Shopsmith 520 For Sale---Yuma, AZ.

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:36 am

[quote="dusty"]Sorry to hear that such a nice Mark V Model 520 has been parted out]

I understand your sentiment, but disagree. It certainly would have been nice to see it stay together (it was a really nice unit from the pictures). However, by parting out instead of helping one person it helped a bunch, like an organ donor.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:53 am

damagi wrote:I understand your sentiment, but disagree. It certainly would have been nice to see it stay together (it was a really nice unit from the pictures). However, by parting out instead of helping one person it helped a bunch, like an organ donor.

+1 on that thought! Shopsmiths had a heyday (maybe it will come back one day) of full-unit sales (mine was delivered new on a semi-truck), but the fact is now they are part of a highly active upgrade and swap market, thanks to the portability of their components.
P.S. I had an organ-donor in my family, too.

wiredone · Post by **wiredone** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:00 am

There's nothing shameful about parting out a machine on Ebay. How can you say that Dusty? It's the ultimate recycling.
As much as I dislike Ebay the Corporation, I make part of my living there, parting out some machinery, selling other ones whole, parting Motorcycles, selling my own products, etc, and yes, even parting out the occasional Shopsmith. In this trying economy it has given some people the opportunity to make money from home.
The reality is, most folks aren't interested in buying whole machines unless they're given away. This benefits everyone. He gets to get the money he originally wanted, justifies to himself building a custom unit, AND other folks get what they needed to upgrade or repair their units.
It's a win win situation.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 12:05 pm

wiredone wrote:There's nothing shameful about parting out a machine on Ebay. How can you say that Dusty? It's the ultimate recycling.
As much as I dislike Ebay the Corporation, I make part of my living there, parting out some machinery, selling other ones whole, parting Motorcycles, selling my own products, etc, and yes, even parting out the occasional Shopsmith. In this trying economy it has given some people the opportunity to make money from home.
The reality is, most folks aren't interested in buying whole machines unless they're given away. This benefits everyone. He gets to get the money he originally wanted, justifies to himself building a custom unit, AND other folks get what they needed to upgrade or repair their units.
It's a win win situation.

I agree re helping more than 'one', but it really is a shame to decrease the 'population', but perhaps it has extended the useful life of a few others!

Caveat is: It would help SS survive better if those 'repair' parts were purchased from them!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:55 pm

I am surprised at you guys but that is okay - everyone has a right to their opinions and I still think it is a shame to part out a good looking machine. There are just too many clunkers out there that can be parted out.

Now I want you to know - I am not totally against parting out which is evidenced by the fact that my second machine is built from parts that were parted out but I don't have a sweet looking 50th anniversary model. Mine is kin to a Johnny Cash version.

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:52 pm

dusty wrote:I am surprised at you guys but that is okay - everyone has a right to their opinions and I still think it is a shame to part out a good looking machine. There are just too many clunkers out there that can be parted out.

Now I want you to know - I am not totally against parting out which is evidenced by the fact that my second machine is built from parts that were parted out but I don't have a sweet looking 50th anniversary model. Mine is kin to a Johnny Cash version.

Realistically speaking, the artificially low prices for whole units on craigslist and ebay is a much bigger problem than parting units out. If you want people to buy from SS there needs to be insentive (ie: warranty, reliability, etc) as well as a dis-insentive for buying elsewhere. Its too easy to buy a complete unit with lots of accessories and SPTs 2nd hand at a price which SS can't touch. Naturally, this is a place where the reliability and quality of SS stuff ends up hurting it.

I bought my intial stuff 2nd hand, but have since bought plenty of stuff from SS. I have also helped out plenty of people who needed various parts right now locally. Oh, and I had never heard of SS until I saw it on craigslist. And I have sold/repaired units for many people who knew nothing about it either...so spreading the word can help

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 6:28 pm

dusty wrote: . . . Mine is kin to a Johnny Cash version.

Which song this time?

LynxRA · Post by **LynxRA** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:51 pm

I had my first ShopSmith in early 1952 when they first came out. What kind of price do you have in mind for this unit. I am very interested.

LynxRA · Post by **LynxRA** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:54 pm

Is your machine still for sale?

RobertTaylor · Post by **RobertTaylor** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:24 pm

post #9 says he parted it out