500 vs 510 Headstock identification

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:26 am

Is there any way to identifiy a 510 headstock without opening up the case? Is there any difference other than the 2 bearing quill?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:50 am

bucksaw wrote:Is there any way to identifiy a 510 headstock without opening up the case? Is there any difference other than the 2 bearing quill?

500/510 differences are table system.

'510' SN 0xxxxx/or date code(1986 - ??) = 2 bearing quill

'500' SN 19xxxx-22xxxx/or date code = 2 bearing quill.

Red switch = 1991 - present = 2 bearing quill = SLIGHT internal difference. ("C" headstock)

Older '500' MAY have had quill replaced with 2 bearing quill.

Notice 500 MAY have 2 bearing quill.(sn / upgrade)

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:34 pm

bucksaw wrote:Is there any way to identify a 510 headstock without opening up the case? Is there any difference other than the 2 bearing quill?

A 510 is a 500. As jpg40504 said, it's the table system that it came with it. Check the serial number for a number or date code. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/serialnumber.htm
It could be a 500, that's been upgraded at some time.

jnimz · Post by **jnimz** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:41 pm

beeg,

Are you sure about that?

I have a 1996, which I purchased from the original owner. It's a "C" headstock (red safety key switch), with a 510 table.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:09 pm

jnimz wrote:beeg,

Are you sure about that?

I have a 1996, which I purchased from the original owner. It's a "C" headstock (red safety key switch), with a 510 table.

I believe it is, BUT with a minor change, the 505 has been the basic unit for years now.

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:13 pm

I'd go here:
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/faq/markv.htm

It is best to use the company reference when you can.

Ed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:26 pm

reible wrote:I'd go here:
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/faq/markv.htm

It is best to use the company reference when you can.

Ed

Best source of 'information' but, it does not explicitly tell him that what makes a '505' a 505, a '510' a 510 and a '520' a 520 is the table system! They ALL are based on a '500' and they vary as to the table system. The 505 has a larger table than the 500. The 510 adds fence/table improvements. The 520 is a further improvement to table/fence system. These table/fence improvements were created independantly from the head stock changes(quill/switch etc,).

Much of this info IS in the referenced SS summary, but is not quickly obvious.

Why is all this of interest to you? Considering purchasing a used one? Any one can be made into the others(except switch).

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:46 pm

jpg40504

Just wondering if you purposely selective read the post of do you attempt to interpret them to the post? I think you covered the "table system" already... and I think you already added information about switches and the like, however what wasn't listed was the reference. That was the page I pointed out... it is the sort of give a man a fish he eats today but if you teach him to fish so he may eat a life time.

So if you wanted to know what year the headstock was redesigned to "provides more spindle stability" you can find thatas well. It also serves us best to provide readers with source information when it is there. Think of it as the the favorite fishing spot.

Ed

jpg40504 wrote:Best source of 'information' but, it does not explicitly tell him that what makes a '505' a 505, a '510' a 510 and a '520' a 520 is the table system! They ALL are based on a '500' and they vary as to the table system. The 505 has a larger table than the 500. The 510 adds fence/table improvements. The 520 is a further improvement to table/fence system. These table/fence improvements were created independantly from the head stock changes(quill/switch etc,).

Much of this info IS in the referenced SS summary, but is not quickly obvious.

Why is all this of interest to you? Considering purchasing a used one? Any one can be made into the others(except switch).

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:14 pm

reible wrote:jpg40504

Just wondering if you purposely selective read the post of do you attempt to interpret them to the post? I think you covered the "table system" already... and I think you already added information about switches and the like, however what wasn't listed was the reference. That was the page I pointed out... it is the sort of give a man a fish he eats today but if you teach him to fish so he may eat a life time.

So if you wanted to know what year the headstock was redesigned to "provides more spindle stability" you can find thatas well. It also serves us best to provide readers with source information when it is there. Think of it as the the favorite fishing spot.

Ed

I agree with your 'long term' solution! I did NOT mean to "criticize" it. I really meant to clarify what I HAD previously posted in a hopefully clearer language.

I thought 'Bucksaw' originally had an overly simplified understanding of the variations.

My original intent was to 'open' his eyes slightly. Reading the SS listing 'could' cause glazing over of ones eyes thus obscuring understanding.

Hopefully we were BOTH successful in expanding his understanding!:)

Bucksaw: KEEP the questions coming! There are MANY helpful people here!;)

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:03 pm

The reason I asked the original question is because I own a Greenie that I believe is from 1953 (serial #216612) that I'm starting a restore on. I'm pretty sure that my headstock has a single bearing quill and I'd like to change it out to a 2 bearing quill but on the Shopsmith site the conversion kit is only useable on 1984 and newer 500's. I've been looking on eBay and see that I can probably get a newer used headstock in the $200 to $300 range.

So I guess the real question is: How do I identify a headstock that came from the factory with a 2 bearing quill? From the previous post it looks like I can use the serial number.