# LOOK WHAT I PICKED UP FOR $50 !!!! Tool Gloat



## Ulma Doctor (May 3, 2013)

I was surfin' through Cl last night and came across an add for a shop smith mark V for $50.
that caught my attention:thinking:
i clicked the link and sure enough a dust dirty mark 5 "greenie" as they are referred to.
they were manufactured from 1954-1960 in this configuration. 
apparently all models can share parts and accessories with ease.
i called the seller and he professed it did'n't run and hasn't run in a long time.
this is right up my alley...:nuts:








i removed the 3/4 hp 115vac drive motor, it is attached to the rear lower motor shield.
 the shield is screwed to the head casting.
the wiring is super simple. it has a DPDT on/off switch, a grounded power cord.
a 225 UF start capacitor, the motor has a centrifugal switch inside for start cap.
i replaced the factory DPDT with a 15a DPDT switch, replaced all the wiring spade connectors.
i bench tested the motor. it fired right off no hesitation and sounded good!!!
i did a little homework on the shopsmith and also realized the v belt was bound up inside the headstock.
after a few taps on the headstock, a whole almond, shell and all ,fell out of the v belt pulley.
it freed up the infinite variable drive system and the pullies were able to turn free again!!!!hew: 
i reset the infinite variable drive to the slowest speed, an operation that is easiest done while the transmission is in operation, but can be done with a little patience ,stationary.
i replaced the wiring and remounted the drive motor.
i plugged her in and hit the switch, she fired right off and came back to life.
i ran her at low speed figuring if there was going to be a bearing failure i'd like to control the collateral damage.i kinda created make shift scatter shield .i draped my welding leathers a over the headstock and tied them off with a couple band clamps to prevent movement. i fired the motor back up and slowly cranked the dial and took her up to full speed, somewhere above 
5,000 rpm and held her there for about 2 minutes or so.
she didn't really like going that fast, the old bearings started to develop a howl.
i cut the experimentation short, knowing the bearings need replacement.
i'll do the bearing replacement in another thread, complete with pictures and descriptions for those interested.

I welcome comments,questions and stories
thanks for looking!


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## Terrywerm (May 3, 2013)

My dad has one just like that - it was originally my grandfather's, and my dad bought it from him in the early 60's.  I've been giving some thought to buying it from my dad when he is ready to get rid of it.

As for the odd number scribed into the machine, is that by chance an 'Operation ID' number??   Operation ID was a theft deterrent program operated by most police departments back in the 70's.  They would issue you a number, you would engrave your number on all of your valuable items, then log all of those items, and give the log to the local PD.


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## GK1918 (May 3, 2013)

This will make ya feel better;  RI C/L  exact same machine  $200


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## Uncle Buck (May 3, 2013)

I think the number is a drivers license number. Those make very heavy duty  drill presses due to the size of the bearings.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 3, 2013)

Hah hah! Good for you Doc!
I had one once that I used for a 'drop down' mortiser from the ceiling.  Unconventional,mount convenient, since I didn't need to mortise very often!


Bernie


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## truckin23 (May 3, 2013)

Uncle Buck is absolutely right it is a California drivers license number 

My Dad use to engrave his on all his tools .

Also Doc great find


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## brasssmanget (May 3, 2013)

Nice find! I've been using one that I inherited from my wife's Grandfather - pretty sure it was dated 1956 - first model run for sure. A lot of miles (RPM"S) on it in the last 30+ years at my house, and I KNOW her Grandpa used it a lot too - I saw many of the things he made with it.

I have since picked up two more, and one extra motor, just because the "price was right" at the time. One went to my youngest son so he can remodel his home and do all the things I got to do as I started a new family way back when.......:whistle: I did burn up a drive shaft (splines), some bearings, and a few belts trying to make it a metal lathe of sorts, and extremely over burdening it!  I have since graduated to a Heavy10 for that kind of stuff, but I still use my ShopSmiths quite frequently..... I'm glad to see another one coming back into production!


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## Charley Davidson (May 3, 2013)

You Suck!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations on saving another cool old machine


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## Ulma Doctor (May 3, 2013)

thanks guys for the posts!!!keep em' coming!!!

i went to the shopsmith website and found out some more info:
my shopsmith was manufactured in 1955 near the end of the 1955 production year.
her serial number after closer examination and crud removal is 315830.
the machines produced in 1955 were from serial# 288541 to 316979.      
that's 28,438 machines in 1955,pretty impressive!


thanks again for reading and participating!

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Uncle Buck said:


> I think the number is a drivers license number. Those make very heavy duty  drill presses due to the size of the bearings.




sometimes the obvious is most overlooked!!!
thanks for catching it for me!:roflmao:

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truckin23 said:


> Uncle Buck is absolutely right it is a California drivers license number
> 
> My Dad use to engrave his on all his tools .
> 
> Also Doc great find




thank you,Truckin'!
 the sun shines on a dog's backside every once and a while!
i actually thought it was gonna be a basketcase..
she needs some bearings and accessories . but i'll put er' back to use real soon!
 i already have parts coming as we read.

it's inconceivable to put a DL# on anything now, with the ease of identity theft these days.

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Charley Davidson said:


> You Suck!!!!!!!!!!
> Congratulations on saving another cool old machine





I FINALLY GOT A TROPHY!
now i just gotta knock out a wall and expand the shop or encroach on living space:thinking:
thanks Charley!!!


just another point of information, the shopsmith site click the link below for those who don't have it:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/markvindex.htm


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## Ulma Doctor (May 3, 2013)

brasssmanget said:


> Nice find! I've been using one that I inherited from my wife's Grandfather - pretty sure it was dated 1956 - first model run for sure. A lot of miles (RPM"S) on it in the last 30+ years at my house, and I KNOW her Grandpa used it a lot too - I saw many of the things he made with it.
> 
> 
> if you tell me the serial # i can tell you the year ,or you can go to
> ...


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## brasssmanget (May 4, 2013)

Ulma Doctor said:


> brasssmanget said:
> 
> 
> > Nice find! I've been using one that I inherited from my wife's Grandfather - pretty sure it was dated 1956 - first model run for sure. A lot of miles (RPM"S) on it in the last 30+ years at my house, and I KNOW her Grandpa used it a lot too - I saw many of the things he made with it.
> ...


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## Ulma Doctor (May 4, 2013)

Yep Brassmagnet, it's 56' alright!
1956' serial#'s were from s/n 316979 to 347643
they made 30,664 that year!

the unit looks well taken care of, thanks for posting the pics and comments!


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## idjeffp (May 4, 2013)

I suspect that CA# is someone's California DL to mark it in case it gets stolen    Done on firearms all the time...

JP


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## master53yoda (May 4, 2013)

The quil bearings got an upgrade in the 90's   They went to a double row angular contact bearing on the output end of the quil and added a single row bearing to the back of the quil.    The angular contact bearing series is the 520? brearings  

 I change out the lower quil bearings to that sereis on any drill press that i'm converting to milling and it resolves the thrust issue on a drill press. 

I have used the shop smith for power to a wood band saw to slow it down for metal cutting and have had good luck with them.    When running slower then the motor speed the torgue increase is substantial compared to a comporable HP DC vary drive  The upper end speed torque is very similiar to a DC drive.
I use my shopsmith mostly for horizontal boring and a wood lathe for freehand turning i use my metal lathe for high tolerance turning of casting patterns etc.

have fun

art


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## seagar (May 4, 2013)

Why arant I around when these bargains are offered. Congratulations have fun using it.

Ian (seagar)


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## woodtickgreg (May 5, 2013)

Cool cl find, just what you needed, another project! LOL That's my problem, too many projects and not enough time. Funny about the almond jamming the works up, who would look for that? Oh I almost forgot......YOU SUCK!........LOL


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## Ulma Doctor (May 6, 2013)

master53yoda said:


> The quil bearings got an upgrade in the 90's   They went to a double row angular contact bearing on the output end of the quil and added a single row bearing to the back of the quil.    The angular contact bearing series is the 520? bearings
> I change out the lower quil bearings to that sereis on any drill press that i'm converting to milling and it resolves the thrust issue on a drill press.
> I have used the shop smith for power to a wood band saw to slow it down for metal cutting and have had good luck with them.    When running slower then the motor speed the torgue increase is substantial compared to a comporable HP DC vary drive  The upper end speed torque is very similiar to a DC drive.
> I use my shopsmith mostly for horizontal boring and a wood lathe for freehand turning i use my metal lathe for high tolerance turning of casting patterns etc.
> art



thanks, Art!!!
the angular contact bearings are a nice touch! i may just have to incorporate them into my scheme....:thinking:
i already see the coolness of the old girl!!
cant wait to make some dust!
)


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## Ulma Doctor (May 6, 2013)

woodtickgreg said:


> Cool cl find, just what you needed, another project! LOL That's my problem, too many projects and not enough time. Funny about the almond jamming the works up, who would look for that? Oh I almost forgot......YOU SUCK!........LOL




thanks Greg!
the best i can figure,
the motor was detached form the headstock for troubleshooting/repair.
some vermin, most likely squirrels, deposited some nuts inside the unit . the other almonds had just the husk and shell with a small hole on one end where the lil devils had eaten the almond from the center.
it was complete dumb luck, i found it by accident!
if i didn't have the motor off for testing, i wouldn't have found it.
reminds me of an old saying...
 i'd rather be lucky than good!

too many projects, and more get dropped in my lap!


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## Ulma Doctor (May 6, 2013)

what's really weird is that i traded for a south bend lathe, a while back.
 the motor wouldn't run because mud dauber wasps made a nest in the motor and jammed the rotor up.
 the motor didn't have enough torque to start!! 

now this strange almond phenomenon jamming the gearbox, combined with a faulty switch.

i'm getting lucky with the easy fixes lately.
in my normal work, i generally am not so lucky...maybe that's why i feel lucky:thinking:


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## BROCKWOOD (May 28, 2017)

Great find at a great price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do I always overpay grummbbbllle


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## kd4gij (May 28, 2017)

Nice score.   and Now you really will become a master wood worker.


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## 4GSR (May 28, 2017)

Hard to believe they are still in business today and still selling Shopsmiths.  
The new Mark 7 base price of $4,279.00.  Far cry from $50!  Anyways, have no room for it even if I could afford it!


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## dlane (May 28, 2017)

Hi Mike, do you still have the shop smith working after 4 years, do you use it much ?


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## Ulma Doctor (May 28, 2017)

dlane said:


> Hi Mike, do you still have the shop smith working after 4 years, do you use it much ?


Hey brother,
i do not have that shopsmith anymore, i gave it to an old neighbor friend about a year after i got it ship shape.
i did replace it with an 1980's version. it has 1.25 hp instead of the 3/4 hp of the old greenie which is a great improvement.
i use the shopsmith mostly for the 12" sanding disc, 10" saw(dado too), and the lathe functions, mostly.
i do have the shaper and router blades, but have not tried them as of yet.
the drill press function works very well for wood bits, but i have 2 other drill presses in the shop so it rarely has seen duty in that facility.

i turned a slug for a mallet head from a seasoned 6" diameter x 8" long straight treelimb valley oak , on the shop smith
it was surprisingly forgiving, although it was a bit scary to start gouging on spinning hardwood.
after a few moments of gouging, the imbalance of the slug started to feel better and run smoother.
i ended up taking the slug down to 4- 3/4" x 7"
it is seasoning for another summer before i bore the handle hole through.

the shopsmith seems to get used a couple times a month on average, but i'd use it more if i had more fun shoptime


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## Ulma Doctor (May 28, 2017)

4gsr said:


> Hard to believe they are still in business today and still selling Shopsmiths.
> The new Mark 7 base price of $4,279.00.  Far cry from $50!  Anyways, have no room for it even if I could afford it!



they are a great machine, but i don't know that i'd get one @ $4K
the new ones are all lit up like a Christmas tree and have fancy LCD displays and superior speed control.
BUT
they will not be functional 50 years from now- the funny part is there is a good chance that the good old school 50's greenie just might still function in another 50 years if maintained!


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## Ulma Doctor (May 28, 2017)

kd4gij said:


> Nice score. and Now you really will become a master wood worker.


i don't know about becoming master woodworker anytime soon, but thank you for the compliments!!!!


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## Ulma Doctor (May 28, 2017)

BROCKWOOD said:


> Great find at a great price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do I always overpay grummbbbllle


Hi Brockwood,
well, i'll put it this way- the sun does shine on a dog's backside every once and awhile.
it was just the sun shining on me that day to be truthful.
i was in the right place at the right time


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