Sorry this is a super long comment... Scott I recently found your channel and am loving it! I am the Head of a small Christian School in Colorado. We often get people dumping illegally dumping stuff in the back alley of our campus.. About three weeks ago as I was walking the campus I saw a pile of scrap metal in the back. In the middle of the pile I noticed a Shopsmith logo. Turns out someone dumped a Mark V, completely in pieces, in the pile. I grabbed everything I could find and brought it home. Went through it cleaning, replacing a frozen bearing and removing way too much rust...three weeks later it lives! Missing a few parts that I am checking Craigslist for but it runs like a champ. Your video on removing rust from a jointer was a huge help. I found a jig saw on Craigslist today that has it's own stand. Picking it up on Sunday. I have wanted a Shopsmith for many years and just can't believe one fell in my lap. Any advice for a Shopsmith newbie? Coop
That's so awesome that you are facilitating the resurrection of that Mark V! (See what I did there?) It sounds like you are off to a good start and the only thing I could add is to enjoy the adventure. The hunt for parts and knowledge is half of the fun. Thanks for watching and commenting. Scott
From my experience over the past nearly 40 years working with a Shopsmith, I believe the "old" Jig Saw can do nearly as well as the best scroll saw. That said, there is a disadvantage with the Jig Saw in doing a number of interior cuts where the blade has to be released and inserted into a drilled hole. It works but it sure isn't convenient. But the Jig Saw can do some other amazing things that the scroll saw can't and I hope Scott shows that in a future video.
Absolutely right. The lower blade block on the scroll saw pivots forward, not only making pierce cuts easy, but also preventing the thin blade from being bent. Yes, more to come. Scott
Scott, even though I have had the Shopsmith jigsaw for 15+ years I learned a lot from this video. I am looking forward to your next video on this subject! Actually I look forward to all of your videos!!!
I know this comment is way late but I just saw this episode. Still another thing you can do with this tool is use a narrow strip of sandpaper or emery cloth instead of a blade. It makes a wonderful edge sander for detail work if you don't mind the edge being sanded to a slight roundover / bull nose / convex / soft shape. For the trivets I was making, I was actively seeking that softer edge shape on a 3/4" thick edge. It was wonderful!
I did not know what a marvelous tool the SSmith jigsaw was/is. My god, the forethought that was put into it. If I see one, I’m gunna nab it! Thank you again for a well presented video. Most excellent.
Yeah, once again it was developed by John Edgemond and Hans Goldschmidt, the guys who designed the Mark V, the SS bandsaw, etc. They really hit a groove. Scott
Scott... that was pretty cool. I passed on buying a used one a few years ago. I thought it looked like a whimpy little wannabe! About 25 years ago, I got what I thought was a steal of a deal. A neighbor sold me his jigsaw for $20. It was a Montgomery Ward Power Craft from the 1950’s. The table, arm and frame housing were all cast iron. Power was provided through a v-belt connected to an electric motor. Both were mounted on a 1”X12”X24” board. It only had about 1/2” of stroke. The hold down foot was adjustable up and down but not front to rear. It was supposed to act as a blade backup. However, because it couldn’t be moved in and out... it was difficult to accurately position the blade in the chucks for it to work effectively. But the most maddening feature was blade tensioning. The upper chuck was spring loaded. It only had about 9/16” of compression height within its working height. That meant, at top dead center you could only have 1/16” of compressive tension on the blade. Three problems manifested themselves: 1- With too much tension, the spring would bottom out on the first down stroke and snap the ends of the blade off at the set screw in the chuck. B- With two little tension the upstroke caused the blade to bend. It would break in just a few strokes. 3- If serendipity, trial and error plus a bible full of 4 leaf clovers landed you in the exact sweet spot for optimum distance between the two chucks... the ‘galloping’ that you showed was standard operating procedure. As a result, every cut was chattered and... a 12” cut without shattering the blade was a cause for celebration. I changed the pulley size to slow it down. Then I Lubed everything I could find. Taking it into my local Montgomery Ward store... which by then had long since quit selling woodworking tools... only brought head scratching from their service center... So, without further hope, I parked it under a table in my shop. It sat there for about 15 years until last month. During my spring shop cleaning I pulled it out and bid adieu to it. A scrap dealer gave me $10 for it... he was enamored with the electric motor. So, now I have a little extra space and a lifetime supply of jigsaw blades. Had I kept it for just one more month, your video might have inspired me to take another look at getting it running. But, alas that temptation is gone!
Wow, I can see how that experience could cure any desire for a jigsaw! Many of those Powr-Kraft tools were made by Magna, but were nowhere close to the Shopsmith line, which Ward also sold. Thanks for sharing. Scott
Another great video, Scott. I have an original Magna Jigsaw. interestingly my dad must have bought it when the “Goldie’ was sold because it is brown and copper colored rather than the Shopsmith grey. Everything you went through was spot on. The only other maintenance/restoration item I ran into…under the Magna logo plate on the lower assembly, there is a gasket. While the oil reservoir may not be that high, when the gasket dries out, it leaks out through that spot. I used the old one as a template and cut myself a new one from a sheet of cork…problem solved and it has never leaked 35 year since.
Perfect, Michael. Didn't I mention the gasket? I must have in the follow-up video. It's awesome that they can still do their job all these years on. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings actually the one question I had was…given I don’t think the mothership has a lot of spare parts for the original jigsaw…can u still get parts for the tiawanese model? Would they fit a SS? Thinking of non major parts.
One other minor addition I thought of..,back in the SS store days they used to offer (I think Olson brand) spiral jigsaw blades. I used them with great success because not only could you cut ‘in any direction’ with less worry about breaking a thin blade around a tight corner, but it also removes the ‘18” capacity constraint. Of corse able to do that in Sabre mode w/ wide blades, but I’m referring to cutting a fine spiral. If you have a big workpiece - with a straight blade ur wanting to spin 360 degrees, but with the spiral blade you can just cut in a different direction (cutting the spiral without spinning the piece. I did this when I made Norm’s delft rack.
OBTW, watched the video again to make sure I didnt miss it. The gasket I was referring to is under the housing cover (old Magna part 502270). The owners manual. Really doesn’t even talk about removing it….I assume its not something a user would have to remove. But, when I was refurbishing my dad’s the gasket had started to leak. So if I would have just filled it with oil, it would have leaked out eventually and I would be running dry and not known it (other than at the 3 hour recommended maintenance interval). Just figured that for those of us still salvaging old Magna or SS units…it’s likely something that may need to be replaced if the unit has been ‘sitting around dry’ for long periods.
There are a couple of these for sale on EBay. At least one of them is a Shop Smith. Hmmmmm ... lol. YOU'RE KILLIN' MY WALLET !! Beat me, hurt me and make me write bad checks !! lol !! Looks like a great little addition to the shop !! Thanks for ANOTHER great video Scott !!
Scott- I picked one up. What oil do I put in the oil bath. Mine did not have the plastic removed either! The well was dry but fortunately the unit was never powered up. Let me know. Thanks Scott Jon Hunter Supporter
Great video, looking forward to this series. The cliff hanger lives! "Tune in next week at this same Bat-Time on this same Bat-Channel." First impression having only watched the Jig Saw and Scroll Saw videos and never used either, I like the Jig Saw over the Scroll Saw. But I do recognize a common design paradox in that it can be flexible or simple, but not both. The Jig Saw seemed to require a bit more fiddling with knobs and set screws than did the Scroll Saw.
Depends upon the age and the manufacture (Magna Engineering, Yuba, Magna American Shopsmith Inc.). I suspect if you put it up for sale on eBay that it would sell for $200-300. The difference seems to depend on the working of the listing and the quality of the photos. If you sold it on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist you'll get $75-100.
As usual your teaching me ,things I didn't know Going to dig it out of the corner, and get ready for the ,next schooling in up coming video. Got to get that membership done. ( what a slacker Iam
Just got another new to me..but newer than my current shop smith with a jointer and several shapers. Going back to watch the jointer vids so I can get it cleaned up and going. Thanks for all the nice vids!
Very informative; like all your videos! I have just about finished overhauling one I acquired a few weeks ago. I just noticed as it was going back together that the input shaft is 1/2" not 5/8" like everything else in the Shopsmith world. Is yours the same way? I tried studying this video to see that detail but couldn't make it out. Do you know if there a coupling with a 1/2" ID fitting?
@@EricFrazier-c2i Yes, that is correct. All of the jigsaw drive shafts were 1/2”, and yes, SS made a drive hub to fit it which works with that standard drive coupling.
@@MyGrowthRings Thanks for the info, Scott. I was able to find the 1/2"drive hub. I had taken it off and put it with my little collection of others when I disassembled the saw, not realizing it was a different size! Got it back in action now!
Very interesting. Why did Shopsmith stop making them? Was it because they felt the scroll saw would replace it? Also wondering why Shopsmith got rid of the academy and local retail stores? Assuming to cut costs to sustain profitability? If this was the strategy, was it successful? There is such a need for your channel from us SS owners. SS should be paying you to support their products!
Lots of great questions, Anne. The jigsaw was retired because the demand from the entire market switched to scroll saws. Because they provide constant tension to the blade your blades last much longer and you can make sharper turns. Shopsmith Inc made a number of attempts to save their retail business and the attached woodworking academies, but in the end it was just too had to keep up with the retail demands and the low margins that tools were generating. There might have been other options that might have succeeded, but Monday morning quarterbacking is worth what you pay for it. I’m happy to help where I can and am clearly a fan of the tools and a supporter of its users. Scott
Thank you for the great video Scott! I have the ShopSmith branded jigsaw and I cleaned and oiled it as you advised. It needed some TLC and is now working great!
Well Scott, I just bought a used 510 for $100 and one of these was included (and a bandsaw too!). I summer in Maine so I'm dealing with a unit that sat in a basement for 10 years while it got decorated with rust courtesy of the salt air. I have been de-rusting the main unit and haven't got a close look into the jig saw yet but I'm assuming I can bring it back to life. Looking forward to it and your videos are going to give me a great head start in understanding what I'm dealing with. Thanks for putting this out there.
$100 for a 510, bandsaw and jigsaw? You won the lottery! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law lived in South Berwick and their Mark V was also stored in their basement and it because a rusty, sad story too. Good luck on the restoration and congratulations! BTW, have you used Evapo-Rust yet? Great stuff. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings oh yes, lots of Evaporust being used. The bandsaw has an aluminum table but I also got a cast iron table in the “box of stuff” and you should see it. Barely recognizable. The disc sander was also barely recognizable. But my ROS with 3M sandpaper seems to be doing the trick on that.
I mentioned adding oil, but if that doesn't do the trick you'll likely need to replace the leather "sucker", which is really just a circular piece of leather with a square hole in it. You can trace the old one and usually just cut the new one slightly larger. The original was roughly 1" in diameter. Scott
Hey Scott, That was an extremely useful video. Last week I picked up a trove of Shopsmith equipment at an estate sale. The 1984 Mark V had been sitting unused for the past 20-years. You saved me from wrecking the jigsaw. I discovered there was no oil in the reservoir and the moving parts were seized. I filled it with oil and slowly moved the saw left & right until it was able to make a complete circle. Any advice, I'm afraid to power it up. Judging from the history of the equipment, it didn't get much use before the owner fell lill and was unable to operate it.
I was gifted a 1950’s era Mark V that had a jigsaw with it. It looked like a well made accessory, but I found it to be too complicated and fragile. Eventuality the plastic connector broke, and after trying to engineer a replacement, decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and found a SS bandsaw that I replaced it with.
I've had the jigsaw since the 70s and I never knew about rotating the mechanisms to saw from the front. You taught this old dog new tricks. Are you going to cover cutting large circles with the assistance of the table saw fence on the 500? Can that be done with the 510 or 520? BTW my "new" scroll saw arrived today, and I think I'm beginning to experience nirvana. Thanks for the great info. Glen, not Sandy
Glad you like it, Glen! I was thinking of mentioning the circle cutting with the 500, but it is a bit of a challenge with the 510, but It can be done. I still remember that issue of Hands-On with Dave West on the cover where I learned that trick.
Great video, as always! I need to replace the leather “sucker” as well. My jigsaw is the old Magna brand. Can you give a hint of how to access it? I may just add an aquarium pump if it’s too much hassle…
I thought I did somewhere. Perhaps it’s in Q&A that’s hidden, which you should have access too. Anyway, there’s a lot to be said about an aquarium pump, too. Scott
Hello, I have a Shopsmith labeled jig saw and as you noted about the plastic gear in the oil bath that may melt, well mine is melted. How can I get a replacement gear? Many thanks if you can help me
Hey Ron, take a look in the "SHOP NOTES" above, by clicking on "Show More" and one of the links should lead to someone who is selling a 3D printed replacement "yoke". Good luck! Soctt
Oh man, I wish I had seen this question before recording tonight's video! The main reason for moving any of the STPs to their own stand is more about freeing the Mark V for other tools and uses. I also like that the SPTs tend to sit a bit lower on a stand, which tends to suit me better. Scott
New guy here. Just wondering what oil you used in the video. I just purchased a shop smith from a estate sale and it seems to have all the attachments that were available at the time.
Check the information shared in the video description. It’s not so much that it needs to be changed, but it’s more likely that it will leak over time and will need to be topped-off.
As always Loving Your Channel. I know you are only one man and have a whole life to balance in between these videos. That being said, are there any other channel recommendations you could give. Shopsmith related or not. Just some really great woodworking channels you've stumbled upon or the "go to" when you have time to yourself?. I play your videos and a few others while in my shop as I'm working. Any help is much appreciated. Keep up the Great Work
Good question and thanks for the compliment. I never miss videos from Clickspring, Izzy Swan, Jimmy DiResta, Woodshop Nerdery, Workshop Companion, and several cooking channels like Sous Vide Everything, Highfalutin Low Carb, Serious Keto, and more. Any of those familiar? Scott
Today I started cleaning up my recently acquired jigsaw. That plastic film you pulled off the nameplate? Took me 30 minutes to scrap mine off. :-). Hope that's not an indicator of what's to come. By the way, in the video when you first fire it up it looks like your right hand is adjusting something? What was that about?
I’m not sure, but if I had to guess it was probably the knob that holds the table to the trunnion. If I’m thigh to, it probably started to vibrate loose when the saw started. Just a guess. Scott
Thanks Scott! Learned a ton about my shopsmith while rebuilding a free one I got. Got it all cleaned up and running now! Only issue I have is my connector between the headstock and the jigsaw dry rotted and snapped while spinning. What’s the name for that piece? I see you have an aftermarket one and I’m open to any options to get it connected again. Thanks again
Hey Mark, I do have a question about your jigsaw video. You turned the orientation 90 degrees at the end, right? And clearly the machine is set up to do this as it allows you to move the hex arm to either side. My question is, if you rotate 90 degrees, the 'cool block' thingy underneath, which in the first position supports the back of the blade, can't be used at all, right? Did you just remove it? I couldn't really see what you were doing there....
Would it not be more beneficial to use a 'foot switch' to power on/off the Shopsmith? By using the 'foot switch' one does not have to reach around or over any of the extra tools, just remove your foot to turn off the Shopsmith or place your foot onto the 'foot switch' to turn power back on. By using the 'foot switch' would be very useful in case of an emergency to quickly turn off the power to the Shopsmith. The 'foot switch' is just a safety thought & a convenience tool.
Shopsmith always advised against it for safety reasons, but the motor also pulls a bunch of amperage when it starts and I believe that most of the consumer grade foot switches aren’t able to handle that current. A better idea is you can add a switch box to the leg, such as the SPT stands switch that Shopsmith sold for years. It can be mounted or better yet, held in place with magnets. The advantage there is you could move it from one end of the machine to the other as needed.
Thanks for this very informative video. I own a jigsaw and thought it was damaged before I bought it. Turns out it is not and there was no bearing guides that I thought were supposed to be there. I don't have that bottom blade brace. Mine doesn't even have the holder for that tube. Can I use any jigsaw or scroll saw blade with this? I only have the blade that was in it so far.
@@MyGrowthRings Can you elaborate on your comment that the jigsaw is just about the safest tool in the shop? The manual makes a similar statement and suggests it's ideal for teaching children the art of woodworking... Thanks as always for great content!
Hey Scott, my new (old) shopsmith jig saw is up and running after sitting unused for 15-20 years. It is running fine, but it’s leaking oil as it sits on the shelf. Any advice? BTW, all six shopsmith attachments that came with my new/old shopsmith came with really useful metal stands, which has made it very easy to build a wall storage system for the six tools.
Hey Gil. As any Harley owner would be quick to point out, “it’s not leaking, it’s marking its territory”. Seriously, the seal is likely very dry it out, and may need to be replaced. Tom from the Woodshop Nerdery channel did a video on that subject I believe. There’s also a round aluminum disc on the bottom that may be leaking. I suggest wiping it down and observe carefully where the leak is coming from before you proceed. Scott.
I've inherited a Mark V 500 from an uncle and love it. It has the Magna 18 inch Jigsaw. The oil bath was empty, and when I filled it I noticed a slight leak from the cylinder that the up and down piston moves in. I am wondering if this can be repaired. Trouble is I Don't know what to look for. Maybe an oil seal ring? Any ideas? Great channel by the way. I wish someone had warned me how addicting these are.
So sorry that I missed your comment. Yes, there are a couple places that might need attention. I suggest searching the Shopsmith Forums as I know there have been a couple threads about this there.
@@willpartin622 Noting special. It used 5” plain end (no pins) blades. They used to be much more common and I even know people who buy bandsaw blades and cut them down to 5” lengths, and they work just fine. Scott
I bet I'm wrong, but it seemed like as soon as the Shopsmith Scroll saw (teal version) hit the market in the late 1980's, the Jigsaw was pulled from production, almost overnight. Then in the early 90's Shopsmith quit selling jigsaw blades, and suggested I try a "hardware store" variety. So, that's how I ended up with the Shopsmith Scroll saw. Still have the Jigsaw though.
You are correct, except that it was grey for many years prior to evolving into teal. The jigsaw will work with some scroll saw blades, so we aren't entirely dead in the water. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Yes it was grey in the first couple versions. What I'm trying to say is the teal version (the later, perhaps latest version?) of the Scroll saw that ultimately took over and replaced the jigsaw in the late 1980's. www.shopsmith.com/mediawiki/index.php/Jigsaw
Good vedio, what length blade are you using. Are shop smith blades available. I pi ked up a used jigsaw at flea market and followed your instructions. All internal parts were OK just needed lubrication
@@MyGrowthRings well, I gave it some thought and decided on a completely different one. I ordered some Delrin rod. I was concerned that the fiberglass would splinter and the PTFE might be too soft. I will let you know how it turns out. On another note, in one of your videos, you showed how easy it is to drop a blade or other items down into the oil reservoir. When I took mine apart to clean and partially restore it, there was a rubber pierce stuck in there to prevent that from happening. Not sure that was a SS addition or the previous owner. It disintegrated when I took it out, so I ordered some 1/2” solid rubber cord to replace it. Will let you know on that one also. Thanks.
Hooray - I have been waiting for this one! I was worried that my "jigsaw" would not work as well as a "scrollsaw" but it's what I have and it seems like I will still be able to do some fine work with it. this actually seems like it would be more versatile than the scroll saw (which I don't have) and you have used both - so what would be the advantage to looking around for a scroll saw to buy as well? Why did they change? Just the "galloping" issue I guess - which looks like it would be more of a problem for finer blades.
If all someone was looking to do was what we used to call “fret work”, the jigsaw would be fine. The scroll saw is faster cutting, smoother cutting, easer and faster to do pierce cuts and more, so that’s why they pushed the jigsaw out of the spotlight, but as you will see in this coming weekend’s video the jigsaw is still a versatile tool. Scott
Inspired to celan off my 18" Shopsmith jig saw, then learned the split tube was broken and only one half of the protrusion was left. Had this since 1985, but just never had a reason to use it. I suppose I can make one solid rod of hardwood or aluminum with a split for each particular use and lose the blower effect, but just wanting to know if you know of a source to get a replacement tube?? Thank you, Ted
If you have a local hobby shop or RC Car shop I would just table the tube in and show it to them and I’d bet they’d have something that could replace it. It’s not all that special of a part, actually. Scott
Hi Scott! First of all, I very much enjoy the detail that you put into your videos, It is much appreciated. I've had my jigsaw since the 80's and I admit, I haven't used it as much as I would like to. However, today I stumbled across a video which made me aware of a "breather hole" on the side of the lower main body, opposite the arm, which on my unit is just above an original sticker. All these years I never knew it existed for an important reason. I've never seen any information about this from Shopsmith. My question is, could that be the reason why my cover/gasket leaks oil due to a buildup of pressure, since it is plugged up. Any thoughts? Thanks for all you do!
Hey Anthony. Yes, if the breather hole gets clogged there will be an increase in leaking, but keep in mind that they do leak a bit even when everything is perfect, just to mark their territory! Scott
That’s a good question. It should be drained every 100 hours of use or run time. The best plan of attack is to replace the oil once a year, just like a smoke alarm battery.
One more question. Do you know of a source for the larger, jig saw blades for the Shopsmith jigsaw? I have a few left from the good ol' days, but would've to get some more. Those substantial blades are handy for the really heavy stock that the jig saw is capable of cutting, even if they don't cut smaller curves. Thanks, Glen
Glen, they show up fairly regularly on eBay and I would keep an eye on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace too. In the meantime, you can use standard scroll saw blades on the jigsaw, just avoid the super-narrow ones. Scott
Great video. Love that saw may need to buy one. Thanks for the suspense, can't wait for next week video. Do you know if there's a metal cutting blade for this jigsaw?
You may want to note that if you are using the power pro on your Shop Smith 18 inch jigsaw you cannot use the scroll saw settings on the power pro. According to the old chart for the Mart five that I’ve had for forever is the poster size the maximum rpm for the jigsaw is 1150 RPM. I don’t know why Shop Smith doesn’t include the jigsaw on the computer inside the power pro. Anyway Scott just a heads up I think it might be important to remind people that have the power pro that if they don’t know what the RPM is it’s 1150 RPM maximum. Dead
That’s a very good point. That’s also one of the reasons why I wish the PowerPro headstock had a USB port or some means of upgrading the firmware. Who knows, maybe they’ll be a feature of V2. Scott
I appreciate the time you are putting into the jigsaw so thank you. If the blower doesn't work at all is the oil the only thing you need to add to get it to work again?
It might require a new leather sucker, which is really just a circular piece of leather with a square hole in it. You can trace the old one and usually just cut the new one slightly larger. Keep in mind that it has worn in thickness as much as it has in diameter. Scott
It looked like the oak was quarter-sawn or close to it. When cutting wood with the grain running nearly vertical the blade tends to jump when it passes from hard to softer portions. Slowing down the cutting speed can help with this. Scroll saws do this too. When I buy wood for scrolling I try to find flatsawn boards. They are easier to cut and the cut is smoother. Southern yellow pine is the worst.
Hey Jonathan. They are getting harder and harder to find. A lot of folks are buying the pin-end blades and removing the pin with a pair of pliers. If you can't find them locally they have them on Amazon: amzn.to/3tX7NlR Scott
I’m new at using the jigsaw and I’m running into problems. My blade keeps jamming up and bending. What am I doing wrong? Same is with my shopsmith scroll saw.
Gil, you are discovering what most jigsaw users have learned and that is that because the blade is only being powered on the down stroke and is being lifted by a spring, that literally half the time the blade is underpowered. Combine that with wider jigsaw blades that don’t like tight turns and you’ve got a recipe for binding. This is the main reason most woodworkers abandon jigsaws for scroll saws, which are powered on both up and down strokes and the blade is held under constant tension. I talked about this in one of my videos, but perhaps that video is private now. Go slow in the curves and use as narrow a blade as you can, and shoot for 6-10 teeth in the wood. Too fine a blade will also cause issues. Scott
I’ve been working with both my jigsaw and scroll saw. I prefer the scroll saw, but parts keep breaking. First the rear trunnion and today the upper blade guard broke 😢 I believe both machines are USA made, as I find no other markings other than the shopsmith plate with the OH address. Can the 1984 casting be defective?
@@giljusino Man, that’s rough and quite unusual. Yes, the scroll saw was made in America, and I have heard it a few issues with the rear trunnion, especially if it was overtightened or tilted without loosening.
I have both the scroll saw (old) and the jigsaw (very old) and was thinking of selling the latter, so I’m looking forward to seeing your video next weekend on why I should keep it. Both machines have run out of puff, presumably because the leather gaskets inside the air pumps have deteriorated. I’ve tried oiling them to bring them back to life but no joy so far. Any ideas what to do next? I don’t think the parts are available any more.
Hey Graham. The leather is easy to fabricate and replace. Just pull it out and use the original piece as a template. Surprisingly you don't have to oversize it much from the worn original to bring it back into service. Scott
I have the scroll saw (The one with the hold down) and enjoy it. Outside of being able to say I have a jig saw, what can I do differently on this than I can't do on the scroll saw?
Scott, I have a off subject question regarding my Shopsmith Bandsaw. Installed a 5/8 inch blade set all the adjustments. When power was started to the bandsaw, I get a loud squealing sound that sounds like metal on metal. I have been trying to figure out what is going on, but no luck. The only thing I noticed is that the Roller Track bearing does not rotate. Is the bearing supposed to rotate freely? Any ideas for me. Thanks Richard Nunley
Hey Richard. Yes, all of the bearings should spin freely. When properly aligned the upper thrust bearing (above the table in the right) isn’t in contact with the blade and should only spin when cutting, but otherwise all of the bearings should be spinning. Take a close look at the blade and follow it’s path all the way around to make sure that it isn’t rubbing against anything. There’s a spot near the tensioner that can accidentally trap the blade if you aren’t careful. Other that that and the guide blocks being positioned too far forward the likely culprit is that a bearing is shot. Scott
Hi Scott, A friend of mine set me up with a jigsaw in great condition. Located the manual on the SS Facebook site. My question is does the tension spring have to be replaced on occasion? While mine has a fair amount of tension, the only comparison I have is the scroll saw and the blade on it has that “ring” where the jigsaw doesn’t. Thanks, Jim
I don't have any personal experience with the spring becoming set, but that is one of the things springs do, so you might be on to something. I'll see if I can find an answer. Scott
I got a used jigsaw and it keeps bending the blades. After watching this video, it seems to be missing the mainspring. (So I don’t have an old spring to take to a store to find a replacement). Any source you know of for the correct size spring?
Hey Tim. I was hoping someone would ask. Yes, it's 10w non-detergent, which can be a bugger to find. I linked to a couple from Amazon in the video description that turned out to be cheaper than the container I purchased locally. Scott
@@joshwalker5605The detergents in standard motor oil keep metal particles suspended, where non detergent motor oil allows them to settle to the bottom where they can’t cause problems. If you have Amazon Prime there’s no hunting involved. Just click the link in the video description.
Hey Bill. This knock-off of the Shopsmith jigsaw really is fidgety. No, by definition a scroll saw provides power to the blade on but the down and up stroke, but a jigsaw relies on a spring to return the blade to the top of the stroke, and many times in a tight curve the chuck below the table will be shoving up on the blade but the spring isn’t able to pull the blade up, so the blade will bend and eventually fatigue and break. I can cut on our scroll saw until the blade gets dull before having any issues, but a jigsaw can’t do that. In fact, if someone hired you to create a machine that would cause a blade to fatigue and break I suspect it would look a lot like a jigsaw! Scott
@@MyGrowthRings I am going to respectfully disagree with you on that definition of "jigsaw". I recall my dad had an early-1960s Craftsman radial arm saw which had a jigsaw attachment. The blade was fixed on one end. And I still have my (approx) 1968 Black and Decker jigsaw. Same thing; blade is fixed on the top. Maybe Shopsmith has a different glossary. And I haven't looked in the Patent Office records to see what those records might say. Regardless, you provide an abundance of valuable info in your videos. Thanks
BTW, there have been a lot of tools over the years that have been called jig saws, saber saws, scroll saws and there really isn't a governing body who regulates woodworking terminology. For hundreds of years cabinetmakers have referred to doors that are hinged across their top edge and that swing up "Lids", while doors that are hinged along their bottom edge, as in a drop down desk, are called "Flaps". In addition to the the hinges you typically fit these doors with a support called either a "lid stay" or a "flap stay". That said, my employer, who happens to be a European cabinet hardware manufacture with 100 years of history now offers a "Flap fitting" that is used for lifting a door or lid. That's totally wrong, but they've done it. Words are hard and language is complex. I reserve the right to be wrong. Ironically tomorrow, Feb 10th, marks the 9th anniversary of the day that I learned, at the age of 50, that having "astigmatism" isn't having a "stigmatism". Scott
@@giljusino True, but it works. If it doesn’t have enough material behind it, it might be a little wobbly, so you may need to add something behind it to back up the little “fingers”. Something like a this piece of wood or plywood.
What a fantastically comprehensive video learned a lot. ordering oil now Lol
@@alanrichardson2181 Glad to hear you found it helpful.
Sorry this is a super long comment...
Scott I recently found your channel and am loving it! I am the Head of a small Christian School in Colorado. We often get people dumping illegally dumping stuff in the back alley of our campus.. About three weeks ago as I was walking the campus I saw a pile of scrap metal in the back. In the middle of the pile I noticed a Shopsmith logo. Turns out someone dumped a Mark V, completely in pieces, in the pile. I grabbed everything I could find and brought it home. Went through it cleaning, replacing a frozen bearing and removing way too much rust...three weeks later it lives! Missing a few parts that I am checking Craigslist for but it runs like a champ. Your video on removing rust from a jointer was a huge help.
I found a jig saw on Craigslist today that has it's own stand. Picking it up on Sunday.
I have wanted a Shopsmith for many years and just can't believe one fell in my lap.
Any advice for a Shopsmith newbie?
Coop
That's so awesome that you are facilitating the resurrection of that Mark V! (See what I did there?) It sounds like you are off to a good start and the only thing I could add is to enjoy the adventure. The hunt for parts and knowledge is half of the fun. Thanks for watching and commenting. Scott
A walking video manual? Scott amazing! I wish I knew that much about anything! Lol
Thanks, Larry.
From my experience over the past nearly 40 years working with a Shopsmith, I believe the "old" Jig Saw can do nearly as well as the best scroll saw. That said, there is a disadvantage with the Jig Saw in doing a number of interior cuts where the blade has to be released and inserted into a drilled hole. It works but it sure isn't convenient. But the Jig Saw can do some other amazing things that the scroll saw can't and I hope Scott shows that in a future video.
Absolutely right. The lower blade block on the scroll saw pivots forward, not only making pierce cuts easy, but also preventing the thin blade from being bent. Yes, more to come. Scott
Scott, even though I have had the Shopsmith jigsaw for 15+ years I learned a lot from this video. I am looking forward to your next video on this subject! Actually I look forward to all of your videos!!!
That's great. Thanks for the encouragement. Scott
I know this comment is way late but I just saw this episode. Still another thing you can do with this tool is use a narrow strip of sandpaper or emery cloth instead of a blade. It makes a wonderful edge sander for detail work if you don't mind the edge being sanded to a slight roundover / bull nose / convex / soft shape. For the trivets I was making, I was actively seeking that softer edge shape on a 3/4" thick edge. It was wonderful!
Olson actually sells these in several widths!
I did not know what a marvelous tool the SSmith jigsaw was/is. My god, the forethought that was put into it. If I see one, I’m gunna nab it! Thank you again for a well presented video. Most excellent.
Yeah, once again it was developed by John Edgemond and Hans Goldschmidt, the guys who designed the Mark V, the SS bandsaw, etc. They really hit a groove. Scott
My new son-in-law has had my portable jigsaw for over a year now. I may need to get this as a replacement. Can't wait to see the tricks!
Hey David. What's he up to with it? I can't wait to show you. Scott
Scott... that was pretty cool. I passed on buying a used one a few years ago. I thought it looked like a whimpy little wannabe!
About 25 years ago, I got what I thought was a steal of a deal. A neighbor sold me his jigsaw for $20. It was a Montgomery Ward Power Craft from the 1950’s. The table, arm and frame housing were all cast iron. Power was provided through a v-belt connected to an electric motor. Both were mounted on a 1”X12”X24” board.
It only had about 1/2” of stroke. The hold down foot was adjustable up and down but not front to rear. It was supposed to act as a blade backup. However, because it couldn’t be moved in and out... it was difficult to accurately position the blade in the chucks for it to work effectively.
But the most maddening feature was blade tensioning. The upper chuck was spring loaded. It only had about 9/16” of compression height within its working height. That meant, at top dead center you could only have 1/16” of compressive tension on the blade. Three problems manifested themselves:
1- With too much tension, the spring would bottom out on the first down stroke and snap the ends of the blade off at the set screw in the chuck.
B- With two little tension the upstroke caused the blade to bend. It would break in just a few strokes.
3- If serendipity, trial and error plus a bible full of 4 leaf clovers landed you in the exact sweet spot for optimum distance between the two chucks... the ‘galloping’ that you showed was standard operating procedure. As a result, every cut was chattered and... a 12” cut without shattering the blade was a cause for celebration.
I changed the pulley size to slow it down. Then I Lubed everything I could find. Taking it into my local Montgomery Ward store... which by then had long since quit selling woodworking tools... only brought head scratching from their service center...
So, without further hope, I parked it under a table in my shop. It sat there for about 15 years until last month. During my spring shop cleaning I pulled it out and bid adieu to it. A scrap dealer gave me $10 for it... he was enamored with the electric motor.
So, now I have a little extra space and a lifetime supply of jigsaw blades. Had I kept it for just one more month, your video might have inspired me to take another look at getting it running. But, alas that temptation is gone!
Wow, I can see how that experience could cure any desire for a jigsaw! Many of those Powr-Kraft tools were made by Magna, but were nowhere close to the Shopsmith line, which Ward also sold. Thanks for sharing. Scott
Thanks for another great video. I’m now interested in purchasing one of these!
Another great video, Scott. I have an original Magna Jigsaw. interestingly my dad must have bought it when the “Goldie’ was sold because it is brown and copper colored rather than the Shopsmith grey. Everything you went through was spot on. The only other maintenance/restoration item I ran into…under the Magna logo plate on the lower assembly, there is a gasket. While the oil reservoir may not be that high, when the gasket dries out, it leaks out through that spot. I used the old one as a template and cut myself a new one from a sheet of cork…problem solved and it has never leaked 35 year since.
Perfect, Michael. Didn't I mention the gasket? I must have in the follow-up video. It's awesome that they can still do their job all these years on. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings actually the one question I had was…given I don’t think the mothership has a lot of spare parts for the original jigsaw…can u still get parts for the tiawanese model? Would they fit a SS? Thinking of non major parts.
@@CessnaDaredevil No, all of the importers closed their doors in the 1990’s and are long gone.
One other minor addition I thought of..,back in the SS store days they used to offer (I think Olson brand) spiral jigsaw blades. I used them with great success because not only could you cut ‘in any direction’ with less worry about breaking a thin blade around a tight corner, but it also removes the ‘18” capacity constraint. Of corse able to do that in Sabre mode w/ wide blades, but I’m referring to cutting a fine spiral. If you have a big workpiece - with a straight blade ur wanting to spin 360 degrees, but with the spiral blade you can just cut in a different direction (cutting the spiral without spinning the piece. I did this when I made Norm’s delft rack.
OBTW, watched the video again to make sure I didnt miss it. The gasket I was referring to is under the housing cover (old Magna part 502270). The owners manual. Really doesn’t even talk about removing it….I assume its not something a user would have to remove. But, when I was refurbishing my dad’s the gasket had started to leak. So if I would have just filled it with oil, it would have leaked out eventually and I would be running dry and not known it (other than at the 3 hour recommended maintenance interval). Just figured that for those of us still salvaging old Magna or SS units…it’s likely something that may need to be replaced if the unit has been ‘sitting around dry’ for long periods.
There are a couple of these for sale on EBay. At least one of them is a Shop Smith. Hmmmmm ... lol. YOU'RE KILLIN' MY WALLET !! Beat me, hurt me and make me write bad checks !! lol !! Looks like a great little addition to the shop !! Thanks for ANOTHER great video Scott !!
Keep an eye on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace too. They aren't as common but usually you can save quite a bit over eBay prices. Scott
That’s great, thank you so much
Scott- I picked one up. What oil do I put in the oil bath. Mine did not have the plastic removed either! The well was dry but fortunately the unit was never powered up. Let me know.
Thanks Scott
Jon Hunter
Supporter
Hey Jon, look in the video description. I’ve posted a link to what I used and you should be able to find it or something like it locally.
Great video, looking forward to this series. The cliff hanger lives! "Tune in next week at this same Bat-Time on this same Bat-Channel."
First impression having only watched the Jig Saw and Scroll Saw videos and never used either, I like the Jig Saw over the Scroll Saw. But I do recognize a common design paradox in that it can be flexible or simple, but not both. The Jig Saw seemed to require a bit more fiddling with knobs and set screws than did the Scroll Saw.
Your skills of observation are excellent.
Found a brand new jigsaw under the Shopsmith label in the original box. Trying to figure out the value of it. Any ideas?
Depends upon the age and the manufacture (Magna Engineering, Yuba, Magna American Shopsmith Inc.). I suspect if you put it up for sale on eBay that it would sell for $200-300. The difference seems to depend on the working of the listing and the quality of the photos. If you sold it on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist you'll get $75-100.
As usual your teaching me ,things I didn't know
Going to dig it out of the corner, and get ready for the ,next schooling in up coming video. Got to get that membership done. ( what a slacker Iam
I can’t wait to share and no need to feel like a slacker!
Just got another new to me..but newer than my current shop smith with a jointer and several shapers. Going back to watch the jointer vids so I can get it cleaned up and going. Thanks for all the nice vids!
Thanks and have fun! Scott
Thanks, Scott! Looking forward to the cool techniques.
Thanks John.
Very informative; like all your videos! I have just about finished overhauling one I acquired a few weeks ago. I just noticed as it was going back together that the input shaft is 1/2" not 5/8" like everything else in the Shopsmith world. Is yours the same way? I tried studying this video to see that detail but couldn't make it out. Do you know if there a coupling with a 1/2" ID fitting?
@@EricFrazier-c2i Yes, that is correct. All of the jigsaw drive shafts were 1/2”, and yes, SS made a drive hub to fit it which works with that standard drive coupling.
@@MyGrowthRings Thanks for the info, Scott. I was able to find the 1/2"drive hub. I had taken it off and put it with my little collection of others when I disassembled the saw, not realizing it was a different size! Got it back in action now!
Very interesting. Why did Shopsmith stop making them? Was it because they felt the scroll saw would replace it? Also wondering why Shopsmith got rid of the academy and local retail stores? Assuming to cut costs to sustain profitability? If this was the strategy, was it successful? There is such a need for your channel from us SS owners. SS should be paying you to support their products!
Lots of great questions, Anne. The jigsaw was retired because the demand from the entire market switched to scroll saws. Because they provide constant tension to the blade your blades last much longer and you can make sharper turns. Shopsmith Inc made a number of attempts to save their retail business and the attached woodworking academies, but in the end it was just too had to keep up with the retail demands and the low margins that tools were generating. There might have been other options that might have succeeded, but Monday morning quarterbacking is worth what you pay for it. I’m happy to help where I can and am clearly a fan of the tools and a supporter of its users. Scott
Thank you for the great video Scott! I have the ShopSmith branded jigsaw and I cleaned and oiled it as you advised. It needed some TLC and is now working great!
That's great! It's always nice to hear when an old tool gets new life. Scott
Love your videos man! My dad had a shopsmith and in looking at getting one next year. I'm surprised that it's so hard to find good content on them
Thanks, Cody. I'm happy to help. Scott
Well Scott, I just bought a used 510 for $100 and one of these was included (and a bandsaw too!). I summer in Maine so I'm dealing with a unit that sat in a basement for 10 years while it got decorated with rust courtesy of the salt air. I have been de-rusting the main unit and haven't got a close look into the jig saw yet but I'm assuming I can bring it back to life. Looking forward to it and your videos are going to give me a great head start in understanding what I'm dealing with. Thanks for putting this out there.
$100 for a 510, bandsaw and jigsaw? You won the lottery! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law lived in South Berwick and their Mark V was also stored in their basement and it because a rusty, sad story too. Good luck on the restoration and congratulations! BTW, have you used Evapo-Rust yet? Great stuff. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings oh yes, lots of Evaporust being used. The bandsaw has an aluminum table but I also got a cast iron table in the “box of stuff” and you should see it. Barely recognizable. The disc sander was also barely recognizable. But my ROS with 3M sandpaper seems to be doing the trick on that.
Can you go over how to service the little blower and tube that clears the sawdust? Mine doesn’t work.
I mentioned adding oil, but if that doesn't do the trick you'll likely need to replace the leather "sucker", which is really just a circular piece of leather with a square hole in it. You can trace the old one and usually just cut the new one slightly larger. The original was roughly 1" in diameter. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings thanks...will give that a try. I now remember you did mention that in the video based on this response. Great work on your channel!
Hey Scott, That was an extremely useful video. Last week I picked up a trove of Shopsmith equipment at an estate sale. The 1984 Mark V had been sitting unused for the past 20-years. You saved me from wrecking the jigsaw. I discovered there was no oil in the reservoir and the moving parts were seized. I filled it with oil and slowly moved the saw left & right until it was able to make a complete circle. Any advice, I'm afraid to power it up. Judging from the history of the equipment, it didn't get much use before the owner fell lill and was unable to operate it.
No, it’s hounds like you are off to a good start. Just run it and keep a close eye on any oil that leaks out and add more if needed.
@@MyGrowthRings thanks Scott!👍
Thanks for good info i appreciate the effort
My pleasure.
Enjoyed your video on the Jigsaw. Is it worth trying to find one or look for a scroll saw. Jon
@@jongrace9133 That’s entirely up to you. There are things you can do with one that you can’t do with the other and vice versa.
Couldn't help but notice you're using a pass-through socket on the oil bath plug. Kobalt?
I don’t recall, but more likely Harbor Freight.
I was gifted a 1950’s era Mark V that had a jigsaw with it. It looked like a well made accessory, but I found it to be too complicated and fragile. Eventuality the plastic connector broke, and after trying to engineer a replacement, decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and found a SS bandsaw that I replaced it with.
It definitely is not as robust as the Shopsmith, scroll saw, but was quite innovative in its day.
I've had the jigsaw since the 70s and I never knew about rotating the mechanisms to saw from the front. You taught this old dog new tricks. Are you going to cover cutting large circles with the assistance of the table saw fence on the 500? Can that be done with the 510 or 520? BTW my "new" scroll saw arrived today, and I think I'm beginning to experience nirvana. Thanks for the great info. Glen, not Sandy
Glad you like it, Glen! I was thinking of mentioning the circle cutting with the 500, but it is a bit of a challenge with the 510, but It can be done. I still remember that issue of Hands-On with Dave West on the cover where I learned that trick.
Just checked and it was the July/Aug 83 issue.
what kind of oil did you put in there? I need to check mine😮
I believe it's in the video description.
I have one I bought in the early 80’s haven’t used it much but I think just use 3n1 oil
Great video, as always! I need to replace the leather “sucker” as well. My jigsaw is the old Magna brand. Can you give a hint of how to access it? I may just add an aquarium pump if it’s too much hassle…
I thought I did somewhere. Perhaps it’s in Q&A that’s hidden, which you should have access too. Anyway, there’s a lot to be said about an aquarium pump, too. Scott
Hello, I have a Shopsmith labeled jig saw and as you noted about the plastic gear in the oil bath that may melt, well mine is melted. How can I get a replacement gear? Many thanks if you can help me
Hey Ron, take a look in the "SHOP NOTES" above, by clicking on "Show More" and one of the links should lead to someone who is selling a 3D printed replacement "yoke". Good luck! Soctt
Are there any not obvious reasons to keep a jig saw on its own stand versus using it as an accessory on a Shopsmith?
Oh man, I wish I had seen this question before recording tonight's video! The main reason for moving any of the STPs to their own stand is more about freeing the Mark V for other tools and uses. I also like that the SPTs tend to sit a bit lower on a stand, which tends to suit me better. Scott
New guy here. Just wondering what oil you used in the video. I just purchased a shop smith from a estate sale and it seems to have all the attachments that were available at the time.
Welcome to the Shopsmith family! I linked to the oil that I use in the video description. Scott
First to comment... 49th to watch! Well done sir let this channel grow!!!
Thanks, but I'm just happy to have YOU here!
What type of oil do you need for the jigsaw? How often should it be changed?
Check the information shared in the video description. It’s not so much that it needs to be changed, but it’s more likely that it will leak over time and will need to be topped-off.
Great video Scott. Have you ever tried using hand held scroll saw blades in it? It’s essentially like clamping a saber/scroll saw to your workbench.
Yep, that’s one of tricks I hinted at for our next weekend video.
As always Loving Your Channel. I know you are only one man and have a whole life to balance in between these videos. That being said, are there any other channel recommendations you could give. Shopsmith related or not. Just some really great woodworking channels you've stumbled upon or the "go to" when you have time to yourself?. I play your videos and a few others while in my shop as I'm working. Any help is much appreciated. Keep up the Great Work
Good question and thanks for the compliment. I never miss videos from Clickspring, Izzy Swan, Jimmy DiResta, Woodshop Nerdery, Workshop Companion, and several cooking channels like Sous Vide Everything, Highfalutin Low Carb, Serious Keto, and more. Any of those familiar? Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Izzy Swan and Workshop Companion are familiar and I'll definitely look into the rest. Thanks again for the Recommendations!
Today I started cleaning up my recently acquired jigsaw. That plastic film you pulled off the nameplate? Took me 30 minutes to scrap mine off. :-). Hope that's not an indicator of what's to come. By the way, in the video when you first fire it up it looks like your right hand is adjusting something? What was that about?
I’m not sure, but if I had to guess it was probably the knob that holds the table to the trunnion. If I’m thigh to, it probably started to vibrate loose when the saw started. Just a guess. Scott
Thanks Scott! Learned a ton about my shopsmith while rebuilding a free one I got. Got it all cleaned up and running now!
Only issue I have is my connector between the headstock and the jigsaw dry rotted and snapped while spinning.
What’s the name for that piece? I see you have an aftermarket one and I’m open to any options to get it connected again.
Thanks again
That's a power coupler. They are available from Shopsmith at www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/powercoupler.htm
@@MyGrowthRings thank you so much!
Hey Mark, I do have a question about your jigsaw video. You turned the orientation 90 degrees at the end, right? And clearly the machine is set up to do this as it allows you to move the hex arm to either side. My question is, if you rotate 90 degrees, the 'cool block' thingy underneath, which in the first position supports the back of the blade, can't be used at all, right? Did you just remove it? I couldn't really see what you were doing there....
Yes, when you rotate the lower chuck you back off or remove that backup support rod.
Would it not be more beneficial to use a 'foot switch' to power on/off the Shopsmith? By using the 'foot switch' one does not have to reach around or over any of the extra tools, just remove your foot to turn off the Shopsmith or place your foot onto the 'foot switch' to turn power back on.
By using the 'foot switch' would be very useful in case of an emergency to quickly turn off the power to the Shopsmith. The 'foot switch' is just a safety thought & a convenience tool.
Shopsmith always advised against it for safety reasons, but the motor also pulls a bunch of amperage when it starts and I believe that most of the consumer grade foot switches aren’t able to handle that current. A better idea is you can add a switch box to the leg, such as the SPT stands switch that Shopsmith sold for years. It can be mounted or better yet, held in place with magnets. The advantage there is you could move it from one end of the machine to the other as needed.
Thanks for this very informative video. I own a jigsaw and thought it was damaged before I bought it. Turns out it is not and there was no bearing guides that I thought were supposed to be there. I don't have that bottom blade brace. Mine doesn't even have the holder for that tube. Can I use any jigsaw or scroll saw blade with this? I only have the blade that was in it so far.
Yes, the jaws will hold any jigsaw or scroll saw blade, as long as they aren’t pin-end blades, and even they can be used if you remove the pins.
Still glad you taught me the benefits of my jigsaw, but that galloping …
Noticed you didn't remove jewelry.
Yeah, the jigsaw is just about the safest tool in the shop and I don't feel that my jewelry can cause me any issues. It's a personal choice. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Can you elaborate on your comment that the jigsaw is just about the safest tool in the shop? The manual makes a similar statement and suggests it's ideal for teaching children the art of woodworking... Thanks as always for great content!
@@ryanjohnson9521 Sure, I’d be happy to address this in the mid-week follow-up. Scott
Hey Scott, my new (old) shopsmith jig saw is up and running after sitting unused for 15-20 years. It is running fine, but it’s leaking oil as it sits on the shelf. Any advice?
BTW, all six shopsmith attachments that came with my new/old shopsmith came with really useful metal stands, which has made it very easy to build a wall storage system for the six tools.
Hey Gil. As any Harley owner would be quick to point out, “it’s not leaking, it’s marking its territory”. Seriously, the seal is likely very dry it out, and may need to be replaced. Tom from the Woodshop Nerdery channel did a video on that subject I believe. There’s also a round aluminum disc on the bottom that may be leaking. I suggest wiping it down and observe carefully where the leak is coming from before you proceed. Scott.
I've inherited a Mark V 500 from an uncle and love it. It has the Magna 18 inch Jigsaw. The oil bath was empty, and when I filled it I noticed a slight leak from the cylinder that the up and down piston moves in. I am wondering if this can be repaired. Trouble is I Don't know what to look for. Maybe an oil seal ring?
Any ideas? Great channel by the way. I wish someone had warned me how addicting these are.
So sorry that I missed your comment. Yes, there are a couple places that might need attention. I suggest searching the Shopsmith Forums as I know there have been a couple threads about this there.
Hopefully I didn't miss it in the video, but can any blade be used or must it be a special Shopsmith blade?
@@willpartin622 Noting special. It used 5” plain end (no pins) blades. They used to be much more common and I even know people who buy bandsaw blades and cut them down to 5” lengths, and they work just fine. Scott
I bet I'm wrong, but it seemed like as soon as the Shopsmith Scroll saw (teal version) hit the market in the late 1980's, the Jigsaw was pulled from production, almost overnight. Then in the early 90's Shopsmith quit selling jigsaw blades, and suggested I try a "hardware store" variety. So, that's how I ended up with the Shopsmith Scroll saw. Still have the Jigsaw though.
You are correct, except that it was grey for many years prior to evolving into teal. The jigsaw will work with some scroll saw blades, so we aren't entirely dead in the water. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Yes it was grey in the first couple versions. What I'm trying to say is the teal version (the later, perhaps latest version?) of the Scroll saw that ultimately took over and replaced the jigsaw in the late 1980's. www.shopsmith.com/mediawiki/index.php/Jigsaw
I will have to do some research but I believe that the teal version was introduced in the mid-90's, long after the jigsaw was phased out. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Hence why I said "I bet I'm wrong", lol. Chad
@@chadnevels246 Well there you go.
Good vedio, what length blade are you using. Are shop smith blades available. I pi ked up a used jigsaw at flea market and followed your instructions. All internal parts were OK just needed lubrication
Glad you were able to get her going again. I use 6” blades. Scott
Scott, if you were to replace the fiberglass rod, would you use fiberglass again or PTFE? Thanks.
That’s a great question. Either are worth a try, but I suspect that the fiberglass rod would be more durable. What are your thought?
@@MyGrowthRings well, I gave it some thought and decided on a completely different one. I ordered some Delrin rod. I was concerned that the fiberglass would splinter and the PTFE might be too soft. I will let you know how it turns out. On another note, in one of your videos, you showed how easy it is to drop a blade or other items down into the oil reservoir. When I took mine apart to clean and partially restore it, there was a rubber pierce stuck in there to prevent that from happening. Not sure that was a SS addition or the previous owner. It disintegrated when I took it out, so I ordered some 1/2” solid rubber cord to replace it. Will let you know on that one also.
Thanks.
Hooray - I have been waiting for this one! I was worried that my "jigsaw" would not work as well as a "scrollsaw" but it's what I have and it seems like I will still be able to do some fine work with it. this actually seems like it would be more versatile than the scroll saw (which I don't have) and you have used both - so what would be the advantage to looking around for a scroll saw to buy as well? Why did they change? Just the "galloping" issue I guess - which looks like it would be more of a problem for finer blades.
If all someone was looking to do was what we used to call “fret work”, the jigsaw would be fine. The scroll saw is faster cutting, smoother cutting, easer and faster to do pierce cuts and more, so that’s why they pushed the jigsaw out of the spotlight, but as you will see in this coming weekend’s video the jigsaw is still a versatile tool. Scott
Inspired to celan off my 18" Shopsmith jig saw, then learned the split tube was broken and only one half of the protrusion was left. Had this since 1985, but just never had a reason to use it. I suppose I can make one solid rod of hardwood or aluminum with a split for each particular use and lose the blower effect, but just wanting to know if you know of a source to get a replacement tube?? Thank you, Ted
If you have a local hobby shop or RC Car shop I would just table the tube in and show it to them and I’d bet they’d have something that could replace it. It’s not all that special of a part, actually. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings THANK YOU.
Hi Scott! First of all, I very much enjoy the detail that you put into your videos, It is much appreciated. I've had my jigsaw since the 80's and I admit, I haven't used it as much as I would like to. However, today I stumbled across a video which made me aware of a "breather hole" on the side of the lower main body, opposite the arm, which on my unit is just above an original sticker. All these years I never knew it existed for an important reason. I've never seen any information about this from Shopsmith. My question is, could that be the reason why my cover/gasket leaks oil due to a buildup of pressure, since it is plugged up. Any thoughts? Thanks for all you do!
Hey Anthony. Yes, if the breather hole gets clogged there will be an increase in leaking, but keep in mind that they do leak a bit even when everything is perfect, just to mark their territory! Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Thank you Scott!
@@anthonyspatafora1961 You are welcome.
Great video! Just did the maintenance and replaced the oil in the bath. How often do you suggest changing this oil?
Thanks, Frank Fowler
That’s a good question. It should be drained every 100 hours of use or run time. The best plan of attack is to replace the oil once a year, just like a smoke alarm battery.
One more question. Do you know of a source for the larger, jig saw blades for the Shopsmith jigsaw? I have a few left from the good ol' days, but would've to get some more. Those substantial blades are handy for the really heavy stock that the jig saw is capable of cutting, even if they don't cut smaller curves. Thanks, Glen
Glen, they show up fairly regularly on eBay and I would keep an eye on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace too. In the meantime, you can use standard scroll saw blades on the jigsaw, just avoid the super-narrow ones. Scott
Great video. Love that saw may need to buy one. Thanks for the suspense, can't wait for next week video. Do you know if there's a metal cutting blade for this jigsaw?
Yes, there were metal cutting blades and it does a particularly great job with nonferrous metals, such as the half-hard brass used for clocks. Scott
You may want to note that if you are using the power pro on your Shop Smith 18 inch jigsaw you cannot use the scroll saw settings on the power pro. According to the old chart for the Mart five that I’ve had for forever is the poster size the maximum rpm for the jigsaw is 1150 RPM. I don’t know why Shop Smith doesn’t include the jigsaw on the computer inside the power pro.
Anyway Scott just a heads up I think it might be important to remind people that have the power pro that if they don’t know what the RPM is it’s 1150 RPM maximum. Dead
No I’m not dead, it’s Ted. Dad gum voice messaging.
That’s a very good point. That’s also one of the reasons why I wish the PowerPro headstock had a USB port or some means of upgrading the firmware. Who knows, maybe they’ll be a feature of V2. Scott
I appreciate the time you are putting into the jigsaw so thank you. If the blower doesn't work at all is the oil the only thing you need to add to get it to work again?
It might require a new leather sucker, which is really just a circular piece of leather with a square hole in it. You can trace the old one and usually just cut the new one slightly larger. Keep in mind that it has worn in thickness as much as it has in diameter. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings any ideas what the dimensions should be?
I believe it's about 1" ID. Hopefully the old one is still there to guide you to the dimensions of the square cutout in the center. Scott
It looked like the oak was quarter-sawn or close to it. When cutting wood with the grain running nearly vertical the blade tends to jump when it passes from hard to softer portions. Slowing down the cutting speed can help with this. Scroll saws do this too. When I buy wood for scrolling I try to find flatsawn boards. They are easier to cut and the cut is smoother. Southern yellow pine is the worst.
Yes, it was quarter sawn white oak. The saw was running pretty slow, but yes, I've experienced this with a scroll saw too. Scott
Where can I find the jigsaw blades? I bought a used shop smith couple months back and only had 1 blade which I broke. Thanks for the hep
Hey Jonathan. They are getting harder and harder to find. A lot of folks are buying the pin-end blades and removing the pin with a pair of pliers. If you can't find them locally they have them on Amazon: amzn.to/3tX7NlR Scott
I’m new at using the jigsaw and I’m running into problems. My blade keeps jamming up and bending. What am I doing wrong? Same is with my shopsmith scroll saw.
Gil, you are discovering what most jigsaw users have learned and that is that because the blade is only being powered on the down stroke and is being lifted by a spring, that literally half the time the blade is underpowered. Combine that with wider jigsaw blades that don’t like tight turns and you’ve got a recipe for binding. This is the main reason most woodworkers abandon jigsaws for scroll saws, which are powered on both up and down strokes and the blade is held under constant tension. I talked about this in one of my videos, but perhaps that video is private now. Go slow in the curves and use as narrow a blade as you can, and shoot for 6-10 teeth in the wood. Too fine a blade will also cause issues. Scott
I’ve been working with both my jigsaw and scroll saw. I prefer the scroll saw, but parts keep breaking. First the rear trunnion and today the upper blade guard broke 😢 I believe both machines are USA made, as I find no other markings other than the shopsmith plate with the OH address. Can the 1984 casting be defective?
@@giljusino Man, that’s rough and quite unusual. Yes, the scroll saw was made in America, and I have heard it a few issues with the rear trunnion, especially if it was overtightened or tilted without loosening.
@@MyGrowthRings I see the parts are available from Shopsmith 😁
@@giljusino Well that’s good.
I have both the scroll saw (old) and the jigsaw (very old) and was thinking of selling the latter, so I’m looking forward to seeing your video next weekend on why I should keep it.
Both machines have run out of puff, presumably because the leather gaskets inside the air pumps have deteriorated. I’ve tried oiling them to bring them back to life but no joy so far. Any ideas what to do next? I don’t think the parts are available any more.
Hey Graham. The leather is easy to fabricate and replace. Just pull it out and use the original piece as a template. Surprisingly you don't have to oversize it much from the worn original to bring it back into service. Scott
I have the scroll saw (The one with the hold down) and enjoy it. Outside of being able to say I have a jig saw, what can I do differently on this than I can't do on the scroll saw?
You'll see the answer to that in this coming weekend's video. Scott
Scott, I have a off subject question regarding my Shopsmith Bandsaw. Installed a 5/8 inch blade set all the adjustments. When power was started to the bandsaw, I get a loud squealing sound that sounds like metal on metal. I have been trying to figure out what is going on, but no luck. The only thing I noticed is that the Roller Track bearing does not rotate. Is the bearing supposed to rotate freely? Any ideas for me. Thanks Richard Nunley
Hey Richard. Yes, all of the bearings should spin freely. When properly aligned the upper thrust bearing (above the table in the right) isn’t in contact with the blade and should only spin when cutting, but otherwise all of the bearings should be spinning. Take a close look at the blade and follow it’s path all the way around to make sure that it isn’t rubbing against anything. There’s a spot near the tensioner that can accidentally trap the blade if you aren’t careful. Other that that and the guide blocks being positioned too far forward the likely culprit is that a bearing is shot. Scott
Hi Scott, A friend of mine set me up with a jigsaw in great condition. Located the manual on the SS Facebook site. My question is does the tension spring have to be replaced on occasion? While mine has a fair amount of tension, the only comparison I have is the scroll saw and the blade on it has that “ring” where the jigsaw doesn’t. Thanks, Jim
I don't have any personal experience with the spring becoming set, but that is one of the things springs do, so you might be on to something. I'll see if I can find an answer. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings Thanks!
I got a used jigsaw and it keeps bending the blades. After watching this video, it seems to be missing the mainspring. (So I don’t have an old spring to take to a store to find a replacement). Any source you know of for the correct size spring?
Great introduction - just one question - is there any requirement to the type of oil or will any kind of oil work?
Hey Tim. I was hoping someone would ask. Yes, it's 10w non-detergent, which can be a bugger to find. I linked to a couple from Amazon in the video description that turned out to be cheaper than the container I purchased locally. Scott
@@MyGrowthRings any idea why is non-detergent important? Sure would just rather use motor oil than hunt down some weird stuff.
@@joshwalker5605The detergents in standard motor oil keep metal particles suspended, where non detergent motor oil allows them to settle to the bottom where they can’t cause problems. If you have Amazon Prime there’s no hunting involved. Just click the link in the video description.
Seems like a really fidgety machine.
So, isn't this REALLY a scroll saw?
Hey Bill. This knock-off of the Shopsmith jigsaw really is fidgety. No, by definition a scroll saw provides power to the blade on but the down and up stroke, but a jigsaw relies on a spring to return the blade to the top of the stroke, and many times in a tight curve the chuck below the table will be shoving up on the blade but the spring isn’t able to pull the blade up, so the blade will bend and eventually fatigue and break. I can cut on our scroll saw until the blade gets dull before having any issues, but a jigsaw can’t do that. In fact, if someone hired you to create a machine that would cause a blade to fatigue and break I suspect it would look a lot like a jigsaw! Scott
@@MyGrowthRings I am going to respectfully disagree with you on that definition of "jigsaw". I recall my dad had an early-1960s Craftsman radial arm saw which had a jigsaw attachment. The blade was fixed on one end.
And I still have my (approx) 1968 Black and Decker jigsaw. Same thing; blade is fixed on the top.
Maybe Shopsmith has a different glossary. And I haven't looked in the Patent Office records to see what those records might say.
Regardless, you provide an abundance of valuable info in your videos. Thanks
@@billrogers6863 That is a tool called a saber saw and yes, some people call it a jigsaw.
BTW, there have been a lot of tools over the years that have been called jig saws, saber saws, scroll saws and there really isn't a governing body who regulates woodworking terminology. For hundreds of years cabinetmakers have referred to doors that are hinged across their top edge and that swing up "Lids", while doors that are hinged along their bottom edge, as in a drop down desk, are called "Flaps". In addition to the the hinges you typically fit these doors with a support called either a "lid stay" or a "flap stay". That said, my employer, who happens to be a European cabinet hardware manufacture with 100 years of history now offers a "Flap fitting" that is used for lifting a door or lid. That's totally wrong, but they've done it. Words are hard and language is complex. I reserve the right to be wrong. Ironically tomorrow, Feb 10th, marks the 9th anniversary of the day that I learned, at the age of 50, that having "astigmatism" isn't having a "stigmatism". Scott
Hey Scott, my shopsmith lamp came with several extra mounting flanges. I want to use it on my jigsaw. Where should I attach it?
Good question. I would mount it in the upper arm/tube.
That was my first thought, but the tube is round and the flange is flat.
@@giljusino True, but it works. If it doesn’t have enough material behind it, it might be a little wobbly, so you may need to add something behind it to back up the little “fingers”. Something like a this piece of wood or plywood.