Shopsmith Forums

I watched it and all I have to say is .....!

Doug kept saying he wasn't a Shopsmith employee and that is true but he earns his living from Shopsmith.

His video was fairly convincing until he mentioned he priced out all the tools the Mark 7 duplicates and came to the price of $15,000. Get real!

I can buy them for under $4000 so where is the $11,000 difference? He priced top of the line professional machines against a home owners hobbyist machine.

I realize I tick many of you off when I complain about pricing of some of the Shopsmith items. Believe or not I'm pro Shopsmith too. My concern is they are pricing some things too high and those things in my opinion are the hooks the catch Shopsmith owners and keep them as customers.

I think they need to do is lower their prices on some products, sell more of them which will build a larger customer base. And with a larger Customer base can better weather the ups and downs that are so common in today's economy.

I still think Doug Reid tanked Nick and I can't get past that either.

Ed in Tampa wrote: I still think Doug Reid tanked Nick and I can't get past that either.

Care to share the story?

Ed, where can you find a horizontal drill press?

I mean not SS or SS clones?

I just looked, and except for hand held drills.
something horizontal would easily break that 15000
limit. (For something as good as my ER.)

I'm talking about something that will drill a lined up hole in
the end of an 8 foot long 2X2 or 2 inch dowel.

steve

skou wrote:Ed, where can you find a horizontal drill press?

I mean not SS or SS clones?

I just looked, and except for hand held drills.
something horizontal would easily break that 15000
limit. (For something as good as my ER.)

I'm talking about something that will drill a lined up hole in
the end of an 8 foot long 2X2 or 2 inch dowel.

steve

Delta makes a radial head drill press. Where the head sits on a radial bar that allows the head to turned 360 degree around and plus and minus 180 degrees from vertical. If I remember correct the whole thing could be lowered on the vertical support tube holding it up. So in effect you could tilt the head to horizontal and bring it down to working height.

joshh wrote:Care to share the story?

No! I have no facts only suspicion. Shouldn't have mentioned it. sorry to all

I agree with most of what he says in that video - I don't think they are too expensive, just something many folks can't afford or don't understand why they should spend that. I agree his $15k price is pretty high but when I start looking for comparable quality (i.e., not Delta, Craftsman, Ridgid etc.) and tools I can expect to have the same longevity, the total cost would likely exceed the cost of a new Mark 7 PP easily. I don't think the cost of the machine is keeping SS from prospering...I think the fact that you can pick one of up used in good condition for $100-$1500, cuts into their market pretty heavily. Most items sold these days, whether tools, cars/trucks, appliances, toys, furniture etc., all all for the most part crap compared to what was made 30+ years ago. Corner cutting to keep things cheap and increase profit margins, as well as a realization that things that last forever are bad for future profits, have led to a loss in quality and longevity across the board. I agree with Doug that SS has not gone this route - the Mark 7 is a much improved machine over the Mark V my Dad bought new in '79...still made in the USA, still made from quality parts and well machined, and customer service and parts availability across the board. I'd love to buy a new PP Mark 7 - I'm in the 'can't afford it' boat but I don't think it's over priced. Fortunately for me the SS made 30-60 years ago are still rock solid and sell used for unreasonably low prices.

Ed in Tampa wrote:No! I have no facts only suspicion. Shouldn't have mentioned it. sorry to all

I have no 'facts' either!

I have personal 'opinions'.

I have always liked Nick(still do).

He is very down to earth and does appeal to many of 'us'.

I like Doug.

He is unquestionably 'smoother' than Nick, but then the pitch experience makes that.

Nick is a relative newbie at pitching.

Doug has woodworking experience.

Nick has wood working expertise.

Before the 'downsizing' I never heard of Doug.

IF I were to GUESS Doug was a more logical person to host the Webinairs.

His you tube presence had to help that decision!


Tanking? Doubtful, other than being a better choice. JMHO:)

dgale wrote:I agree with most of what he says in that video - I don't think they are too expensive, just something many folks can't afford or don't understand why they should spend that. I agree his $15k price is pretty high but when I start looking for comparable quality (i.e., not Delta, Craftsman, Ridgid etc.) and tools I can expect to have the same longevity, the total cost would likely exceed the cost of a new Mark 7 PP easily. I don't think the cost of the machine is keeping SS from prospering...I think the fact that you can pick one of up used in good condition for $100-$1500, cuts into their market pretty heavily. Most items sold these days, whether tools, cars/trucks, appliances, toys, furniture etc., all all for the most part crap compared to what was made 30+ years ago. Corner cutting to keep things cheap and increase profit margins, as well as a realization that things that last forever are bad for future profits, have led to a loss in quality and longevity across the board. I agree with Doug that SS has not gone this route - the Mark 7 is a much improved machine over the Mark V my Dad bought new in '79...still made in the USA, still made from quality parts and well machined, and customer service and parts availability across the board. I'd love to buy a new PP Mark 7 - I'm in the 'can't afford it' boat but I don't think it's over priced. Fortunately for me the SS made 30-60 years ago are still rock solid and sell used for unreasonably low prices.

Ah but the guts of the pro are not American made.

One of the reasons that SS has parts for 60 year old machines is the machine hasn't changed in 60 years. Sure there were improvement but no real change. So a part made today for a machine made today will also fit a machine made 60 years ago. Try to buy a single bearing quill. They will tell you they don't have that part but have a better replacement. Which is true but it also says they aren't keeping 60 year parts they are only using what is made today for today's machine.

Now that the Power Pro is out, and assume that SS makes it another 60 years I'll will bet you won't be able to buy a pork chop for the speed control 60 years from now. They would have stopped making them long ago.

JPG40504 wrote:I have no 'facts' either!

I have personal 'opinions'...

Tanking? Doubtful, other than being a better choice. JMHO:)

I don't think you have the "rest of the story" my friend

Ed in Tampa wrote:I don't think you have the "rest of the story" my friend

Of course not!

I said so(no facts)!

So my friend, do tell us the Paul Harvey bit.