All great advice you’re getting from the group here. I would add that the price you may command will be very dependent on the sorts of accessories that are included. Are you talking bandsaw/jointer/belt sander/jigsaw type accessories, or are you talking lots of saw blades, arbors, sanding and other small accessories? If it’s the former, each of those might add $150-200 to a package price that starts with the base Mark 5 system that alone is likely only in the $200-300 value range. If it’s the latter, those don’t likely add much to the value of the machine, and you’re still in a $200-300 range.
A couple of things to remember:
- These systems are generally worth less than the sum of the parts. If you want to maximize your overall return, you’ll have to take the time to sell components individually. If your grandfather would want to see it kept together, you may be selling a buyer more than they want or need, so may effectively have to “throw in” some items to keep it together.
- Buyers won’t pay a premium for “classic” machines. While there have been changes and improvements made over the years, functionally they’re the same machine for the last 65+ years, so while a 1950s machine may be made of more robustly constructed components than it’s modern equivalent, most buyers would opt for a newer model… just because it’s newer.
To make your most effective sale, make sure it’s cleaned up (how many ads have we all seen asking way too much for a ratty/rusty machine pictured in a barn covered with trash?!), and take lots of good pictures with the accessories in place, and featuring the main machine in its 5 primary functions. Chances are, your prospective buyer is unfamiliar with all the cool things a Shopsmith will do, and if you show that person some possibilities they weren’t considering, you may get a more premium price.
Or maybe you decide to hang out on these forums more, get some great advice from enthusiasts, and keep it for yourself! Either way, good luck!
