One More Poll...

ericolson · Post by **ericolson** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:58 pm

Really, guys, I'm not a poll-a-maniac! Just curious! Now I'm wondering who's using what kind of Shopsmith out there. A 10ER? A Greenie? A 520? This poll could give a general view of how durable a Shopsmith really is. I've seen a lot of Greenies on eBay lately, so this is why my curiosity is going on this one. I've also included upgrades.

Eric
proud owner of a Gold/Tan Mk V 500

dickroan · Post by **dickroan** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:24 pm

I've been using a 1984 Shopsmith 500 since 1986....All the attachments and most of the updates were purchased at the Raliegh NC store. Also attended the 2 and 3 day schools there for table making, cabinet makeing and a few more until Shopsmith decided that stores were not profitable and closed them all. Attended the traveling academy a few times to keep current but since they only offer training for new owners, this has become no longer cost effective....Great machine for the space I have to use it...However, I do wish there were some other classes available to learn more and keep the interest up....Could be the company is missing the boat for those of us that would attend something besides beginning lathe and beginning shopsmith, etc.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:13 pm

Does anyone know how many Shopsmiths were sold compared to other Lathes or tablesaws? Can Shopsmith make any claim like most popular tablesaw model or most popular Lathe or more jointers or bandsaws sold then anyone?

The fact that a 500 can be upgraded all the way to 520 and the vast majority of accessories work for the whole series, can other vendors make this claims.

ericolson · Post by **ericolson** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:16 am

I'm the second owner of my Gold/Tan version. From the literature that came with the machine, it was serviced once in 1980 at Shopsmith's San Diego store. I know the only thing I've done with it is to check the alignments occaisionally, wax the tubes, and oil the spots Shopsmith says to oil. I'd like to upgrade to 520, but I won't have any kind of color match. I could bead blast the carriage and any other gray parts and repaint them gold/tan. I've also got the under carriage tool cabinet that I made which is model 500 specific. I agree wholeheartedly that Shopsmith is missing the boat as far as those of us that have intermediate to advanced woodworking skills. I'd love to attend a traveling academy that demonstrated/taught more advanced Shopsmith techniques. Perhaps Shopsmith could have a building block approach. New owners or beginning woodworkers could take the entry level courses. Then those students would have to have "X" number of hours working on the fundamentals before being permitted to attend an intermediate course and then an advanced course. The integrity would have to be on the student as far as number of hours completed because the results would be obvious when the student participated in the next level of training.
Another alternative would be for Shopsmith to conduct a "train-the-trainer" approach. Intermediate to advanced woodworkers could participate in workshops to learn how to teach advanced Shopsmith techniques. Once certified by Shopsmith, these trainers could then conduct workshops in their local areas, with Shopsmith over sight. I'm thinking of, say, the Shopsmith Woodworkers Guild of [city, state, geo location], for example. It would/could be voluntary and whenever a workshop was conducted by a specific area's Guild, then notices could be mailed out/e-mailed to local area owners.
I for one, would be more than happy to teach what I know/learn from others at a once or twice a month workshop.
Of course, the practicality of such an endeavor may be unattainable and I'm just thinking way too deep...

Eric
...reaching for the stars while sleeping in the mud...

reible · Post by **reible** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:38 am

I'm not sure how this polling works but since you only get to pick one the results might tend to be a little questionable...... for owners of more then one machine.... which one do you pick??? I went with the orginal machine I purchased new, now, how about you?

Maybe we should do a poll of how many machines you own... I only have two but I have heard of people with numbers like 11....

Ed

ericolson · Post by **ericolson** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:43 am

Ed;

Good question, one that I didn't even think of. I only own the one Shopsmith, although at one time I had seven 10ERs in various stages of restoration (now THAT was a project!). I've heard of people that own two or three and even a couple that have ten. The polling thing can get pretty complicated as they raise quite a few more questions, such as yours.

Eric

rgupton1 · Post by **rgupton1** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:41 pm

What about the Sawsmith 2000. I bought one recently to go along with my gray Mark V 500 and love it so far.

Bob

ericolson · Post by **ericolson** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:57 pm

Bob;

Sorry, this one was for MK V's only. Not to the detriment of the Sawsmith 2000, though. I don't want anyone thinking I'm a MK V snob!!:D

Eric

edflorence · Post by **edflorence** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:57 am

I selected "modern gray MkV" for my poll answer, but the machine I am using is actually a hybrid combination. The headstock is a reconditioned 50th anniversary special, but everything else on the machine dates to 1954. I have upgraded to the newer 500 saw fence, the heavy lathe tool rest and the plastic upper and lower saw guards, but the carriage, tables, tubes and aprons are "greenie" vintage. So, what sort of 500 am I using??

I wonder how many other folks out there have "pieced together" their MkV's?

Interesting poll...thanks for the chance to contribute.

Ed

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