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Inherited machine
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2021 8:41 pm
by andyn
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2021 10:26 pm
by JPG
I am gonna say 1953. It is an "A" headstock which is the earliest. I think the 56 document did not come with it.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2021 1:15 pm
by chapmanruss
andyn,
First off welcome to the Shopsmith Forum. JPG is close on when it was made. Serial Number 261168 was likely made in March 1954 the same time as the Mark 5 was introduced. The first serial numbers listed are for April 1954 starting with 263051. In the pictures you show a sales brochure dated 1956 but called it a manual. If you do not have the Owner's Manual for it check under the
Maintenance and Repair section for
Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More by Everett Davis. This will be one of the first three topics. In it you will find a wealth of information on the Shopsmith tools. Some are directly linked there and others are on “
My Google Drive” with documents too large to be directly linked. Under
1954+ Mark 5 you will find 3 restored manuals in PDF format and yours will be the first manual. It is linked below.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... SZLh9CHCsv
Everett has become the Shopsmith historian by saving and restoring manuals and other documents.
It will be helpful for you to have the correct Manual which includes the exploded parts drawings and list. There were many changes made to the Mark 5 in those early years especially the Headstock. It is, of course, possible that changes or upgrades have been made to your Mark 5 but we can help you with that. Your Mark 5 has the "A" headstock which has one drawback. There isn't an access point to lubricate the Idler Shaft pulley sheave and Speed Control worm gear without taking the headstock partly apart. The "B" headstock out in late 1955 corrected this.
If you haven't read it yet you may enjoy the following Forum Thread.
Shopsmith Mark 5 What When and Where
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=24963
Remember we are happy to help. Just ask questions here and add pictures to help explain your questions.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 1:58 am
by ShoptimusPrime
Heads up, you're missing the way tie bar part number 50426401. It locks the way tubes to the base. I'd advise that you install a new one or find it in a box before you attempt to use your shopsmith
It's a great machine and will be a joy to use . Take your time and learn it inside and out. Harbor freight sells a nice little electronic tach reader if you do a full tear down of the speed control assembly. It's not hard to do and is a great time to clear out any old and compacted sawdust from the worm gear and surrounding parts. I've been getting in the habbit of polishing all of the aluminum parts in the speed control assembly to a mirror finish and then a nice coat/polish of jpw on the contact surfaces. Glides like a dream. I use mother's mag and aluminum polish. Also check out the retrofit idea that replaces the original roll pin on the quadrant. I've done this modification on three machines and about to do it on a fourth. Works great.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 10:00 am
by JPG
ShoptimusPrime wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 1:58 am
Heads up,
you're missing the way tie bar part number 50426401. It locks the way tubes to the base. I'd advise that you install a new one or find it in a box before you attempt to use your shopsmith
It's a great machine and will be a joy to use . Take your time and learn it inside and out. Harbor freight sells a nice little electronic tach reader if you do a full tear down of the speed control assembly. It's not hard to do and is a great time to clear out any old and compacted sawdust from the worm gear and surrounding parts. I've been getting in the habbit of polishing all of the aluminum parts in the speed control assembly to a mirror finish and then a nice coat/polish of jpw on the contact surfaces. Glides like a dream. I use mother's mag and aluminum polish. Also check out the retrofit idea that replaces the original roll pin on the quadrant. I've done this modification on three machines and about to do it on a fourth. Works great.
Good Catch!!!
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:43 pm
by chapmanruss
ShoptimusPrime, good catch on the way tube tie. I didn't look that close at the pictures originally.
andyn,
Now with a closer look I did notice the Idler Shaft which is the one surrounded by the vent serial number plate seems to be retracted inward indicating the Idler Shaft Bearing is not seated properly in the housing. As I said in my earlier post there were a several changes made to the headstock early on. One was the addition of bearing retainers to help hold the Idler Shaft Bearing properly in the housing. The bearing should be flush with the housing. The clamping bolt didn't seem to be enough to do that and overtightening the clamping bolt will break the mounting. If you go back to Everett's My Google Drive and look at the second or third Mark 5 Manual you can see the A 3274 Bearing Retainers in the exploded parts view. Another change soon made to the headstock was the Drive Sleeve Assembly adding a clutch to it. The original Drive Sleeve Assembly was not clutched and was more prone to breaking the Gilmer Belt.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 4:21 pm
by DLB
The machine looks to be in great shape, congratulations. It looks to me like it still has the two-wire (ungrounded) power cord. IIWM I would switch to a three wire cord and ground the chassis. SS implemented this change a long time ago, the ground is usually attached somewhere on the motor case. For metal chassis equipment a grounded chassis is much safer. The older they get the greater the risk of a short to chassis due to degraded or frayed insulation, an inherently dangerous condition.
- David
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:32 pm
by andyn
Thanks for all this info Russ! I hadn't had time to look at all the sticky's, appologies for asking questions that were likely in there. I appreciate all your help!
chapmanruss wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 1:15 pm
andyn,
First off welcome to the Shopsmith Forum. JPG is close on when it was made. Serial Number 261168 was likely made in March 1954 the same time as the Mark 5 was introduced. The first serial numbers listed are for April 1954 starting with 263051. In the pictures you show a sales brochure dated 1956 but called it a manual. If you do not have the Owner's Manual for it check under the
Maintenance and Repair section for
Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More by Everett Davis. This will be one of the first three topics. In it you will find a wealth of information on the Shopsmith tools. Some are directly linked there and others are on “
My Google Drive” with documents too large to be directly linked. Under
1954+ Mark 5 you will find 3 restored manuals in PDF format and yours will be the first manual. It is linked below.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... SZLh9CHCsv
Everett has become the Shopsmith historian by saving and restoring manuals and other documents.
It will be helpful for you to have the correct Manual which includes the exploded parts drawings and list. There were many changes made to the Mark 5 in those early years especially the Headstock. It is, of course, possible that changes or upgrades have been made to your Mark 5 but we can help you with that. Your Mark 5 has the "A" headstock which has one drawback. There isn't an access point to lubricate the Idler Shaft pulley sheave and Speed Control worm gear without taking the headstock partly apart. The "B" headstock out in late 1955 corrected this.
If you haven't read it yet you may enjoy the following Forum Thread.
Shopsmith Mark 5 What When and Where
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=24963
Remember we are happy to help. Just ask questions here and add pictures to help explain your questions.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:34 pm
by andyn
Oh, wow thank you! Found an original green one on eBay for $10.... I was trying to decide that the handle and screw were for, now it makes sense!
ShoptimusPrime wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 1:58 am
Heads up, you're missing the way tie bar part number 50426401. It locks the way tubes to the base. I'd advise that you install a new one or find it in a box before you attempt to use your shopsmith
It's a great machine and will be a joy to use . Take your time and learn it inside and out. Harbor freight sells a nice little electronic tach reader if you do a full tear down of the speed control assembly. It's not hard to do and is a great time to clear out any old and compacted sawdust from the worm gear and surrounding parts. I've been getting in the habbit of polishing all of the aluminum parts in the speed control assembly to a mirror finish and then a nice coat/polish of jpw on the contact surfaces. Glides like a dream. I use mother's mag and aluminum polish. Also check out the retrofit idea that replaces the original roll pin on the quadrant. I've done this modification on three machines and about to do it on a fourth. Works great.
Re: Inherited machine
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:35 pm
by andyn
This sounds a little more intimidating but I'm sure I will get the idea by looking at the documents. Thank you!
chapmanruss wrote: ↑Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:43 pm
ShoptimusPrime, good catch on the way tube tie. I didn't look that close at the pictures originally.
andyn,
Now with a closer look I did notice the Idler Shaft which is the one surrounded by the vent serial number plate seems to be retracted inward indicating the Idler Shaft Bearing is not seated properly in the housing. As I said in my earlier post there were a several changes made to the headstock early on. One was the addition of bearing retainers to help hold the Idler Shaft Bearing properly in the housing. The bearing should be flush with the housing. The clamping bolt didn't seem to be enough to do that and overtightening the clamping bolt will break the mounting. If you go back to Everett's My Google Drive and look at the second or third Mark 5 Manual you can see the A 3274 Bearing Retainers in the exploded parts view. Another change soon made to the headstock was the Drive Sleeve Assembly adding a clutch to it. The original Drive Sleeve Assembly was not clutched and was more prone to breaking the Gilmer Belt.