Shopsmith Forums

I've never really thought about what SS I have, till I started reading this link. I purchased my SS 505R in September 2005. The platform is great. It took some getting used to, since planning is required to prevent the needed to reset a tool. But planning is a good thing, and the tools supported by SS are by far superior to the individual tools I previously used. Back to my question. I see listings for the 500 series and the 510 series. My bill of sale reads 505. If I water it will it grow to a 510?

Hi kalynzoo,
The 505 was a special anniversary model that was offered many years ago. I wouldn't water it, rust ya' know, but it is fully upgradable to a model 510 or 520, your choice. I don't know exactly what the "r" means; however, there was another thread that talked about the Mark V upgrade from a 500 to a 510 that included a little sticker to put on the old 500 to indicate it was now a 510r. What color is it? The 505 was not green or gray, but a gold color. If yours is green or gray, it may have been an upgraded unit.

Its the powder coat grey, (not really powder coat, just ruff), and I think the R was reconditioned, as I purchased the show demo unit, which was cleaned up and shipped out. So when purchasing ad-ons I should match to the 510?

kalynzoo wrote:I've never really thought about what SS I have, till I started reading this link. I purchased my SS 505R in September 2005. The platform is great. It took some getting used to, since planning is required to prevent the needed to reset a tool. But planning is a good thing, and the tools supported by SS are by far superior to the individual tools I previously used. Back to my question. I see listings for the 500 series and the 510 series. My bill of sale reads 505. If I water it will it grow to a 510?

The "r" usually means upgraded, I assume you purchased yours new but maybe Shopsmith upgraded a 500 to make a 505R. The 505 is missing (2) Floating Tables, (4) Connector Tubes and (2) Telescoping Legs and (2) T-Joint Leg Fittings to make it a 510. Shopsmith is running a sale to upgrade a 505 to a 520 for $521.99 ($58 saving). If you had a 510 the upgrade would have only been $329.

The 505 to 510 upgrade costs $253.59.

kalynzoo wrote:Its the powder coat grey, (not really powder coat, just ruff), and I think the R was reconditioned, as I purchased the show demo unit, which was cleaned up and shipped out. So when purchasing ad-ons I should match to the 510?

If the accessory specifies a specific model yours is closest to a 510, I think only the extension table brackets from the 510 will not work because you don't have the extension tables.

It seems that Paul has your Shopsmith pretty well defined.

Maybe we could see a couple digital photos of this new baby. Then we would all know what an Anniversary Model Shopsmith 505r looks like.

Did you say you purchased it new from Shopsmith in 2005?

Hmmmm....

If kalynzoo purchased this unit in 2005, and it was a demo, and it is gray, and it has a sticker on it with the number 505r,....

I am thinking that it may have a reconditioned headstock, and he may not even have the 1 1/8 hp motor.

It is a 505r which I believe says it is a 500 with a factory upgrade to 505.

It is not Brown/Gold or Tan therefore it is not likely an anniversary model.

The 1 1/8hp motor was introduced in 1962.

The poly-V drive was introduced in 1964.

If you take all this information and your serial number to the Shopsmith site I believe you can tell what you have.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/toolhistory.htm

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/serialnumber.htm

The motor question is best answered by peering into the inspection hole and reading the motor ID plate. The motor would not have to follow the normal conventions.

While looking at the motor - check the drive system (belts).

Whatever it turns out to be, it is a Shopsmith and this is good.

I purchesed my 505 brand new in 2004. It is the 50 year anniversary model so it couldn't be from the 50's, 60's, or 70's. IT is a 510 with out the floating tables. If yours was a demo model it probably saw alot of abuse and was reconditioned.

I didn't know that they called the 50th Anniversary model a 505. That is the same model number they gave the earlier (25th?) Anniversary model too. The earlier model was Gold. What color was your 2004?