It doesn't sound like these control boxes fail very frequently, since (I think) this is the first thread on the forum addressing the issue. So maybe Shopsmith only sells 5 or 10 of those controllers per year? And maybe they have to hire somebody to make them up as a special order every time one is ordered? I'd bet if SS could sell 1000 or so of those boxes per year, the price/box would go way down.
I know zippo about electronics, so I don't know if this would be easy or not. Could one of you prototype a new box and have SS test it? In another thread, Nick told us that Shopsmith had to go to a new supplier of drive belts because Goodyear (?) quoted them a ridiculous price for the small volume of belts that SS wanted. So SS is willing to deal with new parts suppliers when necessary. Maybe if someone could supply Shopsmith with several dozen control boxes at $100/box, and be willing to make more whenever SS asked them to, Shopsmith would jump at the chance.
greitz wrote:It doesn't sound like these control boxes fail very frequently, since (I think) this is the first thread on the forum addressing the issue. So maybe Shopsmith only sells 5 or 10 of those controllers per year? And maybe they have to hire somebody to make them up as a special order every time one is ordered? I'd bet if SS could sell 1000 or so of those boxes per year, the price/box would go way down.
I know zippo about electronics, so I don't know if this would be easy or not. Could one of you prototype a new box and have SS test it? In another thread, Nick told us that Shopsmith had to go to a new supplier of drive belts because Goodyear (?) quoted them a ridiculous price for the small volume of belts that SS wanted. So SS is willing to deal with new parts suppliers when necessary. Maybe if someone could supply Shopsmith with several dozen control boxes at $100/box, and be willing to make more whenever SS asked them to, Shopsmith would jump at the chance.
Gary
Gary
You probably right about replacement controls but these same controls have to go one every new planner SS sells. I hope it is more than a few each year.
As for the Goodyear example I can understand it. Evidently when SS first sought out a belt Goodyear was making them for some other purpose and they were a common product. However as things changed and especially the belt industry that belt probably isn't made much anymore. For Goodyear to set up and make say a million of these they could price it right but to set up and make a couple hundred the cost would be high.
Hopefully SS isn't paying $300 for each control they mount on their new planers. Although that might explain the high price of the planer.
Justaned
If I had the parts, the assembly and test on a single box could be completed in about one hour (unless the test involves power cycling). You figure the cost per unit. I would estimate the cost of parts (purchased with a quantity discount) to be about $85.00. If I'm off by far it is because I have never purchased extruded plastic parts.
$85.00 plus an hours labor plus markup = the figure in question. You decide.
PS John, the cost of tooling was recouped sometime while I was active duty military. There have been no changes to that configuration since I placed my first Shopsmith order. The circuit board has changed thus some added cost.
"Making Sawdust Safely" Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
It has been many years since I was involved in selling automotive tools, but there was more then one "mark-up" involved when I was. The manufacture sets all the price levels: It was common for the manufacture to set the price of a tool to the jobber or store at 25% higher then the distributors price, then 40% more to the end customer. In other words, if the item was sold to the distributor for $100, it wood cost the store $125 and the store's customer wood end up paying $175. If SS is using similar figures, $300 wood translate to their cost being $215; if they are buying from a distributor, $215 seems to be a bit too high; if they are buying straight from a manufacture, $215 is way too high; if they are manufacturing the item themselves, they are charging an amount that might be considered extortion. I am pretty sure that they do knot manufacture the controler themselves. I just can knot see them raping us that way.
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
[ATTACH]2381[/ATTACH]My controller is now fully functional. I replaced the bridge rectifier with the one from Radio Shack and I used a dimmer switch I bought at Home Depot. Everything works fine and the feed motor speed control works like a charm. The dimmer switch was a little tall to fit into the control box so I had to make a slight modification to the box. In the end everything fits inside and looks original.
I don't know how to embed the pictures into my message so I'll just refer to the numbers and comment.
Pic 33_1 - As I said the new controller was to tall to fit inside the control box so I cut out the "well" where the control knob fits. By doing this it allowed enough clearance for the new controller to fit inside the box. I used a Dremel cutoff wheel chucked into the Shopsmith and then set the depth to cut just to the inside of the box. I then used a hole saw to cut a round plastic disk just larger than the hole in the box. I glued it in place using plastic super glue.
Pic 34_1 - The inside of the controller after my modifications.
Pic 35_1 - The completed and assembled box.
Pic 36_1 - The project that got me into this mess in the first place. It is a roll around work cart with storage shelves on the side for small items. The shelves under the work surface are large enough to hold components you are working on or portable power tools. The top is 1 1/2 " MDF with banding around the edges. It is mounted on locking swivel casters making it easy to move and then lock down for stability.
In the end the total cost of my rebuild was $2.49 for the rectifier and $4.95 for the dimmer switch. In addition the time spent on this thread and research were the only other things required.
I want to thank everyone who participated in this thread and especially all of the ideas that were contributed. I don't think I would have been successful without your help!!!
tdubnik wrote:My controller is now fully functional. I replaced the bridge rectifier with the one from Radio Shack and I used a dimmer switch I bought at Home Depot. Everything works fine and the feed motor speed control works like a charm. The dimmer switch was a little tall to fit into the control box so I had to make a slight modification to the box. In the end everything fits inside and looks original.
I don't know how to embed the pictures into my message so I'll just refer to the numbers and comment.
Pic 33_1 - As I said the new controller was to tall to fit inside the control bok so I cut out the "well" where the control knob fits. By doing this it allowed enough clearance for the new controller to fit inside the box. I used a Dremel cutoff wheel chucked into the Shopsmith and then set the depth to cut just to the inside of the box. I then used a hole saw to cut a round plastic disk just larger than the hole in the box. I glued it in place using plastic super glue.
Pic 34_1 - The inside of the controller after my modifications.
Pic 35_1 - The completed and assembled box.
Pic 36_1 - The project that got me into this mess in the first place. It is a roll around work cart with storage shelves on the side for small items. The shelves under the work surface are large enough to hold components you are working on or portable power tools. The top is 1 1/2 " MDF with banding around the edges. It is mounted on locking swivel casters making it easy to move and then lock down for stability.
In the end the total cost of my rebuild was $2.49 for the rectifier and $4.95 for the dimmer switch. In addition the time spent on this thread and research were the only other things required.
I want to thank everyone who participated in this thread and especially all of the ideas that were contributed. I don't think I would have been successful without your help!!!
NICE WORK!!!!!!
Okay now we know it cost less than $8 Let us add $50 for the plastic, $50 for travel and labor (both ridiculous prices) and 100 percent mark up $216 still a long way from $300.
Think about it for moment if SS set a valid price on this part and deducted it from the overall cost of a pro planer it would bring the price down to below $700. Then if they made similar adjustment to price for the other parts it would bring the price of the Pro Planer equal to or below the cost of the competition. They would probably sell all they could make.
Thanks for presenting us with the problem, it was fun to think about...
I'm thinking maybe if others do this to look for the 400 PIV bridge or use some blocking diode on one or both of the motor leads... but hey the parts are so cheap that replacing this every 10 or so years is no big deal.
Ed
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
How OLD is this pro planer?
Looks like the drill chuck needs a little TLC also.
SS 500(09/1980), DC3300, jointer, bandsaw, belt sander, Strip Sander, drum sanders,molder, dado, biscuit joiner, universal lathe tool rest, Oneway talon chuck, router bits & chucks and a De Walt 735 planer,a #5,#6, block planes. ALL in a 100 square foot shop. .
.
Bob
beeg wrote:How OLD is this pro planer?
Looks like the drill chuck needs a little TLC also.
I bought the Shopsmith with the jointer, bandsaw and belt sander in the late 70s. I added the planer and strip sander a few years later. It has been in my basement for the past 20 years and didn't see much use for a long time. I started some remodeling projects a couple of years ago and started using it more.
I had a leak in my basement a few years ago the the environment was damp for a little while. I had the problem fixed and added a dehumidifier and the environment is good now. I got most everything cleaned up and the tools steel-wooled and waxed but I guess I didn't get around to the drill chuck.
