Shopsmith Forums

Yesterday my wife officially diagnosed me with the same condition that many of you have. A few months ago a friend gave me a 1955 Greenie. I'm not even done restoring that one, let alone the jointer and jigsaw that came with it, when lo and behold, a second one followed me home yesterday.

But it wasn't my fault. I have been watching Craigslist for a bandsaw in my area, when I found this new one. It's a 1984 Mk V 500. It didn't come with the bandsaw that I am still looking for, but for $250 I couldn't turn it down.

Here's what my money bought me:

1984 Mk V 500
main table, fence, aux table, miter gauge with hold down clamp
Jointer (disassembled basket case, but new knives in wrapper)
2 Shopsmith steel blades (one SS size blade arbor)
5 carbide blades
Shopsmith stacked dado set (minus the arbor)
owners manual
woodworking course binder
push blocks and fence straddler
12" sanding disk
drum sander
tool rest and tailstock with spur drive and dead centers
casters
drill chuck (no key)
power coupler and all hubs

The seller claims that his friend broke the speed control about 5 years ago so he shipped the headstock off to a SS authorized repair center to have it repaired and reconditioned. I haven't dropped the motor pan yet to have a look inside and clean it out, but it ran up and down through the speeds nicely; I think he was telling the truth. I'll know more after I dig into it. He was selling it because his business isn't doing real well and he is moving.

I plan to use it to finish up my Greenie (spinning the tubes and drilling the oil holes in the sheaves). After that I'll probably sell it to my brother for a little bit of a profit, and put the money towards the bandsaw I'm after. My brother just moved to a new house on 10 acres with a barn, so he's planning his own shop set-up.

I'll post some pictures when I get the chance.

Do not worry.


I have not finished the second or the third or the fourth nor started refurbing the first. If a fifth comes along it will have to get in line. Space(lack thereof) has become a detriment to meaningful progress.

You do not have it bad yet!

Ya done good!!

My personal experience is that giving away my "extra" SS was something I have come to regret. I have two, and think of that as a minimum requirement now, but wouldn't mind still having the 3rd one.

Are you posting pics of the rebuild on the first one? We LOVE to watch one come together.

(Yeah, some of us really don't have lives....)

fiatben wrote: Are you posting pics of the rebuild on the first one? We LOVE to watch one come together.

I am indeed:

Modifying/Upgrading a 1955 Greenie

Reversing a 1955 A. O. Smith 3/4 HP Motor

Between family and work, I work on it 20 minutes here and 30 minutes there. It's a slow process, but I'm moving forward.



PS: The guy I bought the new 1985 Mk V from called and said he found the dado arbor, a lathe center, and a few other pieces (possibly the chuck key), so I'll pick them up tomorrow.

Where can I find/buy these two parts?

I know there was some discussion a week or two ago on Part B, so if i can't find a replacement I can get a similar one which will work (C-clip).

What about Part A? If it isn't available by itself, is there an easily-obtained substitute, short of starting off with a brass rod and a file?

Culprit wrote:Where can I find/buy these two parts?

I know there was some discussion a week or two ago on Part B, so if i can't find a replacement I can get a similar one which will work (C-clip).

What about Part A? If it isn't available by itself, is there an easily-obtained substitute, short of starting off with a brass rod and a file?

I finally got convinced that a large c-clip will work. I have not found one to try.

I think an o-ring will replace the missing stem ring. It only has to keep the caster from dropping out when off the floor.

As another alternative, the Menard's caster that is referenced in JPG's thread on the Shopsmith caster replacements comes with the keeper installed. The entire caster with the keeper (2 inch) is only about $4.

On two occasions I purchased used stands that had wheels that would not stay in the holder. One night I was so disgusted I took a screwdriver and stretched the O ring ever so slightly. Bingo they wheel stems stay in place perfectly. Jim

JPG40504 wrote:I finally got convinced that a large c-clip will work. I have not found one to try.

I think an o-ring will replace the missing stem ring. It only has to keep the caster from dropping out when off the floor.

I used a 7/8" Hillman E-clip from the drawers at Lowe's and it works perfectly.

I also used a rubber O-ring. I had to cut a small notch in the o-ring to let air escape, otherwise it just compressed the air and popped right back out when I let it go.

Thanks again, guys.

While taking this 1984 Mark V-B apart to IROAN (inspect and replace only as necessary - not a full restore/re-build), I found sheaves that had been drilled for balancing.

Since the only other SS I've laid my hands on is my 1955 Greenie, I want to ask, did the factory put forth the effort to balance each sheave as they built the machines, or is this the work of a previous owner? Keep in mind that the previous owner I bought it from said he shipped it to CA a few years ago (2004-2005) for a rebuild since a friend of his broke the speed control by turning it when the machine was off. So it's possible that whoever he shipped it to in CA balanced the sheaves.