Shopsmith Forums

Hello, my name is Rick. A few years ago my father gave me his ShopSmith Mk V when I moved from Washington State to Alabama. He bought it in the '80s when he and my mother were living in Central California. After moving up to Washington State, and after putting Mom to rest, he decided he was getting older and just didn't use it anymore.
I brought it and it's accessories with me, but have never been able to find anyplace that had the room to let me use it. I recently got the opportunity to move back west, and I asked my father if he'd like me to bring it back to him. He told me no, that he'd never use it again; he said he'd rather it go to someone who would actually make things with it.
So...I am wondering if you good people might a)identify what all I have, b)give me a fair value of what I have, and c)help me find someone who will take good care of it and get good use out of it. I'm providing photographs. According to the Serial Number on the Headstock(SN# 296305) this is a 1955 Shopsmith Mk V 500.
Thanks so much for any help you can give. If no one has any interest in purchasing it I'll find a place in the trailer and take it back west!

This is a picture of the SN:



These are pictures of the Shopsmith:









And these are pictures of the accessories:






Rick, Phenix City, AL

Unfortunately the resale value of an almost 65 year old ShopSmith is nowhere near it's value to one who understands what it is and what it can do. Going rate is geographically dependent.

You will be more successful seeing that it goes to one who appreciates and will actually use it by mentioning it here as you have done as well as at the SS facebook forum(?). Selling on e-bay or craig'slist will not likely be successful(that geography thing again).

I am curious how you got the main table mounted backwards. Has the carriage been installed backwards? *

* Never mind! I now see the table is NOT mounted in the carriage(which is now in the basket of 'stuff'). It will 'sell' better fully assembled.

I think there are two carriages ... one mounted backwards (relative to the headstock, which has been turned around) and another in the box.

At first I thought the table was reversed, but then I saw the knob for securing the unit in drill press mode. The headstock has been reversed.

The headstock is definitely backwards, and the headstock on the wrong side of the carriage.

Envision lifting the system into drill press position and the quill and drill chuck would be pointing towards the ceiling, not the floor.

Some operation that the original owner may have prompted them to run it that way, but it is indeed backwards on the way tubes.

Everett

And the main table is NOT mounted into the carriage either.

Thanks for the responses! I’ll correct the erroneous assembly. Is it possible that the unit is reversed to facilitate mounting the Planer?

NavyGeo wrote:Thanks for the responses! I’ll correct the erroneous assembly. Is it possible that the unit is reversed to facilitate mounting the Planer?

You have a jointer, not a planer. Regardless the 'misassembly' does not affect the jointer mounting.

Again, thank to each of you who has responded. Since many of you have been so helpful with letting me know correct installations, I've decided to bring the Shopsmith to my carport from storage and I'm going to attempt to get everything fitted correctly, and to make an area to keep extras.
With luck I'll have it home on Sunday or Monday. After that I'll give it a good cleaning/servicing and then I'll send some better photographs.

Good luck with finding someone willing to pay money for it. I’ve been trying to sell one for years.

bambisagucio wrote: ↑Tue May 24, 2022 11:56 am Good luck with finding someone willing to pay money for it. I’ve been trying to sell one for years.

Hmmm...