Shopsmith Forums

I actually agree with, jbillups on the manual. I have spent a good sum in the last couple of months, and I have no problem with that. I wanted certain items and upgrades to make my woodworking experience with the shopsmith more enjoyable.

But, so many companies, computers, computer periphials, porter cable, and many more, provide downloadable manuals at no cost. But, having said that, if I didn't have the manual and needed one, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. Every item that I have ever bought from SS, whatever paperwork that came with it, is in the original binder that came with my SS.

But, I have a problem, it is full and I have more stuff on the way. Nick, how about sending me an empty three ring binder. lol

For you guys not finding manuals - Have you seen this page? http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/productmanuals.htm
The owners manuals may not be there, but there's enough sub-manuals (instructions) to get most people along the road.

jbillups wrote:Thanks Nick,



I'm not asking anyone to read anything, but some better photographs and explained tutorials would please many of your customers I feel. Most of my questions will stem from being uncertain. Many times old tools are so rusted or dirty, you cant always see what is outlined in the manual. So when asking a simple question and getting "read the manual/buy it" and/or "buy this dvd" is the reply I get, it is easy to feel like SS is more about the money than its customers. This is just how I feel.

I think the sawdust videos Nick is doing is way above what other tool mfg are offering. Nick could easily charge us to see each video.

cincinnati wrote:I think the sawdust videos Nick is doing is way above what other tool mfg are offering. Nick could easily charge us to see each video.

Well, touche! you have a point, there. OK, OK, I give up, keep the manuals, just don't toss the Sawdust Sessions.

cincinnati wrote:I think the sawdust videos Nick is doing is way above what other tool mfg are offering. Nick could easily charge us to see each video.

I see it as a trade off. In general, I think a manufacture should supply a manual online, as most do unless the item is significantly older. However, most manufacturers don't have other great, outstanding resources like SS is giving us...this forum and the sawdust session videos most of all.

Nicks video's are great. he is a very talented woodworker, I was just checking out his tool box, it is amazing... and his ability to do that inlay speaks for itself. But I don't think Nick would like it if I thumb tacked him to my wall to look at while working on the SS lol.

I secured a vintage manual on EBay for only a few dollars. I would have done so either way, because a vintage manual is just cool

But now I'm torn... my project is going down hill fast... but its serial no. is from dec. the first year produced... its hard for me to give that up and move onto another machine.

I think the goldies look neat, and whats with the mark 7, I saw one on CL
it looked pretty beefy. I think I might like the cast iron 10e or 10er... I dunno.

I can knot say that this is true for every, or even most, of the "other" companies, you know, the ones that offer "free" manuals via pdf files, but I wood guess that the "free" manual is about all the "free" customer service that an owner of those tools and equipment will get.

ShopSmith customer service is exceptional, and I wood never question their desire for us owners to have a manual in our possession so that we can "read" what they are explaining. I see no reason that they should give them away. I wood hate to see what their phone bills are like.

Might as well throw in my 2 cents... Many of the manuals from other manufacturers that I have seen actually have very little real content about the tool itself. There are many pages relating all the safety do's and don'ts. But how many of these "free" manuals are as comprehensive as SS manuals? Perhaps the old adage "you get what you pay for" applies.

In adding to what Rick wrote above, I was thinking that the average tool manual for that table saw or jointer is perhaps 20-30 pages max (the rest of the pages being a translation in spanish or whatever other language they like).. The shopsmith manual is more like a book .. I've got no idea how many pages it has but I'd guess several hundred.. The PDF would be HUGE (perhaps a gigabyte or more).. Anyway, I'd happily purchase one to get the other freebies as mentioned above.

I have been a shopsmith owner since 1980. On several occassion I have wanted to modify a feature of the product. I needed to purchase a part to attach to an existing item. Customer service told me what part to purchase and also sent me the manual for the part I was modifying. Specific example. I had a shopsmith table from the free standing router table I purchased 20 years ago. I wanted to modify it so I could attach it to the Mark V. I needed the telescoping leg to accomplish this. When I called customer service to order the leg they told me how to attach and offered to send me the entire manual for the new router table they are currently sell even though I was only purchasing one part. Of course I accepted. This what I have come to expect from shopsmith and have always received.