Shopsmith Forums

The real question .... have we answered woodmeister's question? ... LOL

rjent wrote:The real question .... have we answered woodmeister's question? ... LOL

I think the general consensus is to get a router and table for the money. Pretty much 100% get away from the SI if you have a power pro, but it could be useful if you do not.

I personally see a good router as more useful, especially paired with a table (homemade or otherwise). Plus you can take a router to the work easily, something the SS SI won't do.

As for price... I wouldn't pay much except to complete a SS SPT collection. However, I am bias as I love my 2 routers and wouldn't go to the SS over them for anything... But I also do not have a PP.

Beave2012 wrote:

rjent wrote:The real question .... have we answered woodmeister's question? ... LOL

I think the general consensus is to get a router and table for the money. Pretty much 100% get away from the SI if you have a power pro, but it could be useful if you do not.

I personally see a good router as more useful, especially paired with a table (homemade or otherwise). Plus you can take a router to the work easily, something the SS SI won't do.

As for price... I wouldn't pay much except to complete a SS SPT collection. However, I am bias as I love my 2 routers and wouldn't go to the SS over them for anything... But I also do not have a PP.

I recently purchased a Shopsmith 520 which came with a speed increaser and speed reducer. I have a nice self-made router table set up on an extension table base. It has a Rockler router lift that fits my Porter Cable 690 router. It is outfitted with t-track and a dual faced fence with t-track as well. Dual faced means that it has a low and high profile.

I am debating with myself to sell the increaser, to gain more funds to finish out my missing accessories. Is there any reason to keep the increaser, considering I have the router table set-up? I guess the only reason would be having the ability to run shaper cutters on the shaper spindle? Also does Shopsmith sell a ball bearing rub collar upgrade for the shaper spindle?

Thanks

gac5ss wrote:Also does Shopsmith sell a ball bearing rub collar upgrade for the shaper spindle?

Thanks

They do sell sell a shaper spindle with ball bearing rub collars. https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... er_spindle

I had a speed increaser and never used it much before I eventually sold it. In my opinion, if you want to use the shaper bits I would just use them directly using the max Mark 5 speed with a slower feed rate and sell the increaser. Now the PowerPro upgrade is a different story because it provides not only the higher speed but the power required to adequately make the cut.

I changed over to the PowerPro years ago. I have a Speed Increaser sitting in the box that I recall using twice. It worked well when I used it. If you would like to send me a PM, I will dust off the box and inventory that all the parts are there . I would enjoy someone using this tool instead of collection dust!

procrastinator wrote:I changed over to the PowerPro years ago. I have a Speed Increaser sitting in the box that I recall using twice. It worked well when I used it. If you would like to send me a PM, I will dust off the box and inventory that all the parts are there . I would enjoy someone using this tool instead of collection dust!

I searched Google for past eBay sales on the SS speed increaser. It appears that the average going eBay price is in the $225 range for the increaser with a 1/2" shaper shaft with non-ball bearing rub collars. I see one currently at $340 asking price plus shipping of $20. No shaft, but does have an owners manual.

At $225, I will probably keep it, at least until I determine if I don't like its performance by using it.