Shopsmith Forums

dgale wrote:I'm not sure about down in TX but out here in CA, used Shopsmiths are a dime-a-dozen on CraigsList, so it's worth taking your time to investigate all the various types, options and accessories, conditions and going prices to make sure you buy the right machine for the right price. Perhaps expand your CraigsList search to surrounding areas - might be worth a drive to get the right deal.

For a dime, I'd take a dozen in any condition. It is a good thing that I don't live there anymore. I'd really be Shop Equipment Poor.

mikesh_21 wrote:I thank you all for your quick response. I am very impressed with both the responsiveness and especially the friendly/helpfulness of this forum community.

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To SDSSmith: Now how in the world you were able to pull a needle out of a haystack and guess my location is very impressive to me. To answer everyone at once, Yes I am in Amarillo, I just did not want to feel rude to the seller if he happened to be a member here and I was asking for advice on value and such. I greatly appreciate the links though and that first one that you suggested seems like a much better deal but sadly it is already sold.
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One thing is for sure, the sn did not help!;)

Hi Michael!

If tools are your love, you should have a Shopsmith! If you miss out on one particular one, don't worry...used ones come up on Craigslist and eBay all the time. The best deals can be found from people who have inherited one from a relative and just want to get it out of the garage. The most expensive ones come from people who bought it new, or looked up the new machine prices, and want to sell at a very small discount.

There are many models, although they all have pretty much the same basic configuration...a power head and work tables sliding on a set of way tubes that can pivot up to turn the unit into a drill press (and other vertically mounted tools like a router.)

The number of special purpose tools and accessories will affect the price. The most popular add-ons are the 4" jointer and the bandsaw, closely followed by the 12" thickness planer and the scroll saw. These often come on their own power stand...whether you prefer that, or the version that mounts directly on the Shopsmith and is powered by the headstock depends on how much space you have in your shop.

The serial number, and photos, is one place to start when identifying a model, but they aren't the only thing to consider. Many machines have been upgraded over the years. For example, I own a Mark V machine made in the mid 1980s. I've upgraded it with new tables and rails and other parts, until now (well, once I get the latest pieces on) it is the equivalent to the latest model, the Mark 7.

But even the oldest Shopsmiths can turn out some amazing projects. Some of the people on these forums have Model 10ERs that have been well cared for or refurbished and are still going strong.

Craigslist in surrounding areas/states can get what you want. Most are so way over priced it is unbelievable. Most sellers want to get what they paid for it. I'd like to sell my 1964 Dodge Dart for what I paid for it too. Yeah, it has some rust, needs paint and I haven't done much maintenance but it is a Dodge Dart. You get the drift.

Look for something that has been posted for several months. I helped a friend buy a 510 several months ago. It was 180 miles round trip. It was missing the end table and disc sander but was in good condition. However, I inspected it and found everything to criticize that I could and asked when the last time maintenance was done. "Huh?" We came in with a low ball offer which he countered adding $25. He sold it for 60% of what he was asking.

However, he knew that we were traveling a long way and dropped the price $150 before we left.

Here's one that has been posted a long time that you might be interested in. The owner posted it under Shop Smith, not Shopsmith, so he isn't getting many hits. This has been up for over 3 months:

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/3294181707.html

600 Miles RT but you might knock off a few hundred to pay for time and gas. Besides, he's not getting any bites.