Shopsmith Forums

My Mark V has S/N 14931, putting it in year 1978. I found one manual online (32 pages, part # TMG-3469A-84(0)-P-7B*) which seems to describe my Mark V, except for not having a saw blade guard in the manual and the manual shows a gilmer drive instead of poly V.

Is the 101 page Mark V 500 manual that shopsmith sells for $30 going to give me much more info than this one i downloaded?

Also, what is the aluminium bracket on the saw blade guard for? (Shown in attached photo)

freedomlives wrote:My Mark V has S/N 14931, putting it in year 1978. I found one manual online (32 pages, part # TMG-3469A-84(0)-P-7B*) which seems to describe my Mark V, except for not having a saw blade guard in the manual and the manual shows a gilmer drive instead of poly V.

Is the 101 page Mark V 500 manual that shopsmith sells for $30 going to give me much more info than this one i downloaded?

Also, what is the aluminium bracket on the saw blade guard for? (Shown in attached photo)

The bracket on the backside is for the attachment of the upper saw guard cover. Just for laughs my Shopsmith Mark 5 is number 13906, I bought new on 3/26/1977 for $749.00 . Those where the days !!!

Per the manual, I will check my book later this morning when I go to the Shop / Man Cave.

Seems I don't have the upper saw guard then. I only used the table saw once before. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, my SS didn't come with the saw blade or arbor when I was given it, I bought that off ebay, so I guess the upper guard got lost as well.

Is this what should attach to it?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Upper ... 3a81f59311

[quote="freedomlives"]Seems I don't have the upper saw guard then. I only used the table saw once before. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, my SS didn't come with the saw blade or arbor when I was given it, I bought that off ebay, so I guess the upper guard got lost as well.

Is this what should attach to it?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Upper ... 3a81f59311[/QUOTE


That is the correct saw guard cover.

Yes that is the correct old style upper saw guard for that year SS. However I would upgrade to a new guard as the original was made out of metal, was heavy and prevented you from seeing the "cut". I never found it very useful or friendly to use.

Hope springs eternal!

Ya found a fit!!!!!

The seller did not say 'no shipping to Slovakia'!:D


Yet does not ship to the 49/50 th state! USPS gets it there quickly via priority mail! Guess USPS is not 'standard' shipping!

My SS is a '78 and I have all of the original manuals, documents etc. that came with it - I'd have to check when I'm home to see what info it contains.

I agree with the suggestion to consider upgrading the upper and lower saw guards - much safer and better dust collection abilities:
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/sawguardsystem.htm

Please do not try to see the cut when using any table saw with the rip fence. Everything is mechanical. Your vision should be directed at the contact point of the rip fence and the stock. If the contact is maintained then all else will fall into place. Don't try to correct a cut line by twisting or pulling on the stock. Doing so will result in a kickback. Safety first gang. DON'T MAKE ANY RED SAWDUST!! It hurts and I understand that Obamacare will not cover the costs.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:It hurts and I understand that Obamacare will not cover the costs.

But I'm sure that my Slovak "private" but involuntary health insurance will! I even get my choice of 4 different health insurance companies to buy from. I'm not totally sure if what they have here is so much socialism medicine as it is fascism medicine-- private insurance, many private doctor practices, some private hospitals/clinics, state regulation and mandates...

I followed the advice in the old SS manual I downloaded-- hook some of your fingers over the rip fence. The 10" blade isn't much compared to the 2 - 3 foot blades most of my neighbours have on their homemade firewood cutters / table saws, but its frightening enough for me. I don't need to do sky-diving or anything-- having my fingers near a table saw blade is a pretty good adrenaline fix for me...

Given that much of the gun-control movement, in my view, is fuelled by people's fears of inanimate objects, it is surprising actually that there is no table-saw-control movement.

Aside from the metal bar that keeps the wood separate to prevent kick-backs, what is the metal/plastic guard guarding against? Does it help keep fingers out of the blade when sawing?

If I get one, I think it would be cheaper for me to score a 510 saw guard and table from eBay, and then bring it back after the next trip to the U.S. to visit family or else ask my mother to bring it on her next visit to us. Do the 510/520 tables bolt onto the 500 supports?

freedomlives wrote: Aside from the metal bar that keeps the wood separate to prevent kick-backs, what is the metal/plastic guard guarding against? Does it help keep fingers out of the blade when sawing?

If I get one, I think it would be cheaper for me to score a 510 saw guard and table from eBay, and then bring it back after the next trip to the U.S. to visit family or else ask my mother to bring it on her next visit to us. Do the 510/520 tables bolt onto the 500 supports?

The upper guard covers the exposed portion of the blade, making it harder for one to let their fingers wander into that area. Of course taking your time and having 100% focus and attention to what you're doing is the best safety precaution.

I can't speak directly to the compatibility of the 510 saw guard on 500 machines (although I suspect they are not compatible), as for the 510 table, it is not as simple as just getting a 510 table as it won't fit onto your 500. There is a whole suite of new parts needed - the carriage is different, the table and associated floating tables, the side rails and other parts I don't know as I don't have a 510. The upgrade is detailed here:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/500to510.htm

This is a pretty spendy upgrade from Shopsmith and hence why at least over here in the US it's usually much cheaper to find a used 510. As for finding the parts on E-Bay, this seems like a tough route unless you can find someone definitely selling the whole upgrade package or you are definitely able to find all the needed parts from mixed sellers...