thinking about a purchase

[dmb3428]

Well first off I will say that I have been aware of shopsmith and impressed with what I saw at a demo they put on at my local mall back in the late 1980's. However I was just out of highschool and not having alot of money so the purchase was not possible. One of my dreams is to have a small woodworking shop (hobby) and this machine fits the bill perfect. I have some tools such as saws, routers etc. My question is, are the new models AS well built as some of the older models? I am talking are they still industrial strength or have they been cheapened with the times as many other companies have done. I have been looking for a used model but dont want to drive across several states to pick one up. So a new purchase may be my only choice. thanks......

[admin]

I haven't been around many of the older Shopsmiths, but I can tell you that the same people that were tooling and assembling the Mark V in the 1980's are still doing it today, we even have the same QC manager we had 28 years ago. In fact many improvements have been made since then, including the upgrade to the two bearing quill and the change from the 3/4 hp motor to the 1-1/8 hp motor.

[paulmcohen]

IMHO: The 520 is the best of all the Shopsmiths, the new fence, rip scale... have really improved the old machines. It is extremely hard to find a 520 used and impossible to find one with the newer rip scale.

[dmb3428]

Well I located one tonight locally but dont know all the details about it, 1250 for it and it also has the bandsaw attachment and extras. Dont know what the extra are or what exact model it is till tomorrow but may go look at it. I will only buy if it is in tip top shape....

[muncyjohn]

Well I can't really answer your question about being as sturdy as the old ones or the quality of the newest one (520) but I just purchased a used model 510 with many accessories and I will say I am impressed!

John

[manvelar]

For what it's worth I have an older 500 and a more recently purchased 510 which I upgraded to a 520 - except for the obvious differences in the table, I really can't tell the difference between the two machines. I use one and my wife uses the other.

[dusty]

This is what makes the Shopsmith MkV so great. The design is tried and proven. The changes that have been made are all great improvements. What is really great is that the parts are still available to either repair or to upgrade even the oldest 500.

If needing a motor, one might be forced to buy the 1 1/4 hp, I don't know.

My recommendation - if it's in decent condition and the price is reasonable you can't go wrong.

[cincinnati10]

dmb

I bought my 500 in 1984. Having rebuilt my headstock by disassembling it completely and replacing about $150 in components, I can tell you that I would not hesitate to buy a used machine and do this to it again. They are well made and are a simple design. My control sheave seized to the shaft, (probably from improper lubrication after setting for 23 years). Even the belts seemed good, but it just made sense to change those because they were old. I already had the headstock disassembled.

I have been looking for a good buy on a Mk V that I can refurbish, then upgrade to a 520, or for a used 520.

[sambofl]

As most of the guys on this site know I am new to SS as well I recently aquired my fathers 1955 Mark V and it sat for quite awhile. After I'd say about a month of constant restoration and about 100 dollars or so in new bearings and misc. hardware it runs like a champ. Even if you can't get a newer one A older one is perfect so you can restore it, learn every in and out of a SS and take pride knowing that your particular SS was a large part of the history of wood working. Not to metion the conversation that gets struck up when people come over and see it. Kind of like a 55 Chevy.

[8iowa]

dmb:

Welcome to this great forum!

I purchased my model 500 at a Holiday Inn demo back in '83. I also purchased the bandsaw and jointer. My son and I thought we were in woodworking heaven.

The 500 has since been upgraded to 510 and then later to 520. These upgrades have greatly increased the capability of the basic machine. I can virtually make any cut on large sheets that a cabinetmaker does on his 1000 lb table saw.

Don't let the "stand alone machine" crowd confuse you with the terms "setup" and "changeover". Setup is the settings that you must make on any tool, Shopsmith or otherwise, in order to make the precision cuts that you need for the project at hand. Depending on the complexity, setup can take some time and effort. Sometimes the Shopsmith setup takes a little longer ( ie: floating tables and support legs) but is usually about the same operation as on any other saw.

Changeover is unique to Shopsmith. For example, I can change over from saw to drill press mode in a couple of minutes, sipping coffee in the process. If this is a criticism, consider the cost of building Bob Vila’s 24’x 32’ workshop full of stand alone tools. I have been able to operate out of a little over ½ of a two car garage for 27 years.

By all means, purchase a used Shopsmith and upgrade it to 520 or buy a new machine. Sometimes Shopsmith has demo machines at a discount with full warranty. Add accessories as the budget will allow. You will never be sorry.