Shopsmith Forums

Hi Russ,

Do you have any info about drill chucks sold with Shopsmiths? I have several Jacobs chucks, one Imperial, one Supreme, a couple of unknown. These came with used Shopsmith machines in the standard cardboard "box o' parts" they tend to come with.

Hi Ed,

I have just finished reviewing the information I have on Drill Chucks and comparing that to the chucks themselves. The attached PDF contains that information, but I still need to update the picture of the different Drill Chucks.

_ The first 3 Jacobs Multi-Craft Chucks only vary in how they are labeled.

Thanks Russ!

It has been mentioned before in the changes that occurred over the years to the Mark 5/V that there was one change in 1961 around the time going from the Gilmer Drive to the Poly V Drive that

Units with a “C” at the end of their Serial number during this time require a special Quill.

The picture below is the Vent/serial number plate from one of those Mark 5’s. The suffix “C” appears to be hand engraved on the plate after the serial number.

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How was this Quill “special” that differed from the Quill for the Gilmer or Poly V Drives. Was there any other differences? The answer comes from Forum Member John Dalton and his recent addition of a Mark 5 Goldie serial number 369904C made in March of 1961. John has shared information and pictures of those differences. The Headstock parts appear to be original and the V belt even has the Yuba name on it.

The Quill in his “C” suffix Goldie has a shorter outer sleeve. The picture below shows a Quill Assembly on the left from an earlier Mark 5 and the special Quill Assembly on the right.

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That is not the most notable difference though. The Drive Sleeve Assembly has the biggest difference. The center sleeve itself does not have splines but appears to possibly be using the nylon splined cap from the Mark 2 Drive Sleeve Assembly. This is similar in function to the Drive & Ring which is current part number 514083 used on all Mark 5/V’s since the change to the Poly V Drive in 1961 but with six splines. The cap for the Mark 2 and the one used in these Mark 5’s are attached to the Drive Sleeve with two screws. Below is a picture of an early non-clutched Gilmer Drive Sleeve Assembly on the left and the Drive Sleeve Assembly from S/N 369904C on the right.

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John didn’t have one to compare it to so below is a picture of a Clutched Gilmer Drive Sleeve Assembly. The plastic cap seen on this one does not have splines and is a simple friction fit.

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Below is the cap itself from S/N 369904C

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Below is the cap from my Mark 2

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We can only guess why these suffix “C” machines existed. Was it to use up the early 6 splined Quills and Gilmer clutched gears when the center sleeve from the Gilmer Drive Assemblies had all been used up. Using the cap from the Mark 2 Drive Sleeve Assembly appears to have made that possible. So why was it necessary to shorten the outer sleeve of the “special” Quill?

Possibly to use up mark 2 outer sleeves????

The Information I have seen has the Mark 2 introduced in December of 1957 and being made from 1958 to 1960. There was the Powr-Kraft version of the Mark 2. Here are questions I have about when did the Mark 2 really end production. Did Yuba continue to make the Mark 2 under the Powr-Kraft label for Montgomery Ward? If so when did that change occur? Was 1960 the actual end of the Mark 2 production?

It is possible Yuba had Mark 2 Drive Sleeve Assembly parts still in stock coming up to the change from the Gilmer Drive to the Poly V Drive and did indeed use them leading up to the change. Something to still find out is what center Sleeve was used for these "C" suffix tools. It is not the Mark 2 center sleeve from its Drive Sleeve Assembly which is different than those used normally in the Mark 5. It wasn't the one used in the Poly V Drive Sleeve Assembly that does not have internal splines in the actual metal sleeve but has splines on the outside for the Ring & Drive. It wasn't the normal Gilmer center Sleeve which has splines inside the sleeve and it would seem foolish to modify them just to use it for essentially the same Quill Assembly with a shorter Quill outer sleeve. Or did they?

This has me wondering was the "C" suffix Mark 5 simply an experiment to see how the nylon drive cap worked in a Mark 5? If that is true, why go to the trouble of modifying the Drive Sleeve Assembly and the Quill Assembly to test it since they likely had the Poly V Drive parts already engineered and protypes already tested by the time the "C" suffix units came out.

I have my grandpa’s shop smith mark 5 serial number is earlier than the ones on their site mine is 262398. They sent him the improved gilmer belt in August 1954

For anyone wondering about the Serial Number 262398 Davidhaal posted about above I would refer you back to the middle of page 3 where I discussed serial numbers and when they were made.

Improved Gilmer BELT????