Shopsmith Forums

Newbie to the community. I've dreamed of a Shopsmith since the 70s and finally met mine at an estate sale a few years ago. Due to a bout with throat cancer and a shattered femur after that, it has collected dust until recently. It's a 1955 the same year model as me, lol. I recently got a house with a nice size shop so it is now out of a shipping container and getting a good going over. I was very pleased to discover that the motor was upgraded at some point to the 1 1/8th HP motor. Been taking an inventory of all the bits and pieces, it actually came with the air compressor although I haven't fired it up, yet. Also has a Jointer and I purchased a bandsaw not long after getting it. Lot to still learn but waiting on some parts to rebuild the speed control and getting her lubed up and checked out in the meantime. Thanks to the community for all the info that I have already and will continue to gather here!
Now about lubing that upper sheave as I don't have an access hole. Lower was upgraded due to the motor swap.

Drop the motor/pan and all will be revealed.

Not difficult and only needs to be done occasionally.

JPG wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 11:41 pm Drop the motor/pan and all will be revealed.

Not difficult and only needs to be done occasionally.

Thank you Sir! I will do just that in the morning!

Have fun.

JoeyJ55 wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 7:19 pm Now about lubing that upper sheave as I don't have an access hole. Lower was upgraded due to the motor swap.

Welcome to the forum. I'm wondering if you meant you do not have the access hole in the headstock (under the emblem) or do not have the lubrication hole in the control sheave? (Or both.) If it is just the sheave, I'd suggest adding the hole it while you have it apart.

- David

DLB wrote: Tue Mar 15, 2022 9:19 am

JoeyJ55 wrote: Mon Mar 14, 2022 7:19 pm Now about lubing that upper sheave as I don't have an access hole. Lower was upgraded due to the motor swap.

Welcome to the forum. I'm wondering if you meant you do not have the access hole in the headstock (under the emblem) or do not have the lubrication hole in the control sheave? (Or both.) If it is just the sheave, I'd suggest adding the hole it while you have it apart.

- David

I would suggest adding the hole regardless.

Your Mark 5 having the upgrade to the 1-1/8 HP motor is a nice upgrade to have. Did it get upgraded to the Poly V drive also?

You said your Shopsmith is a 1955 but not if it is an "A" Headstock prior to the change in October 1955 or a "B" Headstock made after the change during October. The change is reported as occurring at serial number 312507 and below being "A" Headstocks. The "B" Headstock has the rear access hole under the Logo Plate to make it easier to lubricate the Idler Sheave whereas the "A" Headstock does not.

Oiling both the Motor Pulley movable Sheave and the Idler Shaft movable Sheave is important for continued operation. Unfortunately depending on which early Owner's Manual you have it wasn't well explained in the Maintenance and Lubrication section on page 31 of the manuals until the Oct. 56 Manual we believe is the 6th edition. Only the 2nd edition mentioned lubricating just the Motor sheave prior to the 6th edition. That was definitely an error on Magna's part not including those instructions early on as it is one of the most important maintenance items needed for the Mark 5. Below is the section of page 31 on oiling Sheaves.

_ .
Although the instructions in the page above say remove the "plug button" from the Belt Cover to oil the motor sheave it is much easier to simply remove the screws for the Belt Cover and slide it out of the way on the Way Tubes. This not only gives you better access to oil the motor sheave but also a look at the belts for inspection and how clean it is inside the Headstock.

Depending on when your Mark 5 was made in 1955 it would have come with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th edition of the Owner's Manual.

I had not seen a "plug button" before on Shopsmiths.

Shopsmith had a mfg plant in Berkeley? Hippies building Shopsmiths? Perish the thought!

First saw a plug button on a machine about a year ago. And Shopsmiths are definitely a hippie type thing, like making stuff out of wood man, it's natural.