]

I think the 505 came out later. I bought my 510 new in 1987, and I don't recall anything about a 505 until several years later.
Ron

[chapmanruss]

Model 505 basics 101

edited 9-23-2024

I do not know exactly when the Mark V 505 came out. I had believed it came out at the same time as the 510 but cannot confirm that. The oldest catalog I have after the Mark V 510 came out is a Spring 1986 catalog without any mention of a 505. The first reference of any kind I can find for it is in the Winter 1987 catalog. On page 3 there is an upgrade listed to take your Mark V with the original Table System (500) to the Level 2 Table System Retro-fit Kit. That makes it a 510 without actually calling it that. On the same page is a Level 1 Table System Retro-fit Kit that doesn't include, and I quote, "floating extension tables, extension tubes, telescoping legs and adjustable fittings" essentially a Mark V 505. That Winter 1987 catalog, like others, does not list a complete Mark V of any model for sale. The next actual catalog I have is the Spring/Summer 1990 and the 505 is not listed in it. I didn't find the Level 1 upgrade either. A 1994 catalog on page 3 has and I quote "The Ultimate Woodworking System - Shopsmith MARK V" and "2 MODELS" the 510 & 500. The HOLIDAY 2000 catalog has the exploded views and parts lists but no mention of the 505 on common parts between it and the 510. It's also another catalog that does not list a complete Mark V of any model for sale. The last catalog I looked for the 505 in this morning is the March 2001 50th Anniversary Catalog. It has the drawings and parts list along with having the upgrade from 500 to 510 or 520 but no mention of the 505. Were they selling the 505 and simply not advertising it in catalogs? The lists of serial number by month only has the Mark V 510 besides the original 500 which the list ends in December 1987 when they changed to date codes. There are (on the Headstock) Mark V 505 labels that go into 2008 but when did they actually begin is a mystery.

For some unknown reason it has been left out of the Shopsmith History. It is the same as the 510 except it does not have the 2 Floating Tables, Connector Tubes and the Support Legs. The 505 was discontinued prior to the 510 being discontinued. The stick-on label does, in some cases, call it a MARK V MODEL 505 as it came from the factory. Not all labels call the actual Mark V model by name from the factory. An example is below from one named STATIC DISPLAY UNIT.

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04-16-02 Mark V 50th Georgetown IN.jpg (295.26 KiB) Viewed 4992 times

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Other names I have seen include PRO MARK V UNIT or MK V BASE UNIT, but one can only guess what all the other names actually mean. Many simply say MARK V. The label below even calls it 50TH ANNVERSARY MK V.

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09-11-01 Mark V.jpg (61.29 KiB) Viewed 4992 times

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Once the Table System is changed or upgraded it could commonly be considered that Model, be it 500, 505, 510 or 520.

As for 50th Anniversary Edition Mark V's the cover plate was used for several years. Introduced with the 50th Anniversary catalog from March 2001. I believe Shopsmith ordered a bunch and used them until they ran out. Remember the Headstock was the same no matter which Model was ordered so all Models being made had the 50th Anniversary cover plate. It was not exclusive to any one Model.

[chapmanruss]

It is time for an update.

Shopsmith has reintroduced the Conventional Headstock on what is now being called a Mark 5. This is what was last called a Mark V 520S which was discontinued not too long ago. This reincarnation using the name Mark 5 will certainly add to the confusion of "what Mark model do I have?"

To help. let's look at a rundown of the Mark Models past to present.

1954 The Shopsmith Mark 5 was introduced and replaced the Shopsmith Model 10ER as Magna Engineering Corporation's 5 in 1 tool.
1957 The Mark 2 was introduced as a lower cost alternative to the Mark 5 at the request of Montgomery Ward.
1963 The Mark VII was introduced as Magna American Corporation's 7 in 1 tool. The confusion here is it also had Mark 7 besides Mark VII on the tool.
1980 The Mark 5 became the Mark V with only a change to the use of the Roman Numeral V.
1985 The Mark V 510 was introduced with a larger expandable Table System. An option without the Floating Tables was available as the Mark V 505.
1985 The original Mark V became the Mark V 500 with the introduction of the Mark V 510/505.
1987 The somewhat forgotten Mark I was introduced. As the story goes only two were sold and one was returned to the factory to upgrade to a Mark V.
1999 The Mark V 520 was introduced with the Pro Fence replacing the 510/505 round tube fence rails and fence.
2010 The Mark 7 was introduced with a DVR Motor and Double Tilt features. This Mark 7 was built off the Mark V platform and Mark V's could be upgraded.
2021 The Mark 4 was introduced using shorter Bench and Way Tubes and the Double Tilt Bench Ends.
2021(?) The Mark V 520 became the Mark V 520S about this time changing to the Double Tilt Bench Ends.
2025 The recently discontinued Mark V 520S is back for a "limited" time now called the Mark 5.

At this point all models except the Mark 7 and for a limited time the current Mark 5 have been discontinued over the years. What makes it harder to tell what model any given Mark is mostly depends on what original or upgraded parts it has. That doesn't really apply to the Mark 2 or the 1960's Mark VII. Other than the Mark V 520S also having the Double Tilt Bench Ends which model a Mark V is, is determined by the Table/Fence system it has.

[RFGuy]

Russ,

It is definitely a bit convoluted. Thank you for keeping it straight and posting this. With different iterations of the company and of the products they sell, not to mention upgrade variations it can be difficult sometimes to know what product a forum member has when they post about it. I wish Shopsmith made it less confusing for all of us!!! Your post is one to definitely bookmark and/or pin somewhere for future reference. Thanks again.

[chapmanruss]

I did link this thread in the Topic Newowner Information JPG started that is pinned to the top of the Maintenance and Repair section on page 12. It also has the links to the Model 10 What When and Where plus the SPT's What When and Where topics. The Newowner Information topic is a great place to start for anyone's Shopsmith information journey. Something we should probably recommend to new members more often.

As for what Mark 5/V a person has, it is helpful to know when it was made and what upgrades it has including Table System upgrades. To simply call the 1957 Mark 5 I have that has been upgraded to the 510 Table System a Mark V 510 would not give someone reading that a very important bit of information about it. There were a lot of changes made to the Mark 5/V between 1957 and when the Mark V 510 was introduced. Changes that may matter when answering questions about the tool.