Any new reports on Shopsmith

[ricknwood]

Thanks for the frank and quick response, Nick. Although it is difficult to hear about Shopsmith's trials and tribulations, it is good to learn that management is still fighting the good fight.

Also, I encourage you and Drew to keep up the good Internet work...the Sawdust Sessions have been a great marketing innovation...so much more detailed than what can be presented in a demo or even a day-long seminar. In fact, I think they are so valuable that if they were offered on DVD I believe they would sell like hotcakes. How about offering a "custom" DVD...For a certain fee, the purchaser would order just those specific Sawdust Sessions s/he was interested in, which would then be transferred to DVD and mailed out. Just a thought. Again, thanks for keeping us informed about Shopsmith the company as well as Shopsmith the tool.

Ed
Idaho Panhandle
MkV 500 +/-, bs, dc3300, jointer

Hi Ed,
it's really good to hear how you folks support Shopsmith and are wanting to help us. One of the other avenues that the Bob Folkerth decided was to market my series, "The Shopsmith Journals" which will do exactly what you are asking about. DVDs about a single subject like Cabinetry, Furniture, Architectual Interiors and so on. The first one," Maintenance and Alignment has been out since Dec and has great success. The second which will be "Kitchen Cabinetry" is in the process currently. I plan on doing as many as there is interest. Between the programs that Nick, Drew and I are doing, I think you folks will have all the education you need to give you the confidence to tackle any project with the belief that the finished piece will reflect the quality you would expect from a high quality machine, our Mark V.
Thanks again for your ongoing support,
Rick Davis
Traveling Academy Instructor

[charlese]

Thanks for the "state of the SS state" report Nick!:D You have always told it like it is - to the best of your knowledge. We appreciate it.!

You know we will try to help Shopsmith as well as ourselves! Some of us, however don't get tax refunds. They (Turbo Tax) tell me that is good tax planning. We just hate to give the Gov't more money than they want from us annually - just so they will give some of it back several months after the year is over. My Tax refund was spent all year long.

In May or June we are supposed to get a kick back from the Government. Some of that will surely go to Shopsmith to benefit both of us.

[timster68]

Hi Ed,
it's really good to hear how you folks support Shopsmith and are wanting to help us. One of the other avenues that the Bob Folkerth decided was to market my series, "The Shopsmith Journals" which will do exactly what you are asking about. DVDs about a single subject like Cabinetry, Furniture, Architectual Interiors and so on. The first one," Maintenance and Alignment has been out since Dec and has great success. The second which will be "Kitchen Cabinetry" is in the process currently. I plan on doing as many as there is interest. Between the programs that Nick, Drew and I are doing, I think you folks will have all the education you need to give you the confidence to tackle any project with the belief that the finished piece will reflect the quality you would expect from a high quality machine, our Mark V.
Thanks again for your ongoing support,
Rick Davis
Traveling Academy Instructor

Great - I can't wait for this one as new kitchen cabinets will be my first 'large' project. Any ETA on this - and will it include making drawers as well as shelves? What about glass pane doors? Thanks.

-Tim

[ricknwood]

Great - I can't wait for this one as new kitchen cabinets will be my first 'large' project. Any ETA on this - and will it include making drawers as well as shelves? What about glass pane doors? Thanks.

-Tim

Good Morning Tim,
yes the Kitchen Cabinetry will include all the things you asked about. I will be starting with material selection, making cutout lists and constructing an upper and base cabinet. The upper will have glass doors, base cabinet with raised or flat panels and dovetail drawers. As far as the release date, that's a hard one considering that I am on the road 2/3rds of the time teaching the Traveling Academy. All filming has to be done working with my Shopsmith schedule. April or May would be my guess. Just keep an eye out for an e-mail that will notify everyones of it's availability.
Thanks for your support,
Rick Davis
Traveling Academy Instructor:D

[paulmcohen]

Good Morning Tim,
Just keep an eye out for an e-mail that will notify everyones of it's availability.
Thanks for your support,
Rick Davis
Traveling Academy Instructor:D

Have you thought about pre-selling a subscription like the Time Life book club. We sign up for x issues (or all) and Shopsmith ships them when they are produced billing a credit card. In exchange we don't pay shipping, Shopsmith can use Media Mail to ship DVD's for $.70 each who cares it if takes 3 weeks its not like we know the production date.

Sorry Rick as much as I love the series the shipping is obscene for a DVD, otherwise I will just wait until I can bundle it with another order (with free shipping).

[alancooke]

Just a thought: What if SS had released Rick's new DVD and sent everyone an e-mail saying it was now available and the price was ONLY 37.95 and for a limited time could be ordered with FREE shipping. Would we all be saying 'wow, what a deal and FREE shipping too!!!'

My point is this: One post talks about everyone giving SS money, another about spending our refund checks to help out. Then, we all complain about paying 8-9 bucks shipping for a DVD everyone's been begging for.

I agree that is a lot of money to ship 1 DVD but, the person taking the order, removing the DVD from the shelf, putting it in a package, filling out the mailing label, etc., etc.,etc., ain't cheap (southern drawl for 'expensive as crap!'):)

Trust me, as a small business owner, the cost is in the labor. Let's just pretend the cost is 37.50 (a very competitive price for this type DVD) and all support SS. I'll be ordering on Monday.

p.s. I hope no one takes offense at this b/c none is intended. These are strictly my opinions and 'do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this station or it's sponsors':D

[a1gutterman]

.......p.s. I hope no one takes offense at this b/c none is intended. These are strictly my opinions and 'do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this station or it's sponsors':D

Hi Alan,

Everyones opinion should be respected, even yours. Seriously though, I think that what we are all doing is letting SS know how we feel about this shipping cost issue. Some do not mind the high price; some hate it with a vengence; some are somewhere in the middle. What I do see are suggestions that are being earnestly offered to a company who has asked us for ideas. Most who are complaining offer alternate ideas, not just make a complaint. I thought that is what SS wanted; ideas.

SS does not have to use any of the suggestions. They will make sales to those willing to pay the price; they will lose sales to those not willing to pay the price. The price includes shipping costs. They have to make a profit. When there are alternative ways for them to ship something and still make a profit, they should be receptive to them. And I am sure they are.

I have complained about FedUp shipments and I continue to be dissatisfied with thier service, but that has not and will not stop me from placing SS orders. ShopSmith does offer Priority Mail as an alternative. I recently used that option and I liked the service; delivery in 3 days! But at what cost? The item had a list price of $53.69, and was being offered to me at $42.95 with free shipping. The priority mail option cost SS $16.05. If one was to take the high cost of the shipping from the price they charged me, you would discover that I got the $53.69 product for $26.90. The normal shipping charge on that item would have been $10.99. I do not know how they can make those kind of transactions and remain in business. I will no longer request Priority Mail service, even though that means I have to PutUp with FedUp. It just costs SS too much.

With that in mind though, why do they insist on charging so much for shipping a DVD when there are viable alternatives? The above is my opinion, and I do not take offense to those who disagree.

[guvnuh4]

Actually, there is something that hasn't been mentioned yet that could provide free "shipping" for the DVD/any other DVD: downloadable content. It wouldn't be too difficult to offer it as a download since it is already in a digital format. You could then choose between having the DVD shipped to you (for a fee) or download the video (yay for instant gratification!) and either watch it from your PC or burn it to a DVD or Video CD (depending on the size of video).

[fixit]

Now why didn't I think of that?!

Great idea and one SS probably ought to check into. I buy most of my software that way and have been quite satisfied with the process. The size of a DVD download is trivial compared to some of the software I've downloaded in the past.

It's still so large that those with only dialup probably wouldn't buy it but anyone with a broadband connection would not be stopped by the file size.

[a1gutterman]

Not bad, not bad at all.