heathicus
03-16-2009, 04:36 PM
It's been a while since I've posted, but I still enjoy reading the posts here. Since having an old 10ER given to me this past year, my "Shopsmith Fever" has only gotten worse. I've been on the lookout for 10ER or Mark V machines for sale locally. But no luck. So I placed a "Wanted To Buy" type add in the Thrifty Nickel a few weeks back. My hope was to have a second complete 10ER for myself and hopefully part out to eBay the rest of what I bought to maybe break even. I'm not looking to sink a lot of money into this, nor am I looking at becoming a Shopsmith parts dealer either!
Well, I've only received 3 calls since then. One guy with a Mark V who wanted $1,200. Seems a tad high to me but even if it's not, it's more than I want to spend. The other call was for a 10ER with a bandsaw in good condition for $100. I went ahead and picked it up, but if that ER was in "good condition," then Detroit is a Utopian mecca of peace and harmony and prosperity. I detailed that purchase on the 10ER Yahoo group and won't repeat it here.
The other call was from an older gentleman who has a Mark V and he just wants it to go to someone who will use it (meaning, if I buy it, it would be for me to keep because I'd feel like a real heel buying under those pretenses and then parting it out). He said one of his brothers-in-law had borrowed it and he's going to try to track it down. He's a Shopsmith fan and has a 2nd Mark V which he still uses and has a fully equipped woodworking shop. We had a great chat and he invited me over for coffee sometime to talk shop and I just may take him up on that.
Anyway, if you're wondering if this novel is getting somewhere, I'm finally to the point of this post. The gentleman said that, while it is in overall great condition, kept out of the weather and cared for and such, it does need some repair. The logo plate which covers the maintenance hole is missing and he said there were two belts visible inside - a thin belt and a wide belt. The wide belt drives (or is driven by - not sure which) a "cog" (his word). The teeth/notches/grooves on that "cog" have worn down so the belt tends to slip. He called Shopsmith many years ago to see about having the headstock rebuilt. The cost would have been about $500, so he decided against it.
Now, I know next to nothing about the Mark 5. I've rebuilt a 10ER (and am about to rebuild a second one), but I've never actually seen a Mark V in person. For you Mark V experts, does the info above give you any clues on the age/era of this machine? Can you tell me anything about this "cog" that has worn down and what it would take to replace it? I'll need to take this into account before I decide to buy it or not.
When he has retrieved the machine and calls me back, if possible, I'll try to take some pictures to post here. Until then, I'm afraid I can't really provide any additional information.
Well, I've only received 3 calls since then. One guy with a Mark V who wanted $1,200. Seems a tad high to me but even if it's not, it's more than I want to spend. The other call was for a 10ER with a bandsaw in good condition for $100. I went ahead and picked it up, but if that ER was in "good condition," then Detroit is a Utopian mecca of peace and harmony and prosperity. I detailed that purchase on the 10ER Yahoo group and won't repeat it here.
The other call was from an older gentleman who has a Mark V and he just wants it to go to someone who will use it (meaning, if I buy it, it would be for me to keep because I'd feel like a real heel buying under those pretenses and then parting it out). He said one of his brothers-in-law had borrowed it and he's going to try to track it down. He's a Shopsmith fan and has a 2nd Mark V which he still uses and has a fully equipped woodworking shop. We had a great chat and he invited me over for coffee sometime to talk shop and I just may take him up on that.
Anyway, if you're wondering if this novel is getting somewhere, I'm finally to the point of this post. The gentleman said that, while it is in overall great condition, kept out of the weather and cared for and such, it does need some repair. The logo plate which covers the maintenance hole is missing and he said there were two belts visible inside - a thin belt and a wide belt. The wide belt drives (or is driven by - not sure which) a "cog" (his word). The teeth/notches/grooves on that "cog" have worn down so the belt tends to slip. He called Shopsmith many years ago to see about having the headstock rebuilt. The cost would have been about $500, so he decided against it.
Now, I know next to nothing about the Mark 5. I've rebuilt a 10ER (and am about to rebuild a second one), but I've never actually seen a Mark V in person. For you Mark V experts, does the info above give you any clues on the age/era of this machine? Can you tell me anything about this "cog" that has worn down and what it would take to replace it? I'll need to take this into account before I decide to buy it or not.
When he has retrieved the machine and calls me back, if possible, I'll try to take some pictures to post here. Until then, I'm afraid I can't really provide any additional information.