A Few Hints About Doings At Shopsmith

[algale]

I'd encourage all the forum members to read the new 2019 Ultimate Product Guide (http://www.shopsmith.com/catalog/) and especially the comments on page 3 about the changes the company underwent in 2018.

Reading between the lines, they admit it was a challenging year. New internal systems, new employees, new Suppliers. The hope is things will improve. I hope so.

[jsburger]

I'd encourage all the forum members to read the new 2019 Ultimate Product Guide (http://www.shopsmith.com/catalog/) and especially the comments on page 3 about the changes the company underwent in 2018.

Reading between the lines, they admit it was a challenging year. New internal systems, new employees, new Suppliers. The hope is things will improve. I hope so.

Interesting! I hope it all comes true. It takes a LONG time to train new employees on a product that has the history of Shopsmith. Particularly customer service. The old CS people new things off the top of their head and didn't have to go hunt for an answer. If that answer came from another new employee who knows if it was right.

I talked to Mike Young a few months ago at a Lowes demo in Layton, UT. Jim McCann's (SP) name came up and his health. Mike said he used to be his go to guy on any subject and he used to call him all the time. Not so any more and he didn't know when or if he would be back to work. His loss will be a big blow to SS. I am sure they will recover but it will take time as we have seen.

KEEP THE FAITH!

[jsburger]

I see the Slow Boat in the catalog. OUTSTANDING!!!

[algale]

I see the Slow Boat in the catalog. OUTSTANDING!!!

Yes, I saw that. On a page with the Power Pro headstock (which I don't own). They have to send me one now, right?

[jsburger]

I see the Slow Boat in the catalog. OUTSTANDING!!!

Yes, I saw that. On a page with the Power Pro headstock (which I don't own). They have to send me one now, right?

Of course. Well they should.

[RFGuy]

I see the Slow Boat in the catalog. OUTSTANDING!!!

Yes, I saw that. On a page with the Power Pro headstock (which I don't own). They have to send me one now, right?

Wow! Is that the canoe that you built? Lots of respect. That is one major commitment. Ever since I got into woodworking as a kid, I have wanted to build one of those. I know it is a tremendous undertaking and hopefully someday I will tackle a boat build.

I am glad you pointed out the 2019 catalog and pages 2-3. I appreciate that Shopsmith is open and honest about this and communicates it in the catalog. We all want Shopsmith to succeed. I know I have complained about the price and UI of the PowerPro, but I still applaud Shopsmith for doing it. At one point, I opposed Shopsmith changing anything, e.g. 500->510->520 table fence as an example, but this is how a design grows and evolves. Once I upgraded to the 520 table system I "got it" and understood. What has always made Shopsmith great is their attempt to support older designs as much as possible while innovating and bringing new accessories, add-ons, etc. So, when I read in the catalog "additional new improvements to come", I am excited for what Shopsmith might bring to us next. While I don't own/need/want some of these, I appreciate Shopsmith introducing NEW items over the years like the adjustable stop collars, quick index quill handle, double-tilt, lift assist, premium casters, oscillating spindle sander, 5/8" keyless drill chuck, etc. Not to mention them bringing in outside vendors like Incra, MiterSet, Nova, etc. for add-on parts as well. Even though I don't have need for all of these, I know other owners will. I am curious how much Shopsmith still manufactures in-house versus outsourcing. If they have the capabilities, I wonder if they might not be more successful following a similar track to the OneTime tools that Woodpeckers offers. This could be a great way for them to test the waters on a new tool, accessory, add-on for Shopsmith by building to order rather than just 100% catalog sales. Just an idea....I think Woodpeckers has been very successful with this concept even though everyone hates when a OneTime tool vanishes, but if it was popular enough they bring it back for follow-on production runs.

Fingers crossed that we'll be getting a new and upgraded PowerPro ver2 soon. Either way, I can't wait to see what Shopsmith offers next.

[algale]

Wow! Is that the canoe that you built? Lots of respect. That is one major commitment. Ever since I got into woodworking as a kid, I have wanted to build one of those. I know it is a tremendous undertaking and hopefully someday I will tackle a boat build.

Thanks. I highly recommend you give it a try! None of the steps requires a super high level of woodworking ability. Mostly its tenacity. And sanding.

[dusty]

I think it is safe to conclude that Shopsmith is clearing the shelves in the back room of those items for which there has been little demand. Inventory is an expensive "overhead cost" for which there is no return (unless it is sold). Items like the Crafters Station motor fall into that category. Well, I now have a spare on order for the two units I have that utilize that motor.

It is a spare, in anticipation of failure, but that will not be its only purpose. It will not go on a shelf "in the back room". I have an old (I mean very old) Craftsman table saw that I am going to resurrect. It has been on that back room shelf for about thirty years. All it needs, other than a stand and the motor, is a brass bushing for the arbor.

I hate to see the Shopsmith warehouse being cleared of parts that I might someday need but I fully understand that maneuver. I do not see it as gloom and dome. I see it as a sign of future growth for an operation that escaped financial disaster a few years ago. Look and the new catalog, the new presence on social media, the PowerPro and the promise for future new "whatever". I see this all as exciting.

It should also be encouraging to see folks (like James and others) with facilities and capabilities to step in where Shopsmith has been a sole provider. I do all of my own repairs but people like shopsmithrepair.com waiting in the wings.

I am going to give my shop a once over inspection looking for items that might need to be repaired or replaced before the source diminishes to "unavailable". I did this one time before. The parts that I purchased then have all be consumed by my second work horse (the Shorty).

[JPG]

Warehouse purging has occurred before. That time it included much 'historical' stuff. I am glad the between the lines reading at that time has not come to pass.

I do hope and think the prognosis is much more encouraging this time.






I still do not like growing lack of 'historical' support.

[robinson46176]

I have never regretted my 25 or so Shopsmith buying spree of years ago when many of us were really concerned that SS was going to disappear again like it did at one time. Over all of this time I have had the comfort of knowing that no matter what might quit on one of mine or what happened to Shopsmith that I had a large number of replacement parts available. I was slowly retiring and wanted to be sure I had some control over important things. I had some uncommitted income at that time plus some added free time for road trips to pick them up. It was a great deal of fun and we would have been making a lot of short trips then anyway. A road trip to Massachusetts included a stop over at Niagara Falls. Other pick up trips included other such side stops. Some I bought were far more than complete and a few were just clumps of parts. Having so many has allowed me to plan other uses for some parts like the "Push me Pull me" double drill press and the Shopsmith base for my router table.
All of those comforts are still there.

I am struck in recent years by how much many discussions here are sounding like discussions in my old tractor hobby. The projects involve different items but the questions and concerns are becoming more similar.


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