A Tribute to a Year of Shopsmith Ownership

[dstensland]

Did you use anything to support the log on the in feed side?

Which saw blade did you use? Where do you buy them?

I found them here but there might be a better place.

I didn't support the infeed side for that log (my mistake), but in the 1st bandsaw photo but you can see a small table section which is hanging down. It is normally supported by the telescoping legs on either side of the bandsaw. They help carry the load and take pressure off the bandsaw table.

As far as blades, I started with the 72" version of this blade...
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/wood ... blade.aspx

As you've discovered, you can get that blade and others from Hal Turner at buyfromawoodworker.com. He was a wide selection. When I wanted to step up to a 1/2" blade Hal expressed concern about running it on an 11" bandsaw. He warned me that it might fail early but he did let me try. Hal was right... the 1/2" xtra duty blade failed early exactly as he predicted. Now I'm back to using the 3/8" blade (which he also sells) for the forseable future. There's really no need to go beyond the 3/8" blade because of the way these cut.

How did you saw the log in half? I can't see any appreciable twist in the sawn boards, so I assume that the half-log has a fairly flat face on bottom.

The log was first sawed in half with my chainsaw attached to a Granberg Alaskan Mark IIIl. The mill is effective but its wide kerf wastes a lot of wood. By using the bandsaw when possible I can get higher yields. In this case, I got 7 boards instead of around 5.

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The Shopsmith-cut boards are in the middle of the photo below. It's not the greatest picture, but some of the larger boards were up to 17" across and 7' tall...

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[camerio]

EH Great story and good pictures. Thanks.

[skou]

Dave, at the very least, THANK YOU for getting the next generation hooked on woodworking!

And, (and I hate to say this) his stuff looks better than mine! Yes, I need to quit building Shopsmiths, and USING them. After all, for a single guy in a 650 SF apartment, with a 4X12 working area, why do I need 4 ERs?

steve

[JPG]

Dave, at the very least, THANK YOU for getting the next generation hooked on woodworking!

And, (and I hate to say this) his stuff looks better than mine! Yes, I need to quit building Shopsmiths, and USING them. After all, for a single guy in a 650 SF apartment, with a 4X12 working area, why do I need 4 ERs?

steve

To drive the cougars away!:D

["Wild Bad Bob"]

Skou
when I golfed, they would say a tree with leaves on is 80% air, so why cant you get a golf ball through it? When an Er is out of a milk crate and assembled, it too is about 80% air!!

[idcook]

Dave, at the very least, THANK YOU for getting the next generation hooked on woodworking!

And, (and I hate to say this) his stuff looks better than mine! Yes, I need to quit building Shopsmiths, and USING them. After all, for a single guy in a 650 SF apartment, with a 4X12 working area, why do I need 4 ERs?

steve

This is my affliction as well. So enamored of the machines that spend more time chasing them down and poking around in them than cutting wood. Which, at this point, amounts to almost never. (Just an ER and this will end… I promise… )

[dstensland]

No doubt, Shopsmith collecting can be a enjoyable hobby in itself. These machines are just too darn useful to let them languish in disrepair. Beyond that, Shopsmith's support makes it possible. How many other woodworking tool brands can claim the same?

Truth be told, my first Shopsmith was a '56 greenie purchased about 20 years ago as part of a package deal at a garage sale in Aurora, Illinois. It was in rough shape, but I repaired it anyway for the heck of it. The motor was repaired at a motor shop and soon the machine was back in action. Before I got any more familiar with it I decided to sell it off to a neighbor because I was moving across the country. I didn't think much about selling it at the time but later realized that was a mistake.

Fast forward to last year... Shopsmith #2. The following photo sequence shows the initial condition and cleanup followed by post restoration usage. My son chipped in with the cleanup though his gas mask was overkill. In any case, we got it working again...

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The Shopsmith bandsaw mode is my boy's 2nd favorite tool mode to use. I like all the modes and equally so!

-Dave

[idcook]

dstensland—

Heck! That young man is an artist. The pen is gorgeous.

Also, thanks to you, I may decide to cut up the logs left over from recently fallen and felled trees in my rear yard myself. Hadn’t seriously considered doing that until seeing the photos offered in your post. And, of course, I just got my first SS bandsaw a few weeks ago. So…

Maybe I’ll get something done after all.

[JPG]

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/attachment.htm?attachmentid=25172&d=1401214877

Why the gloves? Not recommended!

[Gene Howe]

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/attachment.htm?attachmentid=25172&d=1401214877

Why the gloves? Not recommended!

+1000!!
No gloves. No Jewelry. Long hair tied up...not just back. All long sleeve cuffs buttoned.