Shopsmith Forums

I did NOT say Mark V, I said Mark 5. I also said almost 60 yrs ago, the Mark V did not exist until about 35 yrs ago.

If you look at a Mark 5 manual you will see that a saw guard was not a standard attachment.

Never thought of using a Mark V lower guard on my 10er. How does it fit? Any modifications needed?

JPG wrote:I did NOT say Mark V, I said Mark 5. I also said almost 60 yrs ago, the Mark V did not exist until about 35 yrs ago.

If you look at a Mark 5 manual you will see that a saw guard was not a standard attachment.

I had to dig deep within the archives of this forum to figure out/understand that a Mark 5 was made by Magna Engineering (prior to Shopsmith). Can someone post a pic of a Mark 5 so that I can better understand what it is versus a Shopsmith Mark V?

Until 1959 I had no idea what a Shopsmith was...
I was a senior in high school and the woodshop teacher spoke of them and what they were. Fairly neutrally as I recall. Until then I knew nothing about multi-machines. I had never even seen one before. I first saw an actual Shopsmith in 1960 at BSU in Muncie Indiana. It was sitting in the far back end of the of the large woodshop class room. During the term I never saw it used, moved, dusted off or even anyone but me walk back there and look at it. The prof only even mentioned it once and that was pretty much in a negative context. He was quite old school and had little to no interest in anything not already established in his list of proper tools. It was a changing time but he had little interest in changing with them. His idea of getting wild was accepting white glue as a usable product instead of hot hide glue.
Even though I never actually touched that Shopsmith I was fascinated by it. I was like the proverbial country kid that goes to the Manhattan and can't stop looking around. BTW, in 1962 I really did that...
I then started seeing the SS's at the Indiana State Fair in Indy and in later years also at the Indiana Home show. I had no idea about what was happening at Shopsmith at the corporate level or even the shutdown. Unless you were into woodworking fairly seriously the public just was not that informed in those days. I was into farming, mechanics, metal working and data processing. We were a growing family of 6 and there was no money to equip a decent woodshop. My woodworking was mostly done with hand tools, hand held power tools and finally I bought a new Rockwell built double arm radial arm saw with a "Penny's" name label on it. Most woodworking was rehabbing a 1917 country house we managed to buy cheap about 1965.
Our kids grew up groaning every time they saw a Shopsmith demo at a fair or show because they knew that we were stopping and not moving on until I had absorbed everything I could from the demonstration. I finally bought my 510 new (1988) from the then Shopsmith store in Indy and later a second SS bought at a farm consignment auction where nobody had any idea what it was. Then about 16 or so years ago I had some "extra" income and there were rumblings of SS being "in trouble"... Money trouble, not pregnant. so I started buying used ones so I would always have parts. I lost count at 25...
I think that the 10-ER is the only one with out a lower blade guard and several were older greenies. I do recall the guards being an option but they must have been a pretty standard part of the deal. Maybe they were "pushed" at the demo's.


.

RFGuy wrote:

JPG wrote:I did NOT say Mark V, I said Mark 5. I also said almost 60 yrs ago, the Mark V did not exist until about 35 yrs ago.

If you look at a Mark 5 manual you will see that a saw guard was not a standard attachment.

I had to dig deep within the archives of this forum to figure out/understand that a Mark 5 was made by Magna Engineering (prior to Shopsmith). Can someone post a pic of a Mark 5 so that I can better understand what it is versus a Shopsmith Mark V?

Check out MickyD's greenie restore thread. I will add a link if I can locate it.

A nice place to 'start' https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 581#p37581

JPG wrote: Check out MickyD's greenie restore thread. I will add a link if I can locate it.
A nice place to 'start' https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 581#p37581

Thanks for educating me. To get even further off topic (from this thread), I looked up the Magna Engineering catalog from 1954 and see that the Mark 5 cost $269.50 back then. Using actual inflation data from the past 65 years means this machine should cost $2,546.74 in today's dollars. A nearly equivalent Mark V 510 today costs 40% more though from the MOTHERSHIP and this is with inflation adjustment, but I digress...
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/338/2691.pdf

RFGuy wrote:

JPG wrote: Check out MickyD's greenie restore thread. I will add a link if I can locate it.
A nice place to 'start' https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/view ... 581#p37581

Thanks for educating me. To get even further off topic (from this thread), I looked up the Magna Engineering catalog from 1954 and see that the Mark 5 cost $269.50 back then. Using actual inflation data from the past 65 years means this machine should cost $2,546.74 in today's dollars. A nearly equivalent Mark V 510 today costs 40% more though from the MOTHERSHIP and this is with inflation adjustment, but I digress...
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/338/2691.pdf

Yes, BUT, a 510 is much more than a Mark 5 which is equivalent to a Mark V 500 that included less stuff(blade guard for one!)

Hobbyman2 wrote:LOL I have a vac connected to the miter saw and still have to use a broom .
JMO the dado set above looks like it could use a good sharpening ?

I also noted the round looking cutting edges... That can be dangerous. Dull tools can grab badly and can also put serious stress on bearings and mounting points.
I was always taught that using a dull knife will cut you more often than a sharp one.
I have used a lot of sharp knives in my time...


.

JPG wrote: Yes, BUT, a 510 is much more than a Mark 5 which is equivalent to a Mark V 500 that included less stuff(blade guard for one!)

JPG, I'll have to take your word for it, since I haven't seen these older machines in person or used them myself. I know value is subjective, but I thought the Greenie's and Goldie's were works of art....I mean they should appreciate in value like a classic car, right? Shouldn't a newer Mark V be worth less?

RFGuy wrote:

JPG wrote: Yes, BUT, a 510 is much more than a Mark 5 which is equivalent to a Mark V 500 that included less stuff(blade guard for one!)

JPG, I'll have to take your word for it, since I haven't seen these older machines in person or used them myself. I know value is subjective, but I thought the Greenie's and Goldie's were works of art....I mean they should appreciate in value like a classic car, right? Shouldn't a newer Mark V be worth less?

IF the basic design was different I would agree, but sadly that is not typical reality. However it allows one to obtain a nearly identical machine for less(albiet wear is greater). But those worn parts are replaceable with new parts.

Also the older ones are not very rare. Damn things run forever if maintained.