Shop Smith

[PILOON]

Hey, never have enough tools!
Have 2 bench saws.
A Makita 8" portable for quick job site cuts that simply won't die.
A 10 cast iron beast with a Bessemyer rip fence as well as a custom sled.
When I set it up I used my micronometer and vernier calipers as I wanted precision, and got it.
With the beast I can slice 1/8" X 3" slats to make storage bins as well as rip 2" oak all day long.
Also have a 12" Makita sliding miter saw for fine angle work like picture frames and Ogee mouldings.

But then I am a 'tool nut'.
Each tool has its job.

 

[cqaigy2]

Yesterday, i saw one of these at the "Restore Center". Restore Center is part of Habitat for Humanity and people donate tools and materials. I'd never heard of one before reading here in the forum. It looked to be pretty old, heavy and solid built. Lots of parts were piled up with it so i guess most everything was with it. They were asking $150 for it. I have all those tools but the lathe. I'll be interested to see how long before it sells or is disposed of.

 

[dragoneggs]

Thing is, lots of us are in between those two!

And, it's a PITA to want to use the band saw to make "a" cut one day, then use the table saw for a cut the next day... It's just too much time monkeying around to do a set up for one cut... OR having to go back to a tool, because you forgot to do a cut on what ever you are making.

AT LEAST that's where I find myself...

SR

Exactly... I am one of those between the two. I surely would cursing up a storm if I had to go back and forth between setups for every other cut. I can't imagine trying to plan out all of your cutting ahead of time for efficiency. Space though is my problem so many of my tools are on casters. My poor truck sits outside all of the time. The wife's car sits out a lot when projects are underway. Just did clean up and made room for her car in this cold weather. Need a BIGGER shop! On my to do list this year.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^Amen

I think a key to marital bliss is an attached garage with only two cars and nothing else AND a separate shop at least 100 paces away... close but not too close.

I found in Washington it was never a problem... if something was in the way or taking up room or after the holidays... it was a simple few steps to take it to the shop loft and problem solved.

Right now I have a Stihl saw on the kitchen table in Oakland... just no room when everything is under one roof...

Try as hard as I can... an open workbench is just an invitation to pile on...

The nice thing about having a separate shop is I can leave a project and come back days later and it is EXACTLY how I left it... no chance of that in Oakland...

 

[teejk]

^^^Amen

I think a key to marital bliss is an attached garage with only two cars and nothing else AND a separate shop at least 100 paces away... close but not too close.

I built my wife's "dream home" on 2 acres in the woods. Had the money to locate a 56x30 shop (40x30 infloor radiant heat) about 100' away. Due to a design flaw, I forgot to put any windows on the house side. I ran water and electric (should have run cable). One of these days I'll install a hot water heater and dig the hole for waste water (right now it only empties into a bucket so I have to be careful...figure a 55gal drum with holes should work in this sand/gravel acreage). As for "personal" requirements, #1 no issue (we are in the woods). Once and awhile though I have to do that "turkey trot" thing...thinking about a porta potty.

 

[mark02tj]

...... As for "personal" requirements, #1 no issue (we are in the woods). Once and awhile though I have to do that "turkey trot" thing...thinking about a porta potty.

Or build an outhouse.

 

[mark02tj]

...... As for "personal" requirements, #1 no issue (we are in the woods). Once and awhile though I have to do that "turkey trot" thing...thinking about a porta potty.

Or build an outhouse.

As I was posting this, I just looked again at the thread title and realized how much this on has diverted!! LOL!

Back to ShopSmith... They've been headquartered in Dayton for as long as I can remember. They used to be a pretty prominent local company but not so much any more. I don't even know if they still have their "factory showroom" any more or if they even still build or develop anything here locally. Years ago, I worked for one of the "Big-6" CPA firms and ShopSmith was a client. One of my coworker's dad worked there doing machining/R&D work. He told me that his dad had made an ice cream maker using his ShopSmith power head. He used a soft nail as a shearpin to let him know when the ice cream was ready!! I can also remember going to the mall (both here in Dayton and elsewhere) and seeing a ShopSmith salesperson doing demos on how easy it was to go between the tool change overs. Of course, I don't remember him checking if things were square after doing these changeovers!

I've been watching CL on and off for a while to see about getting one. Like many others, I don't have the need (or the room) for a full shop but wouldn't mind having the ability to have the various tools handy, even realizing that the setup is a compromise. I also have a Gravely walk-behind tractor. I often tell people that a Gravely is like the "ShopSmith of Tractors" - it can do just about anything but does require changing from attachment to attachment. In all honesty though, that's enough of a pain that I'm considering buying a second one so I can keep one of them always attached to my mower and then switch between the attachments on the other one. I wonder if I bought a ShopSmith if I'd just end up reselling it later?

 

[Gem99ultra]

Thinking of getting a Mark V,anyone have experience with them? Thanks,Tim

I have also owned a SS for some 20 years. It had been sitting in a storage building since brand new, mostly in water or in damp conditions, but it was free. I had to completely restore it before being able to use any of the accessories, but it was a fun learning experience. Just be aware, new and used parts, although available, are very expensive. Check their forum at Shopsmith Forums -- Sharing Information About Woodwoking and Shopsmith Tools and I think you may want to rethink taking one for even free.

They take up a good bit of floor space, takes a lot of time to switch from one feature to another, severally lacking in accuracy, dangerously small tables, and lack most of the now-standard safety features. Nonetheless, I would have never been able to get into woodworking without having gotten one. Even though they're called All-In-One machines, you'll get real tired of switching from one function to another, especially when you forgot to make just one small cut, or whatever.

Mine's still in great operating condition. But I'm replacing each function as fast as I can afford with stand-alone equipment. If you're short on funds, short on space, have a lot of patience and want to get 'started' in woodworking, snag one. It's a good learning experience.

 

[HCJtractor]

I have also owned a SS for some 20 years. It had been sitting in a storage building since brand new, mostly in water or in damp conditions, but it was free. I had to completely restore it before being able to use any of the accessories, but it was a fun learning experience. Just be aware, new and used parts, although available, are very expensive. Check their forum at Shopsmith Forums -- Sharing Information About Woodwoking and Shopsmith Tools and I think you may want to rethink taking one for even free. They take up a good bit of floor space, takes a lot of time to switch from one feature to another, severally lacking in accuracy, dangerously small tables, and lack most of the now-standard safety features. Nonetheless, I would have never been able to get into woodworking without having gotten one. Even though they're called All-In-One machines, you'll get real tired of switching from one function to another, especially when you forgot to make just one small cut, or whatever. Mine's still in great operating condition. But I'm replacing each function as fast as I can afford with stand-alone equipment. If you're short on funds, short on space, have a lot of patience and want to get 'started' in woodworking, snag one. It's a good learning experience.

I would say this advice is spot on!

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Sawyer Rob]

AND THEN, what really killed Shop Smith, was when the Chinese copied it and came on the market for a fraction of the price of a new SS!

SR

 

[teejk]

AND THEN, what really killed Shop Smith, was when the Chinese copied it and came on the market for a fraction of the price of a new SS!

SR

My guess is that "New Yankee Workshop" killed it. I think Norm introduced the concept of being able to move from one machine to another to another to another, all within a 60 minute show. Woodworking seems to have been a "fad"...my sons have no interest in playing in my shop with dedicated tools (table saw, drill press, jointer, planer, etc.) so perhaps the multi-purpose machines will come back.

 

[dragoneggs]

My guess is that "New Yankee Workshop" killed it. I think Norm introduced the concept of being able to move from one machine to another to another to another, all within a 60 minute show. Woodworking seems to have been a "fad"...my sons have no interest in playing in my shop with dedicated tools (table saw, drill press, jointer, planer, etc.) so perhaps the multi-purpose machines will come back.

Not so sure it is so much a fad rather than a generational thing. My son up until just recently showed no interest in my tools or shop. Sports, Video games, and women were more on his mind. Now that he is settling down with a steady girl and a dog maybe he is changing. He shocked me the other day and said he wants to do some woodworking... maybe make some furniture. So there's hope! Thinking my collection of tools was destined for an estate sale some day... maybe not!

 

[Billrog]

I see a lot of SS for sale here ranging from $100 to $500 older but have seen very little use. I think the continual set up wears owners down fast and it starts collecting dust.

 

[dragoneggs]

Little use should be your first clue! People get sucked into these 'do it all' tools with good salesmanship.

 

[ultrarunner]

The shop where I keep my Bridgeport and South Bend was built using a Shopsmith... the previous owner built accessories to make the table saw very usable and had many of the attachments...

Of course this was 40 years ago... people have more today... average home size has increased so room is less of a factor.

 

[Code54]

The shop where I keep my Bridgeport and South Bend was built using a Shopsmith... the previous owner built accessories to make the table saw very usable and had many of the attachments...

Of course this was 40 years ago... people have more today... average home size has increased so room is less of a factor.

That is true - growing up my dads "Shop" was not quite 10x12 so a shop Smith was about the only option. I remember that we always had to open the doors to cut a 4x8 sheet or long board.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^Exactly how I remember it too... space was at a premium and homes were over all less spacious unless you happen to live on a farm or ranch with out buildings.