Questions on new to me Mark V
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:52 pm
Hi all,
After years of lusting after Shopsmith at county fairs and home shows I was all ready to plop down my money at the recent LA County Fair and buy one. Imagine my surprise when for the first year in memory there was NO Shopsmith booth.
It worked out for the best (I think.) I decided to start looking for a used unit and found an un-used unit on Craig's List. This guy had purchased a Mark V 520 back in 2001 and had never even taken it out of the box. It still had the shipping bands on the box!! This unit came with the bandsaw, planer and jointer, along with about 20 extra lathe chisels, extra bandsaw blades, 12 extra saw blades, etc.
It didn't take me 7 years to set it up; had it put together and made the initial setup adjustments that day. I haven't fired it up yet though, and here's my concern:
After sitting in a garage for seven years in less than ideal long-term storage conditions, what should I look at before using my new Shopsmith? Can I expect the belts to be shot? Any bearings or sheaves I need to lubricate in any of these tools? The drive gears on the planer and the table surface of the jointer are showing some light rust. I think I can clean up the jointer with some fine steel wool and some light machine oil. What about the planer drive gears? Also need to clean and re-lubricate the table height adjustment chain on the planer. It has some grit and dog hair on it. Anything else I need to look at or worry about?
Now if the traveling academy would just make it back to SoCal.....
After years of lusting after Shopsmith at county fairs and home shows I was all ready to plop down my money at the recent LA County Fair and buy one. Imagine my surprise when for the first year in memory there was NO Shopsmith booth.
It worked out for the best (I think.) I decided to start looking for a used unit and found an un-used unit on Craig's List. This guy had purchased a Mark V 520 back in 2001 and had never even taken it out of the box. It still had the shipping bands on the box!! This unit came with the bandsaw, planer and jointer, along with about 20 extra lathe chisels, extra bandsaw blades, 12 extra saw blades, etc.
It didn't take me 7 years to set it up; had it put together and made the initial setup adjustments that day. I haven't fired it up yet though, and here's my concern:
After sitting in a garage for seven years in less than ideal long-term storage conditions, what should I look at before using my new Shopsmith? Can I expect the belts to be shot? Any bearings or sheaves I need to lubricate in any of these tools? The drive gears on the planer and the table surface of the jointer are showing some light rust. I think I can clean up the jointer with some fine steel wool and some light machine oil. What about the planer drive gears? Also need to clean and re-lubricate the table height adjustment chain on the planer. It has some grit and dog hair on it. Anything else I need to look at or worry about?
Now if the traveling academy would just make it back to SoCal.....
hoagie,