I didn't find anyone over there really "bashing the Shopsmith". Many of the LJs have opinions of the Shopsmith that we might not want to hear but that is to be expected. They all love the equipment that they have selected and paid good money for.tgamel wrote:Yea, just got back from looking over there, just a little over 30 posts before they started getting nasty. I have been on sites like that before when I was looking to get my first Shopsmith. The amount of loathing many expressed for the SS mainly for it's small table when used as a table saw kinda made me smile after I found that many of the so called 'professional carpenters' that were really bashing the SS, used small portable table saws on the job site that have tables that are the same size or smaller than the SS. Oh the irony of ignorance that a closed mind will exhibit.
Furthermore, for those who make their living doing wood working, the Shopsmith is probably not the right tool for them. For me (and many of us here) the Shopsmith is the perfect tool. It fits well in my small shop and it affords me some power tool features that I might not otherwise have access to.
The table saw, probably more than any other wood working tool, out of necessity must come in many different forms. What is good for one wood worker is not good for all.
STOP Think about it. What sort of table saw most likely satisfies the "real needs: of:
A cabinet maker
A flooring contractor
A framing contractor
A finish carpenter
A roofer
A toy maker
A fence contractor
A DIYer
Each one has a different set of "real needs". In some cases those needs can be satisfied only with a specific tool. In some cases one tool will do it all.
Each and every one needs to ask of themselves "Why do I need/want a table saw"? Do I really need a Unisaw or can I do what I do on a Mark V or a contractor saw or the band saw or a circular saw or a hand saw or a coping saw.
Probably no two of us would answer these questions the same.
MrHart: Have you determined what you really need/want? BTW, I enjoyed your excursion over on LJ.