Is Shopsmith going to survive? When passing the factory last month on the way to the Artistry in wood show I noticed a building "Available" banner on the face of the building. Shopsmith was not at the Woodworking show just north of it's home base. I now see the woodworking classes has been canceled till further noticed. The factory store is now closed.
I do wish the best of luck to Shopsmith for what the future holds.
The future of Shopsmith
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cincinnati
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- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:40 pm
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
We're okay -- sitting up, taking solid food.
We've sold the building because we no longer need all of it and not having the mortgage to worry about will do us a world of good financially. We plan to consolidate and occupy about a third of the building at the rear. The front 2/3 is what's "available" from the new owners. Part of this consolidation involves moving the Academy. This will require architectural and electrical modifications; for safety, we cannot have students in the building while the contractors are working; and this is why we have suspended classes.
That and the fact that the vast majority of you folks would rather watch me on video than attend class in person. Drew and I moving heaven and earth to keep the Sawdust Sessions going during this consolidation, but we suspend class without a second thought. Times change.
With all good wishes,
We've sold the building because we no longer need all of it and not having the mortgage to worry about will do us a world of good financially. We plan to consolidate and occupy about a third of the building at the rear. The front 2/3 is what's "available" from the new owners. Part of this consolidation involves moving the Academy. This will require architectural and electrical modifications; for safety, we cannot have students in the building while the contractors are working; and this is why we have suspended classes.
That and the fact that the vast majority of you folks would rather watch me on video than attend class in person. Drew and I moving heaven and earth to keep the Sawdust Sessions going during this consolidation, but we suspend class without a second thought. Times change.
With all good wishes,
Nick Engler
http://www.workshopcompanion.com
http://www.workshopcompanion.com
Actually, Nick, though I enjoy the Sawdust Sessions, I myself would rather attend one of your live classes. That way, at the end of the lesson I would actually have a finished project to take home with me. I find that when I'm at home, I do more reading about and viewing of woodworking than actual shop time. I'm not retired, so I'm usually not in the mood to go down to the shop for a few hours after just spending 8 at work. At least in a class, I would be forcing myself to get some woodworking done. 
So, as long you are still having live classes, I hope to attend one or more in the next year.
So, as long you are still having live classes, I hope to attend one or more in the next year.
OK...Straight. We are definitely keeping the Sawdust Sessions going, no doubt. The academy, as of right now, has no home. As Nick said, the building that we are in has been bought and we are consolidating the offices/help desk/I.T./purchasing?marketing/etc. into 1/3 of the building. Which means we had to suspend the academy operations for relocation. Now, Nick and I are planning to start up the academy after the first of the year. As you can understand, the Sawdust Sessions are doing a hell of a lot better than the academy. So our emphasis has to go towards the Sawdust Session for now.
Be good,
Drew
Be good,
Drew
"When one has finished building one's house, one suddenly realizes that in the process one has learned something that one really needed to know in the worst way - before one began."
[INDENT][/INDENT]Friedrich Nietzsche
[INDENT][/INDENT]Friedrich Nietzsche
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paulmcohen
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- Location: Beaverton, Oregon
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The Woodsmith Store located in Des Moines (Clive), Iowa runs a weekly seminar in at or near their headquarters where they charge a small fee ($8 per person) to attend weekly or a discounted fee ($70) to attend 11 seminar in a quarter. They send out RSS feeds announcing the seminars, PDFs of some of the information and are working on a video (but they are way behind Shopsmith on video). From what I understand they get 50-150 people per week and many session sell out (only subscribers get in).
Customers who attend in person get a $5 discount on purchases made while attending. Online people get bonus download PDF's similar to Nick's blackboard postings.
This model might be interesting where you can combined Nick's session with the live academy. The claim people drive several hours to attend, one thing Nick might do is move the title of the seminar more generic but use the Shopsmith to accomplish it. For example the seminar on the ring master might be titled "A New Way to Turn Hollow Bowls Using the Ring Master".
The Woodsmith seminars are all about selling stuff but they have general appeal.
Customers who attend in person get a $5 discount on purchases made while attending. Online people get bonus download PDF's similar to Nick's blackboard postings.
This model might be interesting where you can combined Nick's session with the live academy. The claim people drive several hours to attend, one thing Nick might do is move the title of the seminar more generic but use the Shopsmith to accomplish it. For example the seminar on the ring master might be titled "A New Way to Turn Hollow Bowls Using the Ring Master".
The Woodsmith seminars are all about selling stuff but they have general appeal.
Paul Cohen
Beaverton, OR
A 1982 500 Shopsmith brand upgraded to a Mark 7 PowerPro, Jointer, Bandsaw (with Kreg fence), Strip Sander, Ring Master and lots of accessories all purchased new
12" Sliding Compound Mitre Saw, 1200 CFM DC
Beaverton, OR
A 1982 500 Shopsmith brand upgraded to a Mark 7 PowerPro, Jointer, Bandsaw (with Kreg fence), Strip Sander, Ring Master and lots of accessories all purchased new
12" Sliding Compound Mitre Saw, 1200 CFM DC
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cincinnati
- Platinum Member
- Posts: 1172
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:40 pm
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Nick, thanks for the reply.
I do wish the best for ShopSmith. I for one think it is one of the best woodworking money I have ever spent. I purchased my MarkV in 1989 and have only needed to replace the on-off switch.
I do miss the saw dust sessions when SS had their retail store in Cincinnati. They were nothing more than a sales pitch for SS products but nothing wrong with that. I learned what a tool could do for me and had fun doing it.
Will the retail store in Dayton ever return? I always like to stop in and see and feel things and spend $$$$$ I only live about an hour south of Dayton.
I do wish the best for ShopSmith. I for one think it is one of the best woodworking money I have ever spent. I purchased my MarkV in 1989 and have only needed to replace the on-off switch.
I do miss the saw dust sessions when SS had their retail store in Cincinnati. They were nothing more than a sales pitch for SS products but nothing wrong with that. I learned what a tool could do for me and had fun doing it.
Will the retail store in Dayton ever return? I always like to stop in and see and feel things and spend $$$$$ I only live about an hour south of Dayton.
It's good to hear that the building has been sold. As a shareholder in SS the mortgage has been a large expense that would have probably done the company in. I wonder if Plan B is still around? The new directions of the company are great and it is good to hear complaints about backorders although I certainly feel the frustration of owners that have to wait. Things are looking up, the sawdust sessions are great and a productive vehicle to increase sales without being a blatant sales presentation. The Rick Davis DVD
looks fantastic and I can't wait for a DVD of Nick's work with the overarm router so we can watch it on the big screen. I hope the cutback in building space will not lead to sending the building of SS products overseas. Nick, Drew and all the Shopsmith employees are to be commended on doing an outstanding job on the turnaround. I expect Shopsmith to be around a good long time. As someone said about McDonnell Douglas before their merger with Boeing "they can make a nice living just supplying parts for the DC-'3s flying around the world", SS can do well just taking care of us loyal customers and selling some MK Vs. I still wouldn't sell my SS stock. Happy Bday Nick.
looks fantastic and I can't wait for a DVD of Nick's work with the overarm router so we can watch it on the big screen. I hope the cutback in building space will not lead to sending the building of SS products overseas. Nick, Drew and all the Shopsmith employees are to be commended on doing an outstanding job on the turnaround. I expect Shopsmith to be around a good long time. As someone said about McDonnell Douglas before their merger with Boeing "they can make a nice living just supplying parts for the DC-'3s flying around the world", SS can do well just taking care of us loyal customers and selling some MK Vs. I still wouldn't sell my SS stock. Happy Bday Nick.
Drew and Nick,
I wanted to make another comment on the sawdust sessions. They would be more valuable to me if I were able to view them live and interact with you during the filming. Perhaps now that you have some of the other problems figured out, now maybe you could work on getting it to work with Macs. I know that a few Mac users have been able to view the live sessions, but I have not. I have a late model Intel iMac and all the necessary software, but it still won't work. I would be glad to offer myself as guinea pig when you decide to tackle this issue. Thanks
I wanted to make another comment on the sawdust sessions. They would be more valuable to me if I were able to view them live and interact with you during the filming. Perhaps now that you have some of the other problems figured out, now maybe you could work on getting it to work with Macs. I know that a few Mac users have been able to view the live sessions, but I have not. I have a late model Intel iMac and all the necessary software, but it still won't work. I would be glad to offer myself as guinea pig when you decide to tackle this issue. Thanks