How can we help Shopsmith?

[hb2]

How about publishing a new book that highlights various craftsmen that own Shopsmiths. Show their shops and a feature project that they have made in their shop.
This would not be inexpensive to make but it should generate revenue from new Mark V sales as well as book sales.

[Nick]

What you describe is what we affectionately call "tool porn" in the woodworking publishing industry. Tool porn is expensive to produce because it requires 4-color processes, but is modestly lucrative when it appeals to a broad woodworking market. Unfortunately this proposed book appeals just to a niche within the woodworking market, that is, Shopsmith owners and wanna-be owners. It would be very difficult to find a publisher that would take it on, and we do not have the infrastructure or the expertise for book marketing and distribution in-house. I don't mean to be discouraging, but I do want to show that we consider and analyze your ideas. And because we have so little money and manpower, we have to be very tough in our analysis.

With all good wishes,

[a1gutterman]

Thank you for your response, Nick:

Just so you don't feel you're whistling in the wind, Tim:

1. The sign on our building reads "For Sale or Lease." It's in an industrial park where there are five similar buildings with similar signs, none of which seem to be doing the owners any good. Part of the reason is the bursting of the Mortgage bubble. Money for real estate is very tight. The other is more Dayton-specific. We are in the rustiest part of the Rust Belt. Go to the Forbes web site and you'll find Dayton, Ohio listed among the ten fastest dying cities in America. Since the 1980 census, we have lost nearly 20% of our population. Many of those who are left would like to move but you can't sell (or lease) real estate in a ghost town.

2. Let's do a quick cost analysis of the "Smitty" Service. Let's say Dusty wants us to send Smitty to his place in sunny Arizona for a 5-day week. Presuming we can book a month ahead, the low-end cost for flight/hotel/car is about $1400 according to Orbitz. Call it $1500 with taxes. Cost of Smitty's salary is likely to be in the neighborhood of $18 to $20 per hour, plus $6 to $7 for FICA, Workman's Comp, and Unemployment. I don't have the costs on Shopsmith's overhead, but when I ran a small publishing firm it was about $17/hr. We're around $40 to $45 per hour -- call it $350 per day. Cost to Dusty is $3250 approx., and we haven't yet figured in the cost of marketing this service or marking it up so we can make a profit. Off-hand, it doesn't look like a winner to me.

I didn't go through this excercise to dismiss your ideas or justify ignoring them. In point of fact, we don't ignore ideas on this forum -- Doug and I often bring them up in our weekly meetings with Bob and Marketing. But we do analyze them and discard those the clearly won't serve. And -- winners or losers -- we appreciate the effort.

My post in thread #2159 doesn't challenge anyone to come up with ideas. You folks took it as a challenge because that's the kind of helpful, concerned people you are, and God bless you for it. What I was trying to say without treading on anyone's toes was that these suggestions rarely consider cost versus return. Neither do they take into account all the problems we face, both economic and cultural.

Perhaps the best example of this is live demos. This is the part of that poor, deceased horse that gets beaten more than any other. As recently as last year, Shopsmith hired 20 new salesmen/demonstrators, trained them, and put them on the road at great expense. After a few weeks, the number of machines they had sold could be counted on one hand. We had to let most of our salesmen go -- new and old -- at great loss. Demos, which had been the mainstay of our marketing efforts for half a century, no longer work except in very limited and specific environments such as state fairs. There has been a cultural shift and we are trying to adapt to it. However fondly you folks may remember the demonstration that introduced you to the Shopsmith, we can't afford to bring them back. The return doesn't justify the cost in this new cultural climate.

If you continue to submit ideas, we will continue to appreciate them. We will also continue to analyze them and pursue only those those that promise a good return for the cost invested.

With all good wishes,

I appreciate that you took the time to explain the "ShopSmith point of view". Rest assured that I take no offense for any idea that I offer as knot getting used (but it is nice to get an ackowledgement), and for any future idea that I may offer, as best as I can, I will continue to keep the cost of implementation in mind, just as I did for the last two.

[cincinnati]

I think what Nick and Drew are doing on the web is on the right track. I visit many woodworking forums and point to the Shopsmith videos any chance I get. I think over time woodworkers will turn to Shopsmith videos for help and start to see the value of the Shopsmith Mark V.

[radium88]

Greetings,
I am new to this web posting thing, (and I sure don't mind my comments being edited down to make more sense). I thought I would throw out an idea. I would suspect that almost everyone that bought a Shopsmith did so after watching a demonstration or two, and possibly a friends recommendation. Watching the demo at a woodworking show is what did it for me. But it looks like the days of Shopsmith traveling with wood working shows and doing demos are like 50 cents a gallon gas.

I like the on-line demonstrations, (but it would be nice if the sound quality was a bit better), and a few more camera angles wouldn't hurt... They are great for people who already have a Shopsmith. I would not expect anyone who didn't own a Shopsmith, surfing the net and watching a Shopsmith session would order one after watching the session.

An example of something that did get a whole lot of people to go out and buy a pricey item was Orange County Choppers. People watched that show, and others like it, and see a motorcycle assembled in a time compressed situation and think, hey, I can do that. Then they order a kit from one of the glossy magazines. I a few days, twelve thousand dollars worth of parts that might fit together, with only minor modifications, show up on a pallet in the back of a delivery truck.

I think it would be great if Shopsmith had a national or cable show like This old house or New Yankee Workshop that did projects with a Shopsmith and Shopsmith accessories exclusively. I guess more like the infomercial kind of thing. Or maybe a Shopsmith challenge competition to build some specific thing.

I have no clue what any of that sort of thing would cost, and it is usually price that kills off most ideas, but it is a thought.

[dickg1]

Years ago, before the internet, the Bingo card worked for me. But, now days, if I see an ad of something I might be interested, I want to see or learn about it now. Then I go to the internet and read about it on the manufactures website.

Pat, that is a good point. Many ads include a "bingo" number and a web address so that the ad works one or both ways.

Because of my current position (I work as a Medicare counselor) I am fortunate enough to meet many individuals either at or above 65 or disabled. I would estimate that better than 50% over 65 don't have a computer, but they do read magazines.

One area that has great potential for ShopSmith is the You Tube session. Unfortunately, there are thousands of You Tube sessions. One way to invite attention to a ShopSmith session is with a small ad in the back of a woodworking magazine. That is the beginning of the sizzle. Including a "bingo" number is another element of the sizzle. The web site address is the third draw.

Dick

[Ed in Tampa]

To me the biggest obstacle to Shopsmith is perception and dogma. Watch any TV Woodworking show, read any magazine, talk to salesman in any woodworking store and the first thing you will hear is the "Saw" is the centerpiece in any "Craftsman's" shop. The next thing you will hear is the more cast iron that saw contains the better. Lastly you will hear if it has less than 3 horse power it just won't do the "real" job.

If you ask any of these sources about Shopsmith they will give you a very patronizing look (your such a smuck for even thinking about it) an arm around your shoulder, and the very astute and serious voice saying "Shopsmiths are great in that they have 5 functions but they don't do any really well. The worst function is the most important which is as a Tablesaw and here you have to tilt the table so anything you put on it slides off. The only thing the Shopsmith does nice is it has a variable speed lathe but now so many manufactures are comming out with variable speed lathes. If you ever decide to be a turner you would want one to those. No you don't want to get involved in that mess. Besides they cost more than our best saw and I can put you into machines that will do almost everything you can on Shopsmith for less. Now come over here and I will show you a real saw."

Okay now they have the mind set let us look at the options.
Ridgid Cast Iron - Home Depot immediate delivery - $600
Delta Cast Iron Contractor Saw - Lowes and most Woodworking stores again immediate delivery - $600-$1000
The list goes on until we get to the SawStop which as the added safety of stopping the blade before any damage can be done to flesh - Many Woodworking stores most have immediate delivery - $2500+

Now we come to the Shopsmith - No "real" woodworker considers it a really viable saw. Must be ordered for delivery weeks later. No cast iron. price $3000+

You don't have to think real hard to figure out what the average Joe is going to buy.

Shopsmith has got to get past this perception/dogma that the SS is a compromise, that you can't build anything of value on it. Shopsmith also has to find a way to convince people if you buy a Shopsmith you will have the same respect and envy from you friends and buddies that they have for someone that buys a Powermatic. Look at the car market most people don't buy a car to only travel in they buy something that speaks to who they are, to impress, to cause envy.

How is that done? I think by getting into the magazines the pictures of projects built and completed on Shopsmiths. And I believe biting the bullet and get a pro Shopsmith Craftsman his own show on PBS/DIY channels not demo'ing Shopsmiths but building everyday projects on the Shopsmith. The initial idea of the New Yankee Workshop with Norm was fantastic but something happened in that plan and Norm switched to Delta/Porter Cable.

[weelildaddy]

In following this thread, several of you have suggested a repetitive TV spot. In the past I have been gullible for the Saturday morning informercials. No doubt, a well presented informercial gets under your skin. I watched the Little Giant Latter episodes to the point that I went to a home show and purchased one. Watching Chuck Norris workout on the Total Gym finally stimulated me to buy one and no, I haven't used it. After watching the Fein Multimaster presentations, I went to Woodcraft and bought one. It just seems to me that at some point, Shopsmith needs to make a giant commitment to some direction even if it fails. In this economy, people are just not going to come to you unless they think you have the best thing going. My generation knows who and what Shopsmith is however, word of mouth is just not enough to bring it to the masses. The internet is wonderful for thoes of us who own Shopsmith equipment but for thoes who don't, I feel it goes unnoticed.

When you get down to the nitty-gritty, in reading this forum, I distinctly get the idea that Shopsmith is teetering especially when I read the woes of you that have to wait for their orders to be manufactured. Customers want their orders shipped yesterday and want it immediately available. If it can't be shipped, it should not be advertized for sale. Of course, Shopsmith like other manufacturers, depend on other suppliers for parts. No one wants to see Shopsmith depend on foreign components and I feel really strong about that as do others, however, unfortunately as it is, the majority of power equipment from all the major manufacturers are now imported. Business has to do what is necessary to survive so would it be the worse thing in the world for us as Shopsmith owners to stop bitching about foreign components and allow Shopsmith to do what is necessary to make it in todays economy.

As I see it, Shopsmith equipment is not for everyone. It never will be. It has it own nitch in the world but the job Shopsmith has is to convince the world that it is the Total Gyms, Multimasters, and Little Giant Ladders of today. Shopsmith is still the most misunderstood tool in the world and it will never take the place of a room full of cast iron or granite table tops but as long as I have a small space or garage, it will be the machine for me. Us owners already have our equipment and we can't bail out Shopsmith so its very obvious to me that Shopsmith has just got to find a way to reach the public, next generation and new generation.

Unfortunately, so many of the goodies that sell equipment today are not present on Shopsmith machinery and unless the company can prosper, we are not likely to see todays lasers, digital readouts and computer guided saw blades on Shopsmith. Unfortunately, these goodies do not make better woodworkers and in fact, take away the ability to learn to measure and become craftsmen but the next generation does not know that as these things are the norm of today and tommorrow.

It is also unfortunate that people will always gravitate towards success and support a winner. It's just a matter of time before all good things become extinct and go to the history books. The ability to stay on top depends on the ability of a company to continue reinventing itself. Eventually, Wal-Mart through evolution will be a has been. As an owner, I will continue to support Shopsmith but we as owners already have our machines and cannot order a new one to bail out the company. Shopsmith cannot survive on accessories and parts and that's why I think the answer is to go into debt and move to a well produced television exposure.

Arno

[jg300da]

Shopsmith has got to get past this perception/dogma that the SS is a compromise, that you can't build anything of value on it.

It's my opinion that the perception is the reality. Every machine/tool that performs multiple functions is by design a compromise. The most famous of which is the Swiss Army knife. Beautifully designed, and made to last a lifetime. I covet mine yet I hardly use it. It doesn't perform a single function that is not more easily done with one of it's single use counterparts, and at a fraction of it's price.

It's a compromise everytime we use the Shopsmith. Giving up time used in changeovers for space needed. Giving up the accuracy and strength of cast iron construction for a smaller lighter design.

Very few tools are as well made or as well designed as the Shopsmith. The fact that it still performs as well as it did when I bought it 22 years ago makes those compromise worth it for me.
That is what Shopsmith should be selling.

[dusty]

Why do we have a Shopsmith in our shop?. Why do I NOT have a garage full of Powermatic and Delta tools. I would love to have a big, hefty table saw with a wrap around table; something like Norms'. Why don't I? Because I don't have, never have had and never will have room for it.

Shopsmith should capitalize on this fact. There are many woodworkers and wantabe woodworkers out there that are no different than I. They want to have a shop where they can do what we all do with our woodworking equipment but the largest space that they are likely to have is something similar to a double garage.

Now some of us have larger and many of us have lesser areas in which we house our Shopsmith but let us all face the facts. The one thing that these other manufacturers cannot do is provide a "full function woodshop" that fits in the area demanded by a Shopsmith woodshop.

Does this sacrifice neccessitate a compromise on our part. Yes, for some of us it does. But for many of us, we would never have a shop any larger than our garage or basement and what is more, we don't need it. Those huge spaces are only required for large projects.

I would like to suggest that the back drop for the Sawdust Sessions should be changed to emphasize this point. The Shopsmith as the foundation around which to build a 380-400 square foot workshop that can support the woodworking habits of most all of those that do our work in this niche.