Side-effect advantages of change-overs

paulrussell · Post by **paulrussell** » Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:58 pm

I am inherently lazy. It isn't that I am afraid of work, but I want to be as efficient as possible and never waste a moment, thus freeing myself for sufficient craft-beer drinking, tv-watching, or both.

As such, I am oft tempted to go with "good enough" vs "the right way." Today I realized that if I had a stand-alone table saw, I would be forever figuring "for just this one time I'll use (whatever blade is currently in table) to make this cut, even if it isn't the best blade. With the Shopsmith, I am likely in need of a changeover anyway, so putting the right blade in place is only a small part of it.

BTW -- I don't know how many recall, but I bought my Shopsmith a couple years ago, and partially because of my new interest in woodworking and partially because my wife wanted a home better suited for entertaining, we went on the market for a new home and listed ours -- forcing my Shopsmith into storage banishment for over a year while our house was listed for sale. (Apparently ya gotta make the house look like no one lives there to sell it.)

So then we decided to build -- and rather than have the builder make the decisions, I simply asked for a framed room to do with as I pleased. Due to priorities it was almost another year till I got the room in order. It is roughly 15x20 with a 5x20 storage area behind. (separated by a weight bearing wall that I was not willing to mess with)

I'm also an electronics hobbiest, so a part of the shop is set up for dual use, and I also have a 2x3' CNC (cutting area, actually much larger) in the shop. I have not for a moment questioned my choice of Shopsmith -- I cannot imagine how cramped my shop would be with stand-alone planer, jointer, drill press, sander, bandsaw, table saw, lathe, etc. It is my Shopsmith that makes it possible for me to dabble or excel in whatever area of woodworking that might strike my fancy -- although the excel part is a bit further down the road.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:21 am

A second shorten Shopsmith (MINI-26" or SHORTY-34") would greatly reduce the need for changeovers as they do not take that much space.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Oct 15, 2012 5:33 am

billmayo wrote:A second shorten Shopsmith (MINI-26" or SHORTY-34") would greatly reduce the need for changeovers as they do not take that much space.

Amen to that. I find it hard to believe how much I use the drill press now that I have the Shorty.