Shopsmith Forums

I am guessing a SS Inc. vintage from the quill feed handle.

I'm guessing yours was made in very late '70's or early '80's. My 1980 model has the same warning labels.

Your lower saw guard is newer than my cast aluminum version. However, I think there was an upgrade to your single 1-1/2" port version to dual 2-1/4" dust collection ports.

Improving dust collection is a topic of much construction, but with the right combination of lower guard and getting a good fit / tight seal of any openings, good dust collection is possible.

With disc sanding only next to the edge of the table (as compared to thru the table on 505/510/520 table system), dust collection is trickier. I made my own dust collection chute (modeled after my lower saw guard), with 2 collection ports.

Dust Collection is important in any shop, large or small. The upgrade for the lower blade guard shown above will give better air flow for better dust collection than the single 1-1/4" connection on the lower blade guard you have. The lower saw blade guard for the Model 500 cannot be used with the 12" sanding disk. Shopsmith sells a stripped-down Model 505, 510, 520, Mark 7 & 4 lower blade guard which can be used on the 500 with the sanding disk. Since both of these are a cost items you should decide if it is worth spending money on these as opposed to using that money towards upgrading to the 520 Table/Fence System. If you are going to use the original table system for a while, I would consider the upgrade and dust collection guard. After you do upgrade the 500 Table items will be surplus and could be sold. Since Shopsmith has discontinued the original Table System (and even the 505/510) they are not making most of the parts specific to them any longer so used parts are needed for replacements.

Update! I've got the serial number. SS 119023, which looks like it makes it a 1982, Mark V Model 500. (Honestly, not as old as I had thought it was.) Fingers crossed that it's been upgraded to a 2 bearing quill. I'll be very antsy until I can get my ankle healed, bring it down to my shop, and start cleaning it up, lubing, and aligning. If anyone has any "be sure you check" or "be sure you look out for"s, I'd love to hear them.

I would not sweat the number of bearings in the quill.

If it ain't causing a problem, do not upgrade it!

It was made in March of 1982 so 2 1/2 years before the two bearing Quill. As JPG said

If it ain't causing a problem, do not upgrade it!

If you don't find it has excessive run-out or bad bearings don't worry about it. Excessive run-out can be caused by a worn bearing and/or a worn Drive & Ring (part reference # 57 in the online parts list) on the end of the Drive Sleeve Assembly. It is the molded plastic end of the Drive Sleeve Assembly the spline end of the spindle goes into. Wear in that part will allow "sloop" between it and the Spindle. It may help to think of it this way, the spindle is guided by three bearing sets for a single bearing Quill. The one closest to the tapered spindle end we attach arbors, chucks and other things to plus two additional bearings in the Drive Sleeve Assembly that add stability to the spline end of the spindle. Having a second bearing in the Quill Assembly lessens run-out caused by wear between the spline end of the spindle and the Drive Sleeve Assembly. I know I will probably hear comments about that statement but think about the engineering involved in keeping the spindle in line. It is held in line at or near both ends creating stability.

As you go through the entire drive system check the bearings in each assembly individually. Bad bearings anywhere in the system will add drag and reduce performance. It's not that I expect any bearing problems but having it opened up is a good time to check everything individually. I restored a Mark V made in March 1982 a few years ago and all the bearings were fine.