Shopsmith Forums

I can now admit I have a problem. I was looking on Craigslist this morning for anything Shopsmith related. I saw a posting for a Shopsmith locally at a tag sale and decided to take a drive. On first inspection I was impressed with the condition. Very minor rusting on the tubes and leg bases, but everything else looked good. He said he had bought it years ago from an old timer for $180 and was looking to get $150. I low balled him at $75 and he took it! My main idea is to use my three machines to make one very nice, complete machine.
This fella appears to be from 1959 or so and is a greenie with the glimer drive 3/4 hp motor. I'm hoping some parts are interchangable with the newer Mark V I have. Are the headstock casings the same?






Hopefully it was a good pick up!

Good indeed!

There are three versions of the headstock castings. All are dimensionally interchangable.

If your 1959 estimate is correct, it is a B of A,B,C. Same as early Mark V. C headstocks have the square hole for the newer power switch. A headstocks were sand cast and are heavier and have a rougher appearance(as well as a couple more 'features').

Thanks JPG. I did pull the trigger on the purchase before realizing it was a different style drive system then my Mark V I have at home. I will do a little research on converting the 3/4 to the 1 1/8 poly V drive system.
Funny thing is I now have a Mark V Poly drive, a Mark V Glimer drive and a Mark V11. All different in their own ways. I could get a 10er and a Mark 2 and complete the collection

jayp413 wrote: I will do a little research on converting the 3/4 to the 1 1/8 poly V drive system.

Save up about $500/600. dollars first for parts.

beeg wrote:Save up about $500/600. dollars first for parts.

Ok maybe not

But why convert? How do you intend to use it. Pretty much all the SPT's are overpowered with a 1 1/8 hp motor attached to a speed control.

Makes some sense if you need to replace a part, but not so much so otherwise.

10 E/ER good, Mark 2 - not so good!

There are sawsmith models also!!!

JPG40504 wrote:But why convert? How do you intend to use it.

I plan on rebuilding a Mark V headstock with the possibilty of changing the motor to my Mark V11 motor and mounting it on the Mark V11 base. Basically making it a Mark V11 for the cheapest amount possible and with Mark V parts for ease of maintanance and repair!

A picture of the SS. I couldn't find an exact match but the closet was October 1959

jayp413 wrote:Thanks JPG. I did pull the trigger on the purchase before realizing it was a different style drive system then my Mark V I have at home. I will do a little research on converting the 3/4 to the 1 1/8 poly V drive system.
Funny thing is I now have a Mark V Poly drive, a Mark V Glimer drive and a Mark V11. All different in their own ways. I could get a 10er and a Mark 2 and complete the collection

I am putting most of what you need on a popular auction site, some is there already and the rest will be there tomorrow.

Last I looked the motor/upgraded switch/power cord was going for $60, and the drive upgrade will start at $20.