I've been following your forum for a couple of months and have really been enjoying it. I figured it was time for me to introduce myself. My name is Pat and I live in Kenosha Wisconsin. I'm closer to 50 than 40 and I help run a power plant for a living.
The last couple of years I've been planning to build a workshop in my basement and it's finally happening. Of course a new shop is no good without tools and I have a few beauties. In October I picked up a nice 10ER with a speedchanger. I am in the process of repainting it and figuring out what to do about a bench. I am trying to decide if I will make one or buy the original Shopsmith legs and wheels.
After learning everything I could about the machine it became clear to me that I would have to pick up a Mark V as well. I want to be able to use all the available accessories, and it is not practical to run them from a 10ER. Sure it can be done, but the brackets, pulleys, belts, & available motor power make it challenging.
So my Craigslist search began. On the Saturday before Christmas I traveled to Lombard, Illinois which is a rather nice Chicago suburb. A 90+ year old gentlemen was selling his Goldie that he had purchased new in 1962. It was in his basement from the day he brought it home and was dirty and had a modest amount of rust on one leg and the way & support tubes. It had all of the original accessories as well as the manuals, PTWFE book, and some sanding discs. I ended up bringing it home for $275. I spent about four hours cleaning it to the condition you see in the pics. I polished the tubes with steel wool and metal polish. I then waxed them with Johnson Paste wax and now the unit and table slide very smoothly. I oiled the machine per the correct procedures and I also oiled up the old bearings with a little turbine oil. The machine runs smooth and quiet until you hit top speed (I need to adjust the upper stop). It is not in perfect condition, but it is too nice in my opinion to warrant a full overhaul. I intend to set it up and adjust it properly and then use it.
The Goldie has the Gilmer Drive and the 1 1/8 h.p. motor. I have picked up an original Magna Belt sander (Green) and have a Shopsmith black & gray scroll/sabre saw coming from eBay. I will be adding a bandsaw when I find a good deal. I also have a nice 6" jointer that was originally sold for a Totalshop clone that I will be using as well.
Well that's enough for tonight, but tomorrow I am going to weigh in on how MickeyD can get his speedchanger apart.
Pat L
