Shopsmith Forums

What to get...

I have come to the point in my life where i require a planer.
I am trying to decide whether to get a Shopsmith mounted planer, or just a lunchbox planer. I found another shopsmith, with a mounted planer that i got them down to 700. I found a Dewalt planer on the internet for 400, or I have just enough gift cards for Lowes from discover rewards to get the portercable planer.

Which to do????

I am deaf on the right, and like the quietness of the shopsmith in preserving what i have left in hearing.

Any opinions? I spent a lot of time reading reviews of the ones mentioned.

I have the Stand Alone Shopsmith version and love it. I sure wouldn't want to have to lift that thing and mount it on the SS everytime I needed to use it. It must weight a ton They don't come up for sale very often, and they seem to command a good price when they do. I paid $700 for mine off CL.

I agree 100% with Fred. I was faced with the same questions a few months ago. I had an option to buy the add on Shopsmith or the Dewalt. I called Bill Mayo to get his advise. Without hesitation he said get a stand alone Shopsmith. The add on pulls to hard on the Shopsmith and is under powered. I finally found a stand alone and am glad I did. Hands down the best decision given the options. As Fred said they don't come around often and demand a solid price but worth the money. Again I would hate to have to muscle it on and off the Shopsmith. I bought mine in a packaged deal and turn around and sold the other stuff and am very happy I did. Trust Fred and Bill Mayo they will not lead you wrong.

Whatever you do, don't rely on the tools being quiet. Get some ear protection. That said the DW735 is just as capable as the Shopsmith. Also keep in mind that the speed control on The Shopsmith is something like a $400 item if it goes.

Undoubtedly, the Shopsmith stand alone is a great unit. But the price is what stopped me from owning one.
I use a DW735 and it does the job for me. And, it's quieter than the Delta it replaced.

Gene Howe wrote:Undoubtedly, the Shopsmith stand alone is a great unit. But the price is what stopped me from owning one.
I use a DW735 and it does the job for me. And, it's quieter than the Delta it replaced.

The only thing that scares me about the DW 735 is the blade expense. I plan to build a kitchen full of cabinets, and the wife is leaning toward hard maple.

If i do the shopsmith one, it wont be the stand alone one, it will be shopsmith mounted, but I don't expect to have to remove it, since I will have 3 shopsmiths.

Well... Its a moot point now, we agreed on a price.

I'd suggest you build a rolling cart of the same height as others have for storage... Will save your back.

Since I now have 3 Shopsmiths, I will just leave it mounted. Although, I don't find it that heavy, remember the shopsmith mounted planers don't have a heavy cast iron table.

I will post pictures of what i got tomorrow, but i got a 1978 Mark V, always in a basement, never outside. A new, never used 78 jig saw. 125 blades for the jig saw. 8 various 10" saw blades, all of them resharpened. a 60 tooth oldham woodworking blade, new in the package. Tons of stuff for the lathe. The planer blades were just sharpened. All of the table saw blades are for a specific purpose, no combination blades. From the use on parts, it looks like he primarily used the table saw, lathe, and drill press. He said he used the planer alot when he got it in 82, and he had the blades resharpened for the first time two years ago, and hasn't used it since.

I didn't exactly steal it, but I am happy with the price i paid.
So my greenie, will be a saw and sanding station, my goldie will be mymulti use one, and the "new" one will be my planer.

wodnek wrote:Since I now have 3 Shopsmiths, I will just leave it mounted. Although, I don't find it that heavy, remember the shopsmith mounted planers don't have a heavy cast iron table....So my greenie, will be a saw and sanding station, my goldie will be mymulti use one, and the "new" one will be my planer.

Sounds like you have the necessary room:) So... enjoy!!:D
Best wishes!